Terceira |
On
Friday, August 6 we motored from Velas, Sao Jorge to Angra do Heroismo,
Terceira. This was not a pleasant motor trip. Off the tip of Sao Jorge the
wind and the current were in opposition kicking up steep seas. We were
traveling in company with the Quebec boats we met in Lajes, Fleurion and
Boree. Sarah has a greater waterline and larger engine than either of those
boats so we had a slightly easier time than they, but we were all glad when
the trip was over. |
The island of Terceira is the most densely populated of the Azores. We
could see many villages along the western shore as we approached from Sao
Jorge. |
We passed close to Monte Brasil, which guards the entrance
to the main port on Terceira, Angra do Heroismo |
![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/Monte%20Basil_small.JPG) |
Once clear of Monte Brasil
we could see the town of Angra do Heroismo
and the large breakwater and mole that protects the new marina on the right
side of the harbor view.We had not made a reservation for a berth at the marina, but as we
approached Angra we observed a large fleet of sailboats racing from Angra to
Horta. We felt confident then that there would be room for us at the
marina. |
As expected there was plenty of room and we quickly moved Sarah to
the berth we expected to be home for the next week or so. |
The Angra Marina is full protected by two breakwaters. The
outside one is the original mole for the ferries and small freighters.
The inside (foreground) breakwater was built to house the marina. |
The marina is
operated by the same organization that operates the Horta Marina and the
charges are the same (€15.00 per day, including electric and water) however
the Angra marina charge includes a cable TV hook-up. The later feature
is no value to me until I breakdown and buy a PAL TV set |
![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/Angra%20Marina%20View%204_small.JPG) |
The marina is in the heart of the town of Angra do Heroismo,
with shops and restaurants all within easy walking distance. The down
side is the large church in the center of the picture rings its bells every
hour day or night. |
There is also a local rooster who is either blind and doesn't know
when the sun is coming up or just wants to keep the hens nervous 24 hours
per day. In any case he struts his stuff along one of the marina walls and
crows all night long.Like all of the town in the Azores Angra do Heroismo is built on the
side of a steep hill. |
![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/Angra%20Panorama_small.JPG) |
Here is the Church with the continuous bell chimes. |
The streets (Ruas) in Angra look very much like
those in many small European cities, with narrow cobblestone streets, even
narrower sidewalks, and store fronts right on the street. This is the
Avendia de Se, the main commercial street in Angra. It is empty because
this picture was taken on Sunday afternoon. Everything pretty much closes
down on Sunday in the Azores. The European look is a reflection of Angra
being the first city established in the Azores. It's natural harbor
was used as a treasure port and safe haven for the galleons bringing gold
and spices from the West Indies and South America. |
Being
a treasure port necessitated the building of substantial fortifications to
protect the galleons and treasure caches from foreign ships and pirates. |
In this role Angra reminds me of
Portobello in
Panama, although Portobello is no longer a functioning city it is also a
deep, narrow harbor with fortifications on both sides to provide a
devastating killing zones for any ships that might try to enter for other
than peaceful intentions. |
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![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/Angra%20Fortifications%207_small.JPG) |
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Right next to the Angra Marina is a large
public beach for the citizens of Angra. |
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Photo by Mike Repass
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On
Wednesday, August 10 we said goodbye for the last time to our new friends
from Quebec, Leo, Pierrette, Clermont, Indi and Diane. We have been sailing
together through the Azores since we met in Lajes on Flores. Today they
were leaving for Brest, France where they would leave their boats and return
to Quebec. |
![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/Fleurion%20departing%20Angra%201%2010%20Aug%2005_small.JPG)
Photo by Mike Repass |
Clermont and Pierrette depart on Fleurion. Once in Brest they would put this boat,
which they built themselves, up for sale. This was their third Atlantic
crossing, second on Fleurion, and likely their last. Fleurion is a
beautifully finished yacht. Clermont and Pierrette hope to get a better
price for her in wooden boat-crazy Brest than they could in Quebec or the
United States.
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![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/BoRee%20departing%20Angra%201%2010%20Aug%2005_small.JPG) Photo by Mike Repass |
Leo,
Diane and Indi depart on Boree, which Leo and Diane also built themselves. |
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Praia
de Vitoria is the other major city and port on Terceira. It is a very
protected harbor with two long breakwaters extending from both sides of the
bay. There is also a small marina located behind mole in the center of the
picture on the right. The marina is about half the size of the Angra Marina
and has few slips for boats over 30'. Most of the boats in the marina are
local sport fishing boats.Since we were very comfortable with our slip in
Angra, we decided not to visit Praia by boat. Rather Mike rented a car
and we drove to Praia one afternoon.
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Praia
means beach in Portuguese and Praia de Vitoria is clearly a beach town.
This large public beach is at the head of the harbor. There are several
other beaches adjacent to this one. These beaches also appear to have a
finer and lighter colored sand than those around Angra. So if I wanted to
spend time on the beach I'd go to Praia, if I wanted to comfortable slip for
my boat I'd go to Angra. |
Ketch
Ya Later arrived in Angra a few days after we did, coming directly from
Horta without stopping at either Pico or Sao Jorge. A few days later they
moved to Praia. In the picture on the left they are tied to the the seawall
on the outside of the marina at Praia. |
There
is still a large and well protected anchorage in Praia. |
It
was festival time in Terceira and I assume that is the reason this
Portuguese tall ship was in Praia. |
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Biscoitos
is a small village on the north shore of Terceira. It once was a wine
producing town, but it was too expensive to produce in volume on this rocky
island. One of the remaining vineyards, belonging to the Brum family, has
been turned into a wine museum with some of the artifacts of wine production
on display. The museum also has a few plots vine for a limited production
of wine. The vines on the right are actually planted in holes among rocks
laid on the ground and the vines grow horizontally on the rock beds. |
These
vines are somewhat more traditional in appearance, growing vertical in rows.
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![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/16th%20Century%20one-screw%20wine%20press%20at%20Biscoitos%20museum,%2011%20Aug%2005_small.JPG)
Photo by Mike Repass |
Some of the old wine presses on display inside the museum. |
![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/16th%20Century%20two-screw%20wine%20press%20at%20Biscoitos%20museum,%2011%20Aug%2005_small.JPG) Photo by Mike Repass
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They do have a cave at the museum where you can taste and purchase some of
the limited wine production. We tasted and purchased a couple of
bottles of their aperitif and four bottles of their white table wine, all of
which is excellent and not very expensive. |
![Click on picture to view at full resolution](Images/John%20at%20Serra%20de%20Santa%20Barbara%2011%20Aug%2005_small.JPG) Photo by Mike Repass
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With
Mike's rental car we spent several afternoons touring the island. By this
time one Caldeira was beginning to look like the next. We drove to the
summit of Santa Barbara on Terceira as much to say we were there than for
any other reason. As you can see the view was thrilling. At least it was
for this ex-meteorologist, I never tire of seeing the inside of a cloud.
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