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Date: 27 Jun 2009 19:42:59
Title: 38 32N 28 37.5W
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Sitting below watching the Horta refrigeration crew work on the boat system. This is the third set of repair guys that have looked at the refrigeration. Each set has a slightly different slant on what we need. These guys seem to have a source of parts however. I try to tell each set what the last guys said but... they all understand English a little differently and then moving that into the language of refrigerants and expansion valves... hopefully the third time is the charm.

Sailing in here was a very interesting. We were working against the high for three days with little wind, motoring whenever the boat speed dropped below 2.5 Kts. About two days out the weather forecast changed and a low formed and dropped right onto Horta. At one point our weather helper Herb actually said the magic word 'gail'. But our computer weather charts were showing maximum winds of 25 kts. Who do you trust? We motored hard trying to beat the low and managed to arrive just as it did but before the seas had a chance to really build. Had about a half day of good sailing. The wind backed and came from the wrong direction. We were trying to get into port before it
1. Got too rough to be able to navigate safely in the waves and (what do you call a 15 foot wave coming at you sideways in the dark? ... )
2. Got so dark that we could not see our way around in the new port.

The alternative was to sail around all night in the blow avoiding land and going in circles until it was light enough to get in. We ended up coming in a little after 10 PM Horta time. It was dark but the harbor was pretty well light and the radar even decided to work until someone stepped on the connector taking in the main sail. Got in after customs had closed and rafted up to the other boats at the fuel dock and waited till morning.

Went out to Pete's bar here in Horta, kind of an institution among the international yachting crowd. Flags and pennants from all over the world. Had ten minutes before the kitchen closed... just in time for mixed grill and several beers. Interesting set of crews, didn't here any English, and not too many day sailors around. We ended up tying up on the wall of the marina about 3 deep.. never done that before! There is a 7000 foot volcano on the island across from Horta, Pico when you look out a port hole. The clouds are about half way up, and then the top sticks out, looks like something out of Jurassic park. The local folk custom here is to paint your boat logo on the concrete walls around the marina. There are literally thousands of logo murals around the harbor. Wish our artist Phil were still here to do the honors.

The sail coming in here was interesting in that there were huge pods of dolphin, like maybe a hundred in a pod. We spotted at least three sets over two days. At one point the whole pod enveloped Pipedream rolling with the waves. Lots of seabirds. Big patches of Portuguese men-of-war, like a couple of hundred in a bunch purple in the sun. As we got closer to the Azores we actually started seeing other ships and then a couple sail boats as we got close to Horta.

Money here is euros. This is actually part or Portugal. Bought about 100 gallons of fuel for 278 euros - is that good? Not sure what I bought after the conversion from liters to gallons and then from euros and dollars? I'm full of fuel again that is what counts. We'll take on water before we leave. We found a super market. Lots of quality produce and frozen food. Hoping I can use the frig after these guys get done. The electric power standard here and in the rest of the EC is 220 volts 50 Hz. I made a new electric cable and changed over the taps in boat's isolation transformer and it actually worked - we are now on shore power. Bill Stellin made me an offer I could not refuse on a great assortment of European electrical connectors before we left. I have to work on the radar next. Time to eliminate the special $100 connector I bought that requires daily cleaning to work! Listening to a local FM radio station - Michael Jackson is the talk of the town... they probably would not have noticed as much if the president had passed on.

My crew is out hiking about some place looking for dinner. Looks like Pizza tonight. We were going to cook onboard but all the markets closed around 1:00 PM on Saturday or so they said. I managed to get the laundry done today three loads for about $20 that is half price compared to Bermuda and cleaned up the boat a bit. George has his jungle hammock strung up in the rigging and slept on the deck last night. Matt was on the internet for a good bit today and is still looking for a Portuguese dictionary. At dinner last night he settled a big miss-conversation with just one word of Spanish. Chris came back from a hike in time to help me fold laundry... the Captain's work is never done! Well all for now...
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