29 June: Just 1200 Miles
Angra Do Heroísmo, Terceira, as seen from our cockpit.
“It’s just 1200 miles after all…” Penny proclaimed, sitting in Regina’s cockpit enjoying a glass of Azorean Pico-wine. “Well, you know,” she continued, “it only takes nine or ten days and the only thing left on my list is to go and get some fresh vegetables and fruits from the fresh market tomorrow, and then we are ready to go.”.

Tamarisk, who had been at sea for over three weeks from Bermuda to the Azores, slowing down and even heaving-to to avoid the storms, had merely arrived in Terceira after a few days in Horta and they were already all set to leave!

But Penny was right. We had become so used to casting off for yet another passage, that bunkering for a week or more at sea had become part of sailing. Still, I preferred our lucky situation that we could enjoy three weeks among these wonderful Azorean islands, rather than the short stopover that Tamarisk had to make due to late arrival. Having not seen Tamarisk for over a month, we had a lot to talk about: them about their long passage from Bermuda, and us about these wonderful islands and their people we had met on the four out of totally nine Azorean islands we had visited.

Just take the wine we were currently enjoying as an example. It had been growing on the stony vineyards on the island Pico, now protected by the UNESCO as a “world heritage site”. Initially, the volcanic stones were removed to give way for the fertile soil underneath. But where were all the stones to go? To get rid of them, they were piled onto each other forming walls around tiny plots of vineyards. Not until later, it was found out that these volcanic stone walls were actually perfect for these vines, protecting them from the salty winds and keeping the warmth of the day long into the night.
View from inside the wine museum on Pico. To the right of the street, as well as on the picture below, the tiny vineyards. In the background Faial.
I don’t know if we could taste any “volcanic” flavour in this wine other than the erupting effect it had on our happiness to meet again: Tamarisk and Regina, on Terceira. For sure, it was a very special wine, nevertheless. Not to discuss the quality itself, it felt somehow under-priced, considering all the work that had been involved for generations to remove rocks and to build walls making room for vines to grow on tiny unpractical plots.

Penny, Tim and their children Anna and Eddie unfortunately never got the possibility to see these on Pico. I am glad, however, that they made this extra stop on Terceira at least, enjoying the second “UNESCO site of heritage” on the Azores, namely the town of Angra Do Heroísmo.
Angra Do Heroísmo consists of beautifully kept buildings in a flourishing little city with small enterprises, shops and restaurants welcoming the visiting people. However, we saw very few non-Portuguese tourists, which was surprising, since for the tourists not necessarily looking for beaches and warm water, the Azores, and especially the island Terceira, gives so much for the interested visitor.

Yachts had, by the way, specially been recognized as a long-term income for the Island, and hence Angra Do Heroísmo had invested heavily in a new marina and was currently also increasing its facilities finalizing the works on a full-service yard, inviting sailors to keep their yachts in the Azores over winter. Traveller Lift and laying up on concrete was already available in Angra Do Heroísmo and one Swiss owner was returning every summer to sail in the Azores while keeping his yacht on Terceira. (For marina, see www.aptg.pt, e-mail: marina.angra(a)aptg.pt).
Welcoming sailors to Angra Do Heroísmo - the old fashion way, very much in contrast to presently offered services. Photo taken from the old fortification Castelo de São João Baptista overlooking the ancient town.
The beautiful town of Angra Do Heroísmo, which is on of UNESCO's "site of heritage"
Karolina said to Penny and Tim that with our new way of regarding ocean distances, why not come here one summer to enjoy the Azores more in depth, then keep our boats here over the winter to return the following summer to Northern Europe. “After all, it is just 1200 miles from the UK, isn’t it?!”, Karolina laughed, quoting Penny.

Karolina was also right. Even though I personally liked the idea to sail back home with Regina this particular year, we could possibly return some time in the future. Even from Sweden, it should be doable to sail to the Azores during a summer holiday, if you can stretch it just a bit longer than an ordinary vacation.
Karolina, Jessica and Jonathan climbing lava-rocks on Pico. Luckily we did not know how high above the water surface this unprotected brige was until we already were on top of it.
The Azores look ideal for “island-hopping”, similar to Greece, where the nine Azorean islands are placed at comfortable distances interlinked with ferries and airlines, if you can’t come on your own yacht.
If you are sailing on your own, however, you have to check in and check out from every island or harbour, like we already had experienced on the Portuguese mainland a year earlier. Free movement of people within the EU had not reached Portugal, yet, with travels by yacht having to be reported even within the country! But that is a small sacrifice, especially with so handsome looking officials. No wonder it was always Karolina doing the paper-work!
Handsome, friendly and correct officials checking our passports when checking in on São Jorge, after having sailed on a daytrip from the neighbouring island Faial. Photo by S/Y Grågås, who arrived at the same time as us.
We cruised between the islands of Pico, Faial, São Jorge and Terceira, while enjoying having my sister Jenny joining us for two of the island-jumps. For 6 days, Jenny was cheering up our family, entertaining us in various aspects, ranging from her own poems she writes, over tales from the European capital of Brussel, where she lives, to schooling of Jessica and Jonathan. It was like Karolina and I had school holiday for a week, while the teaching was taken over by Jenny. With Jenny’s artistic qualities, new subjects, such as Music, were quickly added to the schedule.
My sister Jenny - Always up for fun and clowning around.
Right: German lesson with Jenny on aft deck
Above: Jessica playing her violin in a music lesson with Jenny, suddenly not only "just" playing the notes, but also understanding harmony and keys, which Jenny explained to our children.
It was difficult to exactly point out what was so appealing to us in the Azores. Was it the great variation between the islands? Was it the very friendly and helpful people? Was it the moderate price level that allowed us to stay in marinas and eat out with a feeling to obtain good value for our money? Was it the beauty of the nature? The green lush slopes? The splendour of all the flowers? The short distances between the islands? The excitement of the volcanoes?
Traditional stone-house built of lava on Pico.
Always look at the bright side of life!
I can’t help being impressed by the volcanic activity on our earth, its force and impact. On the Azores, the history of its volcanic origin is present everywhere, and very contemporary. Imagine standing at the sea border next to a lighthouse on a fine day. Suddenly, you see something happening in the sea not far out, which you cannot explain. After a while you understand that the smoke and bubbles that have formed some hundreds of meters off the shore is rising and actually forming a new piece of land. This was exactly what happened at Ponta das Capelinhos on the westernmost tip of Faial 50 years ago, with the result that the lighthouse does no longer stand on the cliff looking down at sea, but behind a mountain, looking up onto a new mass of land. We wandered around this impressive moon-landscape, visiting the lighthouse, which, amazingly, was still standing after the eruption, now totally obscured by the recent addition of land to Faial.
Once upon a time, the lighthouse stood at the edge of the Atlantic ocean, leading ships to their right destination. Obscured from any sea view, it is today living a life behind a recently erupted sea volcano.
Looking up inside the abandoned lighthose. Again, we are the only people around, being able to stroll around as the only visitors and with no supervision. There is not much tourist industry on the Azores, yet.
Older volcanoes can also be visited, like the Algar do Carvao on Terceira. We even climbed into the actual crater, an about 100m long lava tube, following the tunnel steep down towards the interior of our earth. Looking up, you only had a small circular opening where once the lava had come spitting out. This volcano had been quiet for some 2000 years, which sounded reassuring that we would safely be able to return into the sunshine before it would spit fire again, if ever.
Having climbed down inside an old volcano, looking up out of the crater. Would we find a dragon sleeping on its hoard down here?
Not spitting fire, but hot gases, could be witnessed a bit further on Terceira, on the Furnas do Enxofre. We had to watch our steps, and were told to keep a good eye on our children when we walked on the top of this crater. Keeping an eye on Jonathan, however, was easier said than done. He really thought this was exciting! We told him to be careful and not to stumble into the many caves, which looked like giant rabbit burrows. No animals were coming out from these holes, however, but hot smoking gases, which were finding their way from deep down below on this still half-awake volcano. Jonathan thought our fear was needless, since he could smell the hot "sulphur" long before he even came close to the openings leading down to our hot earth.

No guardrails, no tracks, no entrance fees, no tourists. Not yet, I would like to add, since I could already see some building work going on at one place close to the site. I would not be surprise if, in some years, this natural mountain soon has been transformed into a tourist attraction. This time, however, we had the entire place by ourselves with just a dirt road leading up to the top of this volcano.
The half-asleap volcano spitting out hot fumes from numerous holes in the ground.
Jonathan investigating one of the holes. Is it getting too hot, Jonathan?
Suddenly, Penny suggested we should continue talking about our experiences, our dreams and plans up in town over a meal and to enjoy the current Fiesta held in Angra Do Heroísmo. This was no sooner said than done!

Not long thereafter, we were sitting outside on benches eating local cheese from São Jorge, ham and Bacalhau (Portugese salted cod-fish), continuing talking about our joint memories from the Caribbean and all the wonderful people we had met along our way. Which was your favorite island? Which was the greatest barbeque? Your favourite sundowner? Where would you have liked to stay longer? What should we do different next time?

“Next time…” How sweet these thoughts sounded, especially since they by now were mixing with great live Dixie-Land jazz music, playing not far from the marina.

We went and listened to the band for a while, with just Tim disappearing for a moment to buy beer for us all. Very late at night we stumbled home to our boats, happy and satisfied.

Next morning, on a sunny day in the Azores, it had become time for our last preparations to sail to Ireland. As part thereof, I took out some pilot books to read about suggested routes and to compare these with the current weather situation.

I started to read in the “World Cruising Routes”, a standard piece of work written by Jimmy Cornell, the “father” of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) and a very experienced sailor.

What I read, did not sound too cheerful. Listen to this:
“All passages from the Azores to Northern Europe are usually close hauled… With the exception of the odd sunny day at the start, the weather along this route is invariably grey, wet and cold…
Summer weather for the English Channel is difficult to predict and can come from any direction and at any strength… Visibility can become poor.”

So that was our next leg to Ireland like? I couldn’t believe it! Not until we actually experienced it, which was to happen in very due course.

During the first two days out of the Azores we motored northbound, where the winds were to be found. And we did find winds. Head-winds, just as the guide books had been talking about, so we continued close hauled on a north-easterly course in the northerly winds, which certainly must have had their origin in the polar region, so cold they felt. Water temperature was now down to 14 deg C (57F), air temperature was calling for putting the heater on onboard.
The close hauled wet, cold and grey passage from the Azores to Ireland.
Jessica was freezing. Jonathan was complaining. Karolina was putting on socks, boots, long pants, a fleece and a jacket. I was looking for my Musto cold-weather sailing hat, which I could not find in the boat any longer after a year in the tropics. It must be somewhere!
Jessica having become used to warm water sailing in the tropics tries to stay warm in this damp environment.
Our barometer showing pressure, temperature and humidity, also sometimes comments the weather by highlighting warning texts, such as “STORM” if the pressure drops too quickly. This time, as if it was teasing us, informed us with big letters that the meteorological situation currently was WET and COLD, at the same time showing cloud symbols indicating the GREY surroundings. Our little weather station hence fully agreed with Jimmy Cornell’s handbook about this passage being “a cold, wet and grey experience”.
Falling pressure leaving the "Azores High". Our weather station was complaining about the cold and wet situation, showing clouds to indicate the greyness.
Jonathan, staying most of the passage in a berth reading Harry Potter and Jessica asking herself: "What am I doing here?!"
I was thinking about my uncle Lasse's expression: "Fortunately, you do this voluntarily, otherwise it would be a misery!". Sometimes, I have difficulties believing how come we love this cruising life so much!

Jonathan crawled up in front of the hot air outlet of our heater and Jessica tried her best to keep warm during her watches. Further to the place in front of the heater outlet, the berth was the most popular place to be in for Jonathan, where he stayed for days reading Harry Potter.

Jessica had become more and more involved into the actual sailing, taking her own watches looking out for ships. Hence, it was mainly Jessica who most often saw dolphins and whales first, cheerfully alarmed the rest of the crew whenever they came in sight. Getting dolphin visits is always a treat!

It was wonderful to see one’s children growing with responsibility, becoming not only one’s daughter or son, but also reliable partners to count on, becoming involved in everything onboard from sailing to baking bread.

The weather forecasts were talking about an active cold front and several low pressure systems passing Ireland in due course, so we better hurried up to make it to Ireland before the gales get there before us.

Again, I praised our boat’s incredible upwind performance. The hull, the deep keel, the rudder, the fully battened furling mainsail, all worked in harmony. During the first 5 days at sea, we had sailed 770 miles already with a record of 176 miles in 24 hours. So, at least, we were making good progress towards Ireland.

After 1200 miles and 8 days at sea, we were looking forward to a Guinness in a warm and cosy pub in Ireland.
Fastnet Rock welcoming us to Ireland. Photo by Jessica
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Sailing in the Azores
Our leg from the Azores to Ireland
Arriving in Crookhaven, Irleand after a small detour passing Fastnet Rock for a photo in the mist