28 Oct: Vincent, Salvage and Graciosa
Hurricane Vincent preventing us from leaving port
One hundred and twenty miles. That is about the closest you would want to get to a hurricane. Even if this one was dying on its way back to Europe, it was still an unrealistic feeling to be this close to Hurricane Vincent. Mr Vincent passed one hundred miles north of Madeira, where we were moored in Quinta do Lorde Marina on the leeward side. Luckily, this new marina was pretty safe, even with the evils passing by.

We sat in the cockpit, watching the huge waves breaking over the massive harbour walls. The entrance, or exit in our case, was impossible to be used without putting your boat or your life into danger. So we stayed, which was not too bad at all.

Being trapped inside an ambitions building site like Quinta do Lorde became even more pleasant since we were in good company: good friends on other boats in a similar situation kept us in an excellent mood. The marina itself had not much more to offer than shelter, shorepower, water and service; anything else was either in planning or building stage.
Next time we pass by, I am sure, Quinta do Lorde will have changed totally, transformed deserted rocks and cliffs into a new village with shops, cafés, a hotels as well as numerous bungalows surrounding it all. The “harbour office”, placed in one of the abandoned bedrooms of an old hotel, showed artist’s impressions of the new village. An impressive new town was in its coming.
Quinta do Lorde Marina, still very empty, even with Vincent blowing outside.
The abandoned hotel, now hosting the harbour office, is eventually also to be transformed into a 5 star hotel overlooking the marina. With not much else to offer, the marina staff was most helpful, driving us yachties to the next town some 20 minutes away for shopping, arranging for car hire or letting us use their internet connection. Mooring fees, it seemed, were already set to its future built up glance, which unfortunately scared away many boats. The published Marina fees of more than 30 EUR were just not appropriate, so the rules of the market was working according to the school books: The marine was anything but crowded and in obvious need for revenue, so they became open for negotiation. We called it the “Koshlong Rate” since Koshlong was the first boat to get the “weekly fee”, the “ARC Rebate” and the “under 12m rate”, all at the same time if they decided to stay a little longer. In the end we all got the “Koshlong Rate” so we did not mind being stuck on this beautiful island, with or without the company of Vincent blowing outside.

What better is there to do than taking the local bus to the capital of Madeira exploring Funchal? The bus tour was a story by itself, stopping it along the way in the middle of the road, observing it being filled to its limit and following the driver’s rally tour along the narrow streets, pressing the horn from time to time to warn potential hazardous approaching from the opposite direction. Really interesting the ride became when, suddenly, there was another bus heading towards us, equally pressing its horn and gas-paddle simultaneously, eagerly turning the steering wheel trying to pass us at highest possible speed.
On a rainy day like this we found it an excellent idea to hide away in Blandy’s wine cellar. The usual expression "cellar" is maybe improper to use in this case, since it more resembled of a loft. Unlike any other kind of wine-making, these barrels are being stored high up in the building instead of in a cold cellar. While others seek constant low temperature, Madeira is aiming for altering temperature, encouraging up to 30 degrees C during summer, simulating the ancient transportation of Madeira wine crossing the equator on sailing ships. Windows were kept open, to let the warm summer winds blowing along the corridors, embracing the barrels containing the maturing Madeiran wine. Totally oxidized, they can last for over one hundred years!
Madeira "cellars" are built high up in the building, letting the hot summer wind blow through open windows. This equator passing simulation gives the wine its special character.
A pleasant and informative guided tour through the domains of Blandy ended with a nice wine tasting of the four noble grapes Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey, producing wine from dry to sweet in that order. Beware of any labels not mentioning any of these grapes, meaning that, instead, the grape Tinta Negra Mole has been used, just imitating the above classic styles. Tinta Negra Mole is not mentioned on these less expensive Madeira wines, instead just announcing Seco (Dry), Meio Seco (Medium Dry), Meio Doce (Medium Rich) or Duce (Rich). We tried a new type of “vintage Madeira” called Colheita. Originating from a specific year like a real "vintage Madeira", it had not matured quite as long in oak barrels as its “real” cousin, which, instead, has to mature in casks for a minimum of 20 years.
Enourmous pillars and beams are needed to withstand the enormous weight of the barrels stored in several floors.
In pretty good mood, to say the least, we left the winery heading for the Botanic Garden. Not to see the flowers, oh no! For us, the taxi-ride to this flourish Eden had a totally different and more administrative objective: We needed to get a permission to visit the Ilhas Selvagens, half way between Madeira and the Canary Islands. Sailing to these “Salvage Islands”, as they are called in English, would mean a detour, but allow us to see a place very few have been to. You may not visit these Salvage Islands without a permission, other than possibly for reasons given in their name.

I was lucky in three ways:
a) I found a Taxi-driver who had done this job before and who followed me all the way to the correct office inside the garden with the waiting cab outside.
b) The office had still five minutes until it closed for the day.
c) The big boss, who was to sign our permission, was actually in this afternoon.

I handed over our ship’s papers and my passport and waited patiently until all details were fed into the computer, printed out from the Word document, copied and handed to the big boss in an adjacent office to be signed. Exiting expectation followed in the silent office. Since I still had this wonderful smell of Madeiran wine in my nose (and head), I had nothing to complain about. After some time, I got my signature and stamps on the piece of paper, which allowed us to stay at the Salvage Islands for a maximum of 48 hours. Success! After that challenging work, it was time for a coffee in Funchal, before heading back to Regina in Quinta do Lorde by bus.
Dan from Koshlong, John from Starlight, Liz from Amaranth and Karolina gathering in Reginas cosy saloon studying GRIB-files and Weatherfaxes in the company of a coheita Malmsey wine.
Vincent was still doing its best to have us stay on Madeira, so a couple of us yachties gathered in Regina to discuss weather pattern and our planned voyage to the Canaries via the Ilhas Selvagens. It was a 300 miles leg and careful planning was appropriate, especially since getting to the Salvage Islands in daylight was crucial. They are not called Salvage Islands for nothing… Underwater hazards such as rocks as well as an uncomfortable swell is the result of an ancient volcano stretching up its finger as high as to the water level from several thousand meters below. Nevertheless, we wanted to give it a try, carefully approaching the island’s only anchorage that was anything but protected. Just two people lived on the island and these were the guards to check our stamped and signed papers I got earlier in Funchal. At least someone who would show interest in my performance to get the permission!

Four boats set off, of which Amaranth from Australia headed directly to Graciosa in the Canaries, not wanting to hazzle with these Salvage adventures in the middle of nowhere, involving a detour as well as headwinds as you leave the island going to Graciosa on a slightly more easterly course than the direct one. After all, Graciosa, meaning “charming”, “comfortable”, “fun” or “sympathetic” sounded so much more inviting than “Salvage”. With Amaranth preferring Graciosa to Selvagens, we were three boats left: Starlight, Koshlong and Regina with all a bunch of kids onboard each. We did not want to miss these exciting Salvage Islands, did we?!
This was as much as we got to see from Starlight, the beautiful Germán Frers designed Swan 46, a boat type, which once had been my dream boat as a 20 year old youngster, long before Hallberg-Rassy was able to engage this top-of-the-art designer for their own yard.
We did not see more of Starlight than its stern, as she was flying away on the waves. After all, Starlight was a Swan 46 designed by Germán Frers, the same designer as our HR40. Speed was built into this Swan just as with our boat, but the Swan did it’s best to outrange us. Nevertheless we did our best to keep up in speed, while Koshlong, being a 45 foot sturdy steel boat, was falling behind. On the other hand, Koshlong’s impressive stowage space, tank capacity and sturdy long distance construction made Koshlong to a great ocean cruiser with or without the trophy for coming first to the Salvage Islands.
Early on the 13 October – exactly four months after leaving Sweden – we approached the Salvage Islands. Starlight, coming in first, did its best to find a place to anchor, but by the time Regina and Koshlong had shown up as well, they still couldn’t understand where the anchor bay was to be found.
Approaching Ilhas Selvagens, the Salvage Islands from North. The seas did not look too bad, so we were looking forward to a landfall.
Starlight’s mast was swinging like a pendulum. Was this the “anchor bay”? It felt as protected as the open ocean with the only difference that behind the island, the swell was even bigger and more uncomfortable with seas breaking on both sides and waves running around this piece of disturbing rock in the Atlantic Ocean.
After a discussion on VHF, we decided to take this seldom opportunity to take photos of each other in front of this exciting island, rather than trying to anchor. Leaving the boats for a shore excursion was not to think about, keeping the question aside, where to actually land with the dinghies anyway. Suddenly, the visit to the Salvage island did not feel as urgent any longer.

The biggest disappointment, however, was that by just looking at the island from a passing vessel, nobody showed interest in our fine papers and we could not even see the two habitants of the island with our binoculars.

To Amaranth, who had headed directly to Graciosa, we said on the SSB-radio later that day that they really had missed a fantastic photo opportunity, while they were mentioning the fact that in a couple of hours they would arrive in Graciosa, drop the anchor, have a hot shower and open a bottle of wine with their meal in the cockpit, all while we would still be beating to windwards out there for quite some time.

Some go a long way to get a good shot with their camera!
Regina outside the anchor bay of Ilhas Selvagens. It all looks so peaceful on the photo, doesn't it? In the background you might observe some breaking waves having rounded the island, running into the bay which was anything but protected. Photo by John on Starlight.
Graciosa was as far away from my idea of the touristy Canary Islands as Greenland is from Cap Verde. As the northern most island of the Canaries within a nature reserve it consisted of one village, the habitat of some 600 people. Still, it had no less than four supermarkets and a couple of restaurants. Tourists were mainly yachties and some tenants in bungalows, which were for rent for holiday makers who want to stay outside mass tourism.
Coming into Graciosa Marina. Photo by Sophy on Sarah Grace
The mooring lines are set for at least a week at Graciosa! Photo by Sophy on Sarah Grace
Woman on Graciosa in their traditional sun-hat.
Paved roads were non-existent so the four-wheel driven cars made their way through sandy high street in the middle of the town as well as outside into the countryside, mainly being sand on volcano. Would Clint Eastwood show up around the corner in the Wild West? No, - these houses looked more African than American. Still, the sand everywhere gave this town a special atmosphere.
High Street on Graciosa. Not very busy in the middle of the day. Actually not much different at any time of the day...
We stayed for 10 days in Graciosa, altering the cosy marina hosting some 60 yachts with the anchorage outside where some additional 30 yachts were anchored. Not less than 11 of these yachts had children onboard, so all kids had lots of fun playing together, sailing Optimist dinghy racing, kayaking, finding treasures (www.geocaching.com), having beach parties or just swimming. All in addition to school-work, so both parents and children had a busy time at Graciosa.
The kids treasure hunting, finding a Geocache in a lava tunnel. Photo by Jessica.
Two women in their traditional sun-hats in Graciosa telling the latest gossips.
Especially worth mentioning were the highly appreciated art classes, organized by Liz onboard Amaranth. She took all the boat-kids for a four day art project, ranging from sketching over drawing to sculpturing. After school, you could see a long caravan of kids in ages from seven to eleven being lead by Liz heading for a suitable spot to draw or sculpture during the afternoons. Not all children have a artist as teacher and these afternoons will never be forgotten by both children and their parents (who suddenly got some hours by themselves!). For the artistic results, please see under school or directly here.
Liz giving drawing lessons for boatkids. From left: Liz, Jonathan, Rachael and Emma from Koshlong, Anna from Tamarisk and Jessica.
Liz explaining to Jonathan how to see the shades in the palmtree.
What do yachting parents do in their spare time? Well, one good way to spend your afternoon is doing your laundry together with other yachties. The meeting point became the local beach showers, since water on the new pontoons were not yet available. The water out of the tap was not following the instructions on the washing detergent when it comes to temperature, but was considered warmed enough by the hot sun to act as washing dissolvent. Buckets filled with ample free water and just as much laundry acted simultaneously as a footbath and training centre. Inspecting and commenting each others’ techniques became an interesting sport, further developing our skills of a real long distance cruiser. Don’t feel sorry for us! We’re having fun! (…and really looking forward to a washing machine.)
The local "laundrette" in Graciosa: the beach showers. Emma, Sue and Dan from Koshlong washing clothes in company with Karolina and Jonathan. Rachael inspecting from above as a guardian angel.
You sure need the right technique to do it correctly.
Do you know what happened on 21 October 1805 by the way? We didn’t but would soon learn. On the 200 years anniversary of the Trafalgar Day, as it is called, we would re-experience what the British did against the French, when Nelson won over Napoleon’s fleet. All kids were to become British and the adults played the French, which already revealed the outcome of this naval battle. To be on the safe side, some parents took the dinghy across to a nearby Ovni showing the French ensign, excusing us to keep up the memory of this day and, as a compensation, invited them to join. If they pleased, they were allowed to play British, but explained that this meant that they would be on the childrens’ side and that no beer was served on that vessel. The surprise was complete when the “French” turned out to be Linn and Chris from Australia and that they just had commissioned their brand new aluminum Ovni which still was French flagged. They promised to join in afterwards for the beer and had nothing against to celebrate Trafalgar Day.
Wild Alliance acting as the base for the "British" children. This boat looked more like a pirate ship than anything else and was most suitable for the task.Regina in the background. Photo by Aventura.
Luckily, no more French yachts were within vicinity, maybe for a reason. The battle could begin. All kids gathered on British Wild Alliance, more resembling of a pirate ship than a yacht, thus highly suitable for this purpose. Strategy was discussed by the kids, while all parents retreated onboard American Aventura, for the sake of the day changed into a Frensh battle ship.
The children discussing attack strategies onboard Wild Alliance. Parents retreated on Aventura. Photo by Aventura.

The fog horn blue, and off came an armada of dinghies and kayaks from Wild Alliance, which really lived up to its name. The pirates looked frightening as they came paddling armed with buckets, sponges, water balloons and water pistols. Luckily, Aventura had a deck wash pump, so, at first, we saw a good chance to defend our adult pride. Nelson had a better organization, however, and the kids were clearly outranging us in number, so soon we were boarded by some kids. The first ones were quickly thrown back into the sea by strong adults, but soon also the first adult had flown overboard as well. Somehow he was tricked by a “British” boat-kid. More balloons and sponges flew through the air, but luckily I found a knee-board on Aventura’s deck which was most helpful to act as a shield against wet ammunition. Suddenly the deck pump came under the control of the children, which changed all our chances. The kids gained a clear advantage over us by having taken over the deck wash pump! I was shot from the back, with kids standing behind my shield shooting with our strongest weapon. How could I have known that our own best canon would be taken by the “British”? There was no other way out than jumping overboard to save my soul! Soon all adults and most kids were found in the water with our dear Aventura in “British” hands.

That is how a typical history lesson for cruising children ended. But the day was not at an end for that sake. All gathered on the biggest boat, the Wild Alliance, and had a great time drinking beer and chatting, getting to know each other even better. Now also Linn and Chris from the French-Australian Ovni had shown up as promised.
The "French" Parents being attacked by Nelson and his children. Photo by Aventura.
Autralian Linn and Chris on the French flagged Ovni showed up for a beer after the battle.
Autralian Paul from Amaranth is the computer guru helping desparate yachties with their digital problems. Paul will sail single handed over the Atlantic, which is an old dream of his.
Canadian Liz of Amaranth is the children's favorite for all the inspiration she gives to encourage the boat kids to be artistic.
Dan from Canadian Koshlong was turning 44 throwing a great beach party for all of us.
Dan's wife Sue from Koshlong takes Dan back to earth when he starts dreaming too loudly, hence allias "Truth". Sue and Karolina seem to cope with living together wih a similar type of "far-sighted" husbands.
Two days later, it was Dan’s birthday and Koshlong was organizing yet another great get-together: a barbeque on the beach. One of his birthday presents was a big bag of ice (a rarity!), which he got from his wife Sue. Being satisfied with your life, you don’t need much of value to cheer up, actually. The ice was eagerly used to chill a bottle of Asti Spumante in our black rubber bucket, normally used to heave seawater onboard or when gutting a fish, lately also acting as a washing machine. This 44th birthday outranged any birthday Dan ever had had, he claimed, and that was also including his 8th birthday when he got that great red bike! We all agreed on the fact that the life we were living right now might never come back and that cruising was the best thing we ever had done. I commented: “If I had been out here cruising with 65 and not until then experienced how great this was, I would really regret not having done it before. Now, I am currently doing it “before” and will not need to regret anything when I am doing my next cruise, hopefully before 65…”. Dan agreed smiling with his chilled Asti in his hand, saying someting about San Blas and Panama, while his wife Sue – alias “the Truth” – asserted that this cruising life could reasonably not go on forever. Why did “the Truth” have to be so striking on one’s birthday?

Dan and I agreed that we would continue to dream, not taking any notice of such simple aspects as seeing an ending to this great adventure, especially on one’s best birthday ever! Seldom did we agree so much on that point and got into deep discussions about South Pacific Routes and paradise islands. Dan’s wife Sue and Karolina exchanged meaning looks, however. They two seem to agree on whatever they were thinking about just as much as Dan and I did at that very moment.

Cheers to agreeing! Cheers to freedom! Cheers for an ongoing dream! Cheers for the future! May all birthdays be as happy as this one!
Jessica enjoying life reading a thrilling book hanging over the sea. In the background Graciosa.
Jonathan enjoying life by inviting Rachael from Koshlong over for a snack in the hammock.
Leg from Madeira to Graciosa via the Salvage Islands (the "corner" in the leg). No landfall was possible, however, due to heavy Atlantic Swell.