Goodbye Beautiful Spain!

 Here are our beautiful friends, Annehei and Willem.  We are posed on the promenade at Ares.  We leave today for England.  The roughly 400 mile passage will take less than three days and we will make landfall in the Isles of Scilly.  Our friends have a last minute repair to make so they will follow in a couple of days.

Annehei and Willem strolling through a residential street

Meerlust and Adventuress in the Harbour

The Promenade!

Squid!  Yum!

 

Long painters for the dinghy to cope with the 11 foot tide change.

 

We've enjoyed our "bonus" of visiting Galicia:  a great cruising ground to which we will return.

 

Best,

Nancy and John

A Caruna!

Marina Nautico is located in the heart of the city of Caruna, population 200,000.

They are working on the granite pathways around the marina but you can see that they will be well done. 

 

Interesting architecture surrounds the marina

 Just a hundred yards away from our dock is a large square, approximately 200 yards square.

 Charming pedestrian-only streets with cafes.

 Bob leaves for Canada and will take many memories with him.

 The new architecture contrasts with the old.

This is an interesting navigation aid.  "Green right Return" is the rule in Europe!

 

 

We are anchored off Ares, a small vacation village with beautiful beaches.  The Spaniards seem to enjoy the 65 degree water!  Yikes!

 

We are waiting for a weather window to cross the Bay of Biscay to England where we will probably make landfall at the Isles of Scilly.  Keeping us company are our friends Annehei and Willem Steenvoorden on Meerlust, a 55 ft Contest.

 

Our very best to you,

Nancy and John

 



Pics from Ria de Camarinas, Spain

 

We sailed the six day passage to Spain in company with our friends on their sailboat Meerlust, Annehei and Willem Steenvoorden.  They were within 8 miles of Adventuress during the voyage.  It was great talking to them on VHF and SSB radio to share weather information.  These pictures taken by them.

Adventuress at sunset 

 Raising the Spanish flag in the wind and rain.

 Annehei and Willem

Muxia on Ria de Camarinas

 

 We will explore this beautiful country while waiting for a weather window to sail to England.  We say goodbye to our friend and crewman, Bob, as he leaves this week for Canada.  I will especially miss his agility when we pull into dock!





Arrived Spain!

12.01 utc Sat 5 July week dropped the hook in Muxia harbour, and we have crossed the Atlantic. The last leg was exactly 6 days, and we sailed all but a few hours. Our ssb radio had no good reception, so we were unable to post emails here...but we had our  satphone as backup and were able to call and get wx forecasts that way.
Dave ran out of time and flew home from Terceira.
We will post more, and pics, later.

We did it!
Best, Nancy John and Bob

A Pretty Place Loaded with Bull

 Last week we said farewell to Sao Jorge and we were rewarded with a spectacular view of the cliffs on the south shore as we sailed east 65 miles to Terceira.  This end of the island has lots of bulls and cows on the top, and you can just see the run-off waterfall at the gorge.

 The marina at Angra Do Heroismo was quite full: we found a spot on the pontoon at the harbor entrance.

 Angra is a small city with beautiful architecture.

 

 

 

 

 We arrived just before the week-long festival Feira de Sao Joao, and the central streets were already decorated with lights and banners.

 We had dinner at Marcelino's Steak House on the opening night of the festival, at his best table next to the balcony overlooking Rua do Sao Joao

 



 Here is chef Marcelino preparing his specialty for us: steak flambé with orange and ham sauce.

 

 That was a wonderful meal!

 

 The whole island thronged the streets...

 

 ....and here comes the band,

 

 followed by the dancing sailors...

 

 ....and the prom queen and princess.

 

 

 

 This is a "Bull Run" in the streets of Sao Mateus. The boys goad the bull, and in case you are wondering, the six guys at the back are sitting and standing on a wall with a 20ft drop down behind it. Maybe they are the really brave (stupid?) ones.

 

 The bull is being steadied by a rope with six amadores holding the end: Nancy is getting ready to jump onto the bull's back.......

 

 

 

 After Nancy rode around the village on the bull, we walked to the harbor and had dinner at Beira Mar: this was the view from our table on the terrace.

Of course we had to eat fish after watching Nancy torment the poor bull.....

 



And afterwards we posed for an Apres Bull picture: the bull is standing just to Bob's left....

 

 A Portuguese Navy corvette Jacinto Candido docked to reinforce the local police: these bulls can get so easily out of hand; mind you, there were more sailors than bulls in the town jail this morning.

 

 The Azoreans love flowers and put public gardens all over.

 

 

 

Tomorrow we plan to sail to Praia DaVitoria, on the Eastern side of Terceira.

Best to all,
Nancy and John, with Bob and Dave

Velas on Sao Jorge Island: Perfectly Charming.

We thought it couldn't get better and then we sailed to Sao Jorge. This island is the best yet.  The marina, the beautiful town of Velas with its wonderful architecture, restaurants and parks....and the dramatic, rugged cliffs of Sao Jorge, all are a treat.

Several parks in Velas add to its charm

This park had an aviary

I had to visit every day.  It reminded me of my dear "Tweety-pie" when I was growing up.

 

John is enjoying a Portuguese treat....grilled sardines!

John is receiving his Azorian hair cut!

 Velas from the high cliffs above.  You can see the marina in the foreground.  Three days later there were twice as many boats.

 

 Now you see Adventuress in the marina: the cream-colored yacht, second from the top right.  We were one of the larger yachts so we occupied two slips.

 

Quaint country Villa.

 A small white cottage set among dramatic scenery.

 

 This is a swirling natural pool where people swim.

 

 We were privileged to be on the island during the Festival of the Holy Spirit.  Many villages have a feast and all are invited.  Hundreds of people lined up for fresh fried tuna, potato salad, beans, bread, cheese and wine.

 Here I am enjoying the feast!

 

 The misty fog did not diminish the fun...Oxen lead the parade and villagers play their musical instruments.

 

 This 220 pound tuna was one of six that were sold this morning at the Dutch Auction at the wholesale fish market at the harbour.

 

 Velas...pristine and very charming!

 

 

 Looking down the street to the marina...and below, looking up a path from the marina.

 

Our very best to you,

John and Nancy, with Bob and Dave