Sao Jorge

We have been a few days here in Velas now and feel like we are getting a handle on this long thin island. Velas is another delightful little town that forms the capital of this island. The marina is friendly and not quite so small as the ones at each of the Lajes (Flores and Pico) though it is still quite small. There are a good few more yotties passing through so it is a bit busier on the dock than Pico was.

We have had a bit of a frustration as we had intended to spend most of our time here anchored outside the marina in the interests of economy but when I went to blow up the dinghy, the pump started pushing air out of the inlet valve rather than just through the outlet valve. Clearly a non return valve had gone. This pump was new when we left La Linea but has led a hard life and is considerably corroded.

I managed to get it apart with lots of freeing oil to find it impossible to refit the flap that stops air escaping back out of the inlet valve. Ergo, no more dinghy till we can get our hands on a new one! We will therefore be confined to marinas till my Mother arrives bringing a new one with her! We are doubtful about getting one here and it would likely be twice as much as if bought in the UK. The black circle on the gray plastic of the pump is the offending non return valve. Lesson learn't, don't leave your pump in a pool of salt water in the bottom of the dinghy for prolonged periods of time as we have been doing.

Sao Jorge is famous for it's cheese and today we set out to look at one of the local factories in a village up the hill - everything is uphill on this island! We found the village but no cheese factory which is odd as it is both famous and good. Apparently there are more cows on the island than people. Still, we can at least buy the cheese in the local supermarket here.

Here are some pictures of the island. Photography has not been as rewarding as it might have been owing to the variability of the weather which continues warmish (not to us who are now acclimatised to tropical heat still) but with frequent rain showers.

These islands have incredible flowers, especially the ubiquitous hydrangeas.

After a typically large lunch, I took some photos of the village of Velas before getting back on board.

A rare picture of the every lovely Audrey.

Even fishermen have to do their laundry.

Finally, avid readers of this boring ramble will remember the remarkable Swedish woman Eva Kullgren who is now in Brazil. Her boat was an old Hallberg 28. This is another one hauled out here.

It is interesting to compare it with what Hallberg-Rassey make now!