Ilhos dos Faial, Azores
After 17 days at sea that moment when land was sighted is an indelible imprint on my brain. Maybe this is why mariners have endured the rigors of the sea for so many centuries-the rush of dopamines resulting from the thrill of accomplishing a rare feat or performing well in a sport or art, is addictive. And, with sail cruising, the rewards continue with the pleasures to be found exploring the new places one visits.
Landfall at Horta on the island of Faial, one of the nine in the Azores archipelago spread over 300 miles, was magical. It appeared out of the mist about 7 miles away and slowly revealed itself as we worked along the coast to the harbor. The highest peak was shrouded in the clouds and we could see nothing of Pico 10 miles to the southeast. The wind was brisk and cool and occasional rain squalls moved through. Our first stroll around town and to the nearby park prompted a mixed feeling of comfortable familiarity with the old European-style architecture and fascination with the exoticism of the foliage and landscape.
The Azores are volcanic islands at the junction of three major tectonic plates. Volcanism is still active and Faial experienced an eruption in 1957 that led to the immigration of 4000 people to the United States. The volcanic soil is rich and fertile and plants abound. The non-native blue hydrangea is ubiquitous. Because of the low ph of the volcanic soil and high aluminum content their blue is especially vibrant. Nasturtiums, morning glories and myriad other flowers were in bloom along the roads and trails.
And there was cheese! And seafood in abundance. One of the disappointments I felt in the Caribbean was the lack of available seafood. And cheese, as outside of the French islands which we couldn’t visit, dairy products are not a major part of the locals’ diet. And the Portuguese red wine for 3 euros was entirely satisfactory.
The low pressure system and its overcast skies was replaced with the Azores high.Blue skies and brilliant sunshine predominated for days. We walked and walked and walked, sometimes hiring a car to explore the far side of the small island. We spent 17 very civilized days on Faial before moving 15 miles to Isla Sao Jorge. I think I could easily adopt Horta as a second home, but the world awaits. Perhaps one day we will return to this magical, friendly island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
The famous Azores Blue Hydrangea grows in hedges along the roads and stone walls.
We hiked around the rim of the Caldeira volcano with our pals Michael and Jill from SV Gerty. The wind accelerated across and down the crater, blasting at 30 knots along the leeward rim.
There are many churches in Horta, all with slightly different timing for their bells. Despite the churches being all done in black and white, many other structures are painted in bright colors. The old town streets are very narrow, with doorways opening right onto the sidewalk.
All of the sidewalks in old town Horta were made of mosaic stone, with different patterns on each section. What an improvement this type of small detail makes in the quality of the urban experience!
Food! The seafood selection was remarkable in Horta, from dried salt cod to fresh limpets, octopus and many strange looking fishes. We randomly selected several fish to cook aboard and they were all tasty. Azorean beef is also highly touted, as well as their delicious soft cheeses. As most of their food is locally produced it was reasonably priced, a welcome surprise.
Vulcao dos Capelhinhos formed acres of new, raw land in 1957. The west coast of Faial is spectacularly rugged-but with swimming pools worked into the volcanic rock!
Strolling around the local environs…
Helacious was rafted three deep on the wall between a messy semi-permanent French kid-boat and various pleasant folks on the outside. There were boats from all over the world, all ocean sailors, none of whom were very interested in us! The walls around the Horta Marina are famous for their graffiti from decades of transient seafaring yachts leaving their mark. We found a newly constructed section of wall to add our dragon. We look forward to returning one day to touch it up.
