Ponta Delgada Outbound Day 2

Hi everyone,
At 1200 today we were at 35 09N 021 04W steering 130M, close reaching under single-reefed main and triple-furled yankee at 5 knots. Overcast. The wind was 9G14 from the ENE. Our noon to noon run by the log was 130nm.

Yesterday afternoon we sailed through a line of rain showers. On the E side the wind was more ENE than NE and its strength increased to 12G18. The seas gradually built on top of the 1.5m swells coming from at least two directions. We were sailing almost close hauiled and it was a wet ride.

Overnight the ENE winds continued with occasional light rain showers. The boat doesn't mind these conditions but it's uncomfortable for the crew. Healed with a lot of pitching and green water occasionally back to the dodger.

This morning conditions improved a little with a lower swell. The sky is overcast with one or two small breaks. The forecast says winds and seas will moderate gradually. Hopefully the sun will return too.

Trust all's well where you are.

Ponta Delgada Outbound Day 1

Hi everyone,
At 1200 today we were at 36 20N 023 07W steering 130M, close reaching under full main and single-furled yankee at 5.5 knots. Sunny with 2/8 cloud. The wind was 9G14 from the NE. Our noon to noon run by the log was 131nm.

We departed Ponta Delgada at 0800 yesterday. We motored out of the harbour, hoisted the main and motor-sailed ESE in a very light NE wind. The light winds lasted nearly all day. At 1800 we were able to kill the engine and sail. This was expected and hopefully the forecast for us to sail most of the rest of the passage will come true.

We departed in company with Moody 44 sv Metzi. We motored ESE together. We held on to them for a while when we both initially set sail. But as the wind filled in they gradually pulled away. Once we lost them on AIS at 7nm we went into 'cruising mode'. We had a great sail overnight with a 3/4 moon lighting up the sky.

This morning we had a brief period with a reef in the main but it came out again when the wind moderated. Very nice sailing overall. We are heading towards Porto Santo, the small island off the E coast of Madeira. We visited both back in November 2021 on our way out of Europe. Looking forward to visiting these islands again.

Trust all's well where you are.

Sao Miguel

Hi everyone,

We spent five nights in Ponta Delgada marina on Sao Miguel island.  The marina is notorious for its surge and the associated snatching at mooring lines.  It wasn't too bad while we were there apart from one day.  We used our snubbers and doubled-up all the mooring lines.  Apart from the surge the marina is good.

Ponta Delgada town square

We were there with four other OCC cruisers and berthed alongside sv Metzi.  We spent a couple of days doing boat jobs and exploring the town.  Ponta Delgada is quite a large town.  The town centre is pretty with the usual Portuguese black & white paving, interesting buildings and lots of cafes.

Zen Again and Metzi in Ponta Delgada marina

OCC sv Spirit of Gaia

Ponta Delgada street

Ponta Delgada buildings

On Tuesday we booked a hire car with the Metzis and toured the island.  For much of the day we were with the Cabillito de Mar IX crew who also hired a car.  We had a great day touring the highlands, swimming in a geothermal 'pool', walking around a tea plantation and driving around the ialsnd.

Highlands in the clouds

Highland lake

Lakeside forest

View over a caldera to a lake

More lakes

Seaside geothermal pool

Coastal view

Amazing flowers everywhere

View over the tea plantation

Entering the town of Nordeste

Nordeste town square

Sao Miguel is our last island in the Azores.  It's been fantastic visiting so many of the islands.

Angra to Ponta Delgada

Hi everyone,

We had a great 95nm sail from Anga do Heroismo on Terciera island to Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel island.  It was supposed to be an overnighter but we had more wind than anticipated so arrived in the dark at 0215.  The fact we had a big cruising boat to chase may have been part of the equation!

Sao Miguel ahead

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

We departed 1nm behind Moody 44 sv Metzi and finished 4nm behind.  The wind was sufficient to get Zen Again powered up, but not quite enough for Metzi.  Always fun to snap at the heels of a bigger boat.  The wind was initially on the beam, occasionally a little broader and becoming a close reach as we approached Sao Miguel.

Winds were 12-15G16-24 all the way to Sao Miguel.  A small trough came through with light rain and more wind, but otherwise it was champagne sailing.  The wind gradually died in the lee of Sao Miguel so we motored the last few miles.  The crew of Metzi were waiting to take our lines on arrival - very nice considering it was 0215 - thanks guys!

Into the blue

Sunset

Alongside sv Metzi in Ponta Delgada

Now to explore the biggest island in the Azores.

Terceira

Hi everyone,

We spent four nights in Angra do Heroismo on Terceira island.  We had a busy time exploring the island in company with the OCC Macaronesia Cruisers.

Bull^3

We stayed in the marina on the newest jetty.  Very modern but most open to surge, and there was a lot of snatching despite little swell outside.  The anchorage was very rolly.  We were all together on this jetty which made it very social.  OCC Port Officer Siggi was on hand for each boat's arrival and immediately set to work showing us the island.

Photon Infinity, Zen Again, Metzi & Caballito de Mar
in Angra Marina

We'd arrived after a full-on daysail bashing to windward (see preceding post) so day 1 was a lay-day.  After cleaning up the boat we had a look around town.  Angra is a typical Portuguese town - very pretty with patterned stone sidewalks, colourful buildings and colourful flowers along the streets.  That evening we had a 'pontoon party' then walked to the Club Navale for drinks & snacks.  We dressed up with our kamikazi headbands.

Angra waterfront

Vasco de Gama stepping ashore

Colourful park

OCC Macaronesia Cruisers

On day 2 we did a full day tour of the island.  We visited Monte Brasil, several viewpoints, the famous Galantas restaurant for lunch, Praia de Vitoria, Algar do Carvao cave and the Fumaroles thermal vents.

King Alfonso VI looks over the harbour

Sunny coastal scene

Broody coastal scene

Countryside

Very large caldera

Lunch at Galantas

Descending into Algar do Carvao

View to the top

Lake at the bottom

The crew at the Fumerols

On day 3 we visited the pilot Geothermal Station on the island.  Interesting place.  That evening we had a wonderful dinner after sundowners on Siggi's boat.

Geothermal plant

Sundowners

It was a short stay in Terceira but we saw a lot of the island.  Siggi did an awesome job arranging everything for us all.

Trust all's well where you are.

Velas to Angra

Hi everyone,

Yesterday we day-sailed from Velas on Sao Jorge island to Angra do Heroismo on Terceira island.  It was 51nm by the route but sadly the wind was on the nose between the islands.  Our track and log agreed on 65nm for the passage.

Zen Again and Photon Infinity in Angra
(guess who won that race!)

We departed before dawn.  Leaving the marina was an adventure since the channels between pontoons are narrow.  Three of the cruise boats were on the same pontoon and had to leave in sequence to make room for the next to get out.  Once out we had a nice sail along the south coast of Sao Jorge in the NE 12G20 breeze on a flat sea.

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Seas were confused as we passed the E cape - very sloppy.  We choose to stand on to the ESE, prompting several crews on other cruise boats to wonder if we were heading for Sao Miguel, the next island on our cruise after Terceira.  But doing so kept us out of the lee of Terceira which caused some of the boats to motor much of the way there.  We ended up motoring for the last 6nm only.

It was a wet passage between the islands with Zen Again burying her bow regularly.  We had to keep her 'full & by' - in footing vice pointing mode - for her to punch through the seas.  Hence the nasty tacking angles.

Sailing along the S coast of Sao Jorge

Terceira ahead, with birds

Near-sunset view of SW coast of Terceira

Approaching Angra Port

Approaching our pen, with many line handlers waiting

So we were tail-end charlie into Angra, but had only motored for two hours.  Our average speed (and SoG) was 5 knots - pretty good for us.  We suspect Photon Infinity sailed all the way averaging 7 knots - the benefit of 40 years technology advancement in racy boats.  Good effort nonetheless!

Looking forward to exploring Terceira with the OCC cruisers, assisted by OCC PO Siggi.