Praia da Vitoria, Terceira 38:43.8N 27:03.4W

Millybrown
Mark Hillmann
Sat 13 Jun 2009 12:15
 2 May  Flores
 
The hire car let us go round Flores, showing the dramatic volcanic scenery.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The calderas are either deep and blue like this or shallow and green

 

 

 

26 to 27 May 

We had a good overnight sail to Horta on Faial.

Miles and I had both seen dolphins and Paul was keep to see them too. 

When a pod came to play under the bow he got wet watching them on the bow.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 29 May - Horta to Angra

We sailed, then motor sailed most of way past Pico with breeze fading or ahead. A French catamaran overtook us every time the wind got up, but only motored in the very calm bits. We kept the engine on to get in before dark. As we got into the bay just south of Angra we saw a large white flipper and then a couple of whales. At the time I said “humpback whales” but a whale watching office later said it was more likely that they were Risso's dolphins which also do the flipper flapping.

Saturday 30

We walked up hill to the fort and down through the play area for Paul.


Sunday 31

We hired a car and went round the coast, it is much less interesting than Flores, rather suburban with houses all the way.  We had a walk up at a radio station on the top in cool, windy weather.

Paul painted our Milly Brown Logo on the quay wall. 

All the harbours have a variety of boat names and logos to record the visitors.

 

 

 

 

Monday 1 June

We went to caves and fumaroles.

The centre of the island feels much more interesting and volcanic than the coast.

 

 

 

 

 

There was also a small rural bull a fight for the young boys. A calf taunt really, with neither calves nor boys hurt while we watched.

Here bull fighting involves no damage to the bulls.  It is done in the streets with a rope on the bull dragging 3 men after it to give some control.

On TV they show clips of people being gored, but mostly they spring to their feet again afterwards, like football supporters after a goal. 

Took Paul and Miles to airport.

 

Tuesday 2

Fetched Murrel and Lorna from airport, took them to their posh hotel in a castle and had supper there.

Wednesday 3

We went round the island again visiting more caves and fumaroles.  There are yellow barracuda in the marina.  Must avoid falling in.

Thursday 4

The little volcano museum in Angra is well worth seeing.  It gives a context for the different eruptions, types of rock and how it is still very much a live area.   

Friday 5

10am left harbour to try to get to Pico.

1215 Lorna and Murrel both seasick so gave up and went back - not a good day, too lumpy to keep going and with a head wind it would take too long.

1300 Whales with forward angled spouts seen: Sperm whales.   A family group as several together.  Some consolation: At least we have seen sperm whales. 


Saturday 6

Sailed round to Praia, a nice gentle sail under the coast, now that is better.

Praia da Vitoria is a smaller town near the airport but with a larger harbour.  It has good facilities and is very cheap, even by Portuguese standards.


Sunday 7

We walked up 287 steps to a shrine on top of the hill overlooking the harbour.

It has an ice cream stall underneath it, you need it after all those steps.

It was a look-out post for pirates or enemy ships before they built this.

 

 

 

Monday 8

Having given up on sailing to Pico it was even too windy for us to try the ferry today so we flew and ferried to Pico via Horta.  The weather was bad enough for Pico airport to be closed.  Going across on the little ferry from Horta to Magdalena you could see the cloud right down on Pico giving no visibility for landing.

We arrived late and stayed in an expensive modern hotel in Magdalena.  As much as the super 'hotel in a castle' in Angra, but crammed into a town centre site like in any city.


Tuesday 9

We hired a car yet again and drove to Sao Rock where we were staying the next two nights and then across the island for short upland walk.

Cloud was coming and going over the peak.

 

We went on down to Lages and were shown round the whaling museum.  When done by men in rowing boats, whaling seems much less of a problem.

 

 

 

On round the coast to a village where the little inshore fishing boats are launched by crane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The skipper of the local whaling boat told us how they are now used for regattas, both sailing and rowing We are too early for the regattas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whaling is only in sculptures on the seafront now.

 

 

 

 

 

The pavements are properly artistic with black and white stones to varied designs in each place.

 

 

 

 


 

 

Wednesday 10

There was a cloudy drive down the centre of Pico from Sao Rock to Magdalena.

We walked through an area with small walls round vines to give a warmer and less windy microclimate for the grapes.

The wine we have tried and can recommend.

 

 

 

 

Thursday 11

Flew back to Terceira.


Friday 12

Walked round the harbour to the fishing and commercial end. Back along a promenade that is still under construction.  The decorative pavings are all to be done.  Filled the boat up with water and food.


Saturday 13

Murrel and Lorna fly to Lisbon