Cruising between islands

 Saturday, May 10 noon – 37.51.202 N , 26.03.449 W

Back at sea. Yesterday afternoon at 16:10  42 left Horta (Faial Island) heading to Ponta Delgada (Sao Miguel Island) some 150 nm East. Tears in our eyes: according to Duncan, our local agent, one has to stay at least 3 weeks to enjoy Faial – if not 20 years as he does...We will be reminded not only for our visits  to legendary “Peter” Cafe Sport (Bar) but also for unfurling our code 0 sail in a public park.  A show  both for locals and tourists. Clouds covered Capelinhos, the volcano, constantly, keeping Michael, Alex and Hans from exploring the island by rent a car. That, and an excellent lunch of fish soup and amejoes Bulo Pato, washed down with something appropriately white and followed by something appropriately brown to fortify the Europeans [eg the oldies] for another 24 hours without high octane fuel. Noam and Dalit however zoomed through the sites of Faial on scooters- without checking out Capelinhos though.

The owner’s estimation of our ETA in Ponta Delgada, around 9 am this morning, turns out to have been too optimistic - but we see the island by now. Little wind, as you may have guessed, being the reason.

Passing Pico Island on our way we were eager to see some of the whales “gliding calmly though the waters that surround the island letting themselves be seen by visitors” as the guide book announces. Well: Dalit saw 3 blowholes, and Michael spotted a whale (?) some 400 m away. Plenty of dolphins – including a very sporty one - jumping some 3 to 4 meters out of the sea. Noam was happy to show us a sun fish (looking like a white UFO) - and unhappy not to be able to keep the very, very big fish on the line that was attracted by his lure.  

Things change quickly: virtually in the midst of writing this blog a whale passed in front of our boat - only about 200 m away. All of us followed the great mammal majestically moving slowly up and down the calm sea. Sadly for us, more down than up. Sadly also that the photographer’s camera let us down in these moments: on “recharge”. But, as proof, some pics were taken with an Iphone....The guide books are accurate in this region.

We expect to dock around 15.00 and explore the myriad delights of Ponta Delgada; any of those that are not illegal, immoral or fattening will not be featured in our next blog.