Horta, Ilha Faial

 

We are at the eastern crossroads of the North Atlantic!   Horta, Ilha Faial, Azores, Portugal. The marina is an eye opener for this Lancaster girl.  We are the only USA boat here among approximately 500 sailboats  (…and we are the ONLY boat that has “varnished" teak.)  The local language is Portuguese; however, at the marina we hear Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Danish, Finnish... and of course almost everyone speaks the world’s common language, English.

Here are some pictures of this fascinating island:

Here we are rafted outside three other yachts: and what a backdrop!

 Bird's eye view: JFK went up to change a light bulb! Inside us on the dock is a German boat with four young boys: the father is a pharmacist in Berlin. Outside were 5 Swedish young men and an Australian, on a two year jaunt. Also rafted was Henri from Basel Switzerland, who had just single handed his 44ft yacht for 17 days from St Martin.

 

Dave starts our wall painting...

 

 ...and JFK and Nancy make some finishing touches...

 

 .... at 38.32.022N and 028.37.493W, precisely!

 

 "Lord Nelson" Bob is busy being a good Samaritan, hand stitching a repair to our friends' Jib

on the yacht Meer Lust

 

 Horta has that tidy old architecture that breathes charm

 

 Of course these fish are fresh!

 

 ...and local produce is on sale daily in the town market.

 

 Here is a Mosaic footpath laid by a drunken fisherman!

 

 Peter's Café Sport is the sailors' watering hole....

 

 ...with a cozy bar that welcomes the flotsam and jetsam of the harbor.

 

 That's Pico in the distance, taken half way up the hill on Faial...

 

 ...and here is the top of the hill: a perfectly round quite uniform volcanic crater.

 

 The woods and pastures are lush and majestic.

 

 Rolling fields....

 ...and fertile coastal plains: and see the wild hydrangea hedges.

 

 A ravine slices down to the sea.

 

 The horse has deluxe grazing and quite a view.

 

 In 1957 there was an earthquake, and then a new island reared up about 300 feet beyond the lighthouse!

 

The barren rock is impressive with the caves and surf.

 

 The stark beauty everywhere.

 

...and here are our new friends, Annehei and Willem Stenvoorden.  They have been cruising the world on their 55 foot yacht (which has a washing machine!)

 

 

Next we travel to Pico to continue our exploration.

 

Our very best,

 

John and Nancy, with Dave and Bob