We are getting ready for our last long passage back to the UK. After a small change, we are now leaving direct from Horta on Faial rather than heading to the island of Terceira first. They are celebrating their Semana do Mar this week and we felt like staying for that which meant we have been unable to take in Terceira. It has however been fun and we do not regret it despite being very crowded on the wall here.
This morning saw us doing the ritual large food shop in the supermarket with a lengthy list of staples and some luxury snacks to tide us over long night watches. This is a strange passage to be preparing for. It is only half the distance of our passage from the Caribbean but is in much more northerly lattitudes and so the weather is much less predictable. It will also be getting colder as we get north as well. However, there is really an end of cruise feeling now. We are, most likely, ready to move on from the Azores but not really ready to stop cruising and pick up the threads of a shore based life yet.
The local band marches by after the official opening.
A local laser sponsored by Dunkin Donuts! Not sure that it would be wise to over indulge before heading out for a race though.
The Semana do Mar is a lot of fun though the bands can be a bit noisy at night. Still, they are nothing compared to the racket we had to try and sleep through in English Harbour Antigua. We were favoured by a visit from the Mayor of Horta giving all the visiting cruisers a gift of local produce (cheese), hydrangeas and a program of events. The cheese was delicious. There have been various processions and as I write this there is an informal racers for single handers though they call it the lonesome sailors regatta. A bit of a mistranslation from Portuguese I suspect. The Mini 6.50 boat head back to Les Sable D'Olonne at 1300 tomorrow. This has dictated our planned departure for Wednesday so as not to have to tangle with them.
The food stalls have been excellent and Audrey went into ecstasies over the local sausage.
We had a "black helicopter" fly over our head this morning!
As usual, we will be out of touch while at sea of course but hope to be arriving in Falmouth around 19-21 August if anyone is in Cornwall and would like to help us drink some Betty Stoggs. Audrey has expressed a longing for a pie though. I have to say that real ale is the only thing I have seriously missed about the UK.
2 comments:
Shame you didnt make Terceira, we thought it the best Azore we visited! Safe journey home and fair winds to you
We are in Cornwall til the 26th, my phone signal fine here after all, but no internet, so just ring/ text when you land.
Post a Comment