Royal Air Force Yacht Club

The auto pilot ( Autohelm 2000 condemned as scrap by Raymarine ) did a fantastic job and we only took it off when I determined we were 15 miles from the waypoint and went out back on to deck watches and steered by hand. The wind was then gusting about 35kts with rain. We could see the lighthouse on the eastern end of Santa Maria but the rest was in low cloud.

We arrived in Santa Maria about 3 days 20 hours from departure which is about 7kts average overall and don't want another trip like it !  Picking up the autopilot water poured out of it but swift work seems to have saved it.

Vila do Porto in Santa Maria is yet another new (unfinished ) marina but sound and secure. The town is a tad ramshackle but all facilities are there. The original inhabitants are from the Algarve or so it says - no doubt leaving early before the days of full English breakfasts, draught Guinness and Cliff Richard arrived.

Santa Maria from the top                                   

Layered vineyards

 Vila do Porto

We shared a hire car with a German couple to see the Island and again it was a great place being very green - also there is 3,000 metre runway there built in 1943 by British and USA forces - apparently we ( Brits ) imposed the 'Treaty of Alliance' dated 1373 on the Portuguese - to protect our interests, I suppose that's foresight. We gave it back to the Portuguese in 1947 so they didn't do badly from the deal.

 Ponta Delgada

We rested in the Marina for a few days then moved on to Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel which has changed a lot, boasting a new marina but again loads of surge and new pontoons covered in guano, there are offices built there for the authorities but only the marina staff use them as Customs and the police preferred being in their old ones ! We met some Hamble driftabouts there on the 'Mahler' who know various friends common to us both.

We didn't take a hire car as we were expecting friends to come and thought we could share any visit. The same Germans all turned up so we shared some drinks with them, also another German coming in from Flores without a mast - he had lost that returning from the Caribbean and just motored in to Flores.  He said there were a further 3 boats still out there mastless and out of fuel. He had to motor to France to get a new mast said his insurance people!

There was a festival on and we popped along to see a full blown orchestra - a first for me - and it was most impressive.  We tried to sail to Horta to meet up with Robbie Wilderspin but the wind turned against us changing from great sailing on a beam reach to a 60 mile beat so we decided it was not going to happen and we turned back. That was a full 24 hours at sea with nothing gained.

 Terceira

The weather pattern has been very changeable but we managed to shift to Terceira  which means third in Portuguese being the third in size and third to be discovered - firstly to Angra do Heroismo and then on to Praia da Vitoria which is one of only two marinas not owned by the same group and much more affordable.

Whilst at Angra we walked up Monte Brazil which was a stiff climb, originally fortified with 400 cannon to stop pirates like Francis Drake ! There is still a major barracks there but at the top there were a series of BBQ's and functions in progress and we got invited into a birthday party taking place in a pavilion on the top - such hospitality !

Angra Do Heroismo from Monte Brasil including the Marina

 Then we were taken by the same people to the bull fight - not really a bull fight in the Spanish way as the bull is unhurt but it gets to run around the streets sort of controlled by a bunch of men with a rope who keep it in check and prevent it going outside the marked areas. I was advised when and how to escape the bull but during my bolder photo work my planned escape - up a no entry sign and over a wall was also the plan of another and as we jointly mounted the no entry sign it came down - bull still coming - see MWB go over the wall sign or no sign then pull the other chap up.

MB with Chief bull handler                          Bull chases man over barricade

 We spent a lot of time going to different Bull venues and they are very well supported by the locals but the Americans on the NATO base are told not to go as apparently they are prone to be getting better and better camera shots of the oncoming bull with less and less people in the way then they wake up in hospital ! Duh....

We sailed round to Praia da Vitoria and anchored in the harbour but only stopped one night when we discovered that mooring was €5.50 a night for us. It is a most pleasant town all though officially a city. We used the bus for transport and sight seeing, all good experience.

We were constantly thwarted by the wind from moving on anywhere to the west and stayed put for the easy and economic ride.

We went back to Angra for the festival which was incredible for the costumes, effort and the display put on but the festival goes on for 10 days and the wind went favourable so we left for Horta but not before joining in the sailing club regatta which was free to enter and included free drinks in the evening ( all evening and free 3 course meal ) having no Portuguese rating we were put in the Open Class. As there were no marks laid and the course went round rocks I asked who was quick that I could follow. The Lady organiser suggested the Oceanis 37 'who wins a lot' I replied that we were quicker than those and only got an old fashioned look back. After we picked up the prize for 1^st place the same lady came up to me and confessed she didn't think we were that quick we had a chat and I would like to join the Club at €30pa and 20% off the marina bill and on and on .....

To Horta we had a mixed trip of great beam reach then to motorsailing then a fetch. Horta was very busy but we got a berth next to a huge motor sailor and the next day moved onto a finger berth. We met people who were back from the Caribbean, Brits who lived there, sailing types from every aspect and in my view Horta is the MECCA of sailing as no matter where you come from it's a big sail to get there - ok there are more racy places, more sunny and exotic places but it's a really great place and no other sport gets a look in. The town has a few run down buildings and the whaling museum is a bit gut wrenching. Again there was another sailing regatta and Captain of sailing asked us to join in but we had the use of a car from some resident Brits so we left the race to others.

Blush in Horta - Peter Café Sport in backdrop      

Wall painting as tradition dictates

Reluctantly we left Horta and sailed to Velas on Sao Jorge which is a tiny harbour and marina under construction, about 6 visitors berths only, great place but all over the Azores you need stout walking shoes and this was no exception. Taking the bus was not recommended as they don't always return the same day ! Again we set off for Angra but motored most of the way this time.

 Time was approaching to depart for the return trip so we stopped one night and refuelled and filled the 30 litre can I found in Velas then back to Praia da Vitoria for crewman Chris to arrive.  When he came I took him to see the Bulls running and also to Angra on the bus. Then we picked a weather window and departed the Azores and I was deeply saddened to do so. Such friendly, happy, helpful people. And we had failed to see half of the Islands - return trip essential.

Five days and 880 nm later we arrived in Camarinas north Spain and saw their festival with some of the best fireworks I have ever seen.

Squid ratings

The trips were rough enough with shipping greenies to leave a number of squid in the cockpit although some were not found until later.

We therefore determined a squid rating:

Trip from Vila Real to Graciosa Canaries      2 squid rating

Trip from Santa Cruz to Santa Maria              5 squid rating

Trip from Ponta Delgarda to Angra                1 squid rating

Terceira to Camarinas                                     3 squid rating ( and a jellyfish )

Problem comes when you don't know you have squid or squid rating - this can be established by the presence of  swarms of flies which in our case seemed to be homing in on a winch pocket - inspection revealed one squid very dead in the bottom of the pocket and odours to support same!

2 RAFYC Paintings Low Profile - Hamish Malin proper artist and our effort below

Fire eater at Angra festival

Mark Breton and Amanda Pirie - Blush