Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Ahhh...Rest and Relaxation

First, our apologies for the lack of blog activity. We've been moving at a non-stop pace since setting sail, and it is time to rest. Vacation can be stressful!



We're now on the island of Sao Miguel, hiking, body surfing, lounging.

Leaving Flores in pouring rain and 12 foot seas (no breaking waves this time) was less than comfortable, but necessary to keep moving. A high pressure system sits over the Azores in the summer, so any movement of the high results in big shifts in wind direction. Not taking advantage of a weather window means getting stuck until another wind shift.

For example, here are wind maps for this week Thursday and Friday, exactly 24 hours apart. Notice the wacky shift in direction; these aren't a sailor's best friend.




Still, sailing in the Azores has its merits. You can't go an hour without dolphins playing alongside you like excited children chasing a parade float.

In the middle of the night, a pair of whales surfaced feet from our boat, black silhouettes on a moonlit sea. Hypnotized by the rolling of waves, I was suddenly jolted alert by what sounded like pressure release valves bursting open. Luckily I was upwind and did not get covered in smelly whale breath.

 

Each island in the Azores is known for its unique festivals each year. On Flores, we experienced the Festa do Emigrante, celebrating the immigration of early Portuguese settlers to the uninhabited islands in the 1400's. Bread, cheese, wine and milk, the staples of production here, were given out in abundance to hundreds of people while a community orchestra played traditional Portuguese music.



In Horta, we took part in the Festival of the Sea. The Mayor himself came down to the Marina and gave the crew of each boat a gift of flowers, one pound of local cheese, and an invitation to dinner held in honor of the sailors who visit each year. The dinner was fantastic; fresh fish, cheese, bread, wine, beer, live music, oh my! During the day, locals raced in their traditional whaling boats while kids zig-zagged the harbor in sailing dinghies.




Amanda and I took a ferry to Pico Island and climbed the tallest peak in Portugal, a dormant volcano rising 7,713 feet above sea level. Why the classy hiking clothes? We hitchhike to the trailhead on all our hikes, and it's easier to get a ride when you look decent.






On Sao Miguel, tourism promotes a healthy mix of well-maintained beaches, hiking trails and nightlife. A cheap, efficient bus system provides transportation to most places on the island. Amanda and I hiked to Lagoa do Fogo, a turquoise-blue lake hidden in a volcanic crater. Rugged mountains give way to calm beaches along the lake shore.


Tonight we'll camp at hot springs that both locals and tourists rave about. With a name like "Furnas", it's gotta be nice and steamy.

Next week: 900 miles to Portugal!

7 comments:

  1. sounds like you are in paradise!

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  2. It is so beautiful there!!!! Enjoy it :o) I love the pics & seeing how others live

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  3. Good times! Looks pretty neat. Hope your next leg goes well!

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  4. Test 1----It erased my comment when I pushed "publish" so am seeing what happens with a test message. Soooo frustrating!

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  5. ~Dear Kaiao & Amanda~

    So---will try yet again. Think this may have missed you by a day or two, and you've already set sail. But anyway just want to compliment you both, wherever it is that you are at this point, on your wonderful salt-air & sea-spray travelogue of exotic oceans & lands. We armchair adventurers have been enjoying it soooo much! The mountaintops of Atlantis, called the Azores in this day & age, were just magnificent. Can hardly wait to hear what sleuthing you've done to that end. The Legend is one of my all-time favorites. So, on to the Continent and Phase Two of your Grand Adventure. When you get to Gibralter, give my love to the baboons (Barbary macaques), please. It's been many moons since I've seen them.

    So, wishing you both fair seas & skies, safe travels,---and fondest Love & Aloha,
    ~Mom/Susan~

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  6. Love every post. .. But especially tips like dress well for hitch hiking :)

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