OCC 70th Anniversary Macaronesia Cruise Summary

Hi everyone,

For the last two months we've been taking part in the OCC (Ocean Cruising Club) 70th Anniversary Macaronesia Cruise in Company.  Yesterday it concluded with the Gran Canaria Port Officer's (PO's) annual BBQ here in Pasito Blanco.  We logged about 1250nm on the cruise.  This is a summary of our experience in the Cruise.

Zen Again in Macaronesia

The Cruise perfectly suited our planned clockwise North Atlantic circuit.  We joined the Cruise at its start in Horta on the Azorian island of Faial.  We finished the Cruise at its end in Pasito Blanco on the Canarian island of Gran Canaria.  We skipped the Azorian island of Santa Maria and the Canarian island of Tenerife, the latter due to autopilot problems.  Instead of Tenerife we explored Fuerteventura with OCC SVs Asteria and Zora.

Overall the Cruise was absolutely fantastic.  We made some wonderful new friends, saw so many amazing places and had a wide variety of sailing passages.  The Azores part of the Cruise fits nicely into a clockwise North Atlantic Islands circuit starting in North America.  We cruised coastwise north along the American coast to Newfoundland then a 1200nm passage to Flores to join the Cruise.  The Canaries part of the Cruise fits nicely for those leaving Europe to cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean.

The Cruise started with 5 boats in Horta, increasing to 6 elsewhere in the Azores.  There were 3 boats in Madeira.  The Cruise ended with about 10 boats in the Canaries.

Some of the photos below were shared on the Cruise WhatsApp group.  If one is yours please advise and I'll credit you.

The Cruise in context

Azores track

Madeira and Canaries track

Graphs of Cruise conditions

The cruise was organised overall by Sao Jorge PO Linda.  Linda and Andy sailed with the Cruise from Faial to Sao Jorge.  In Terceira we were hosted by PO Siggi.  In Sao Miguel, Porto Santo and Madeira the fleet organised itself.  And in the Canaries Gran Canaria PO Agustin (and Sonya) organised, including an amazing BBQ at Pasito Blanco.

First get-together in Horta

Touring Faial

At Peter's Cafe Sport

Touring Sao Jorge

Dinner in Terceira

Touring Terceira

Touring Sao Miguel

Porto Santo sundowner with Asteria & Metzi

Touring Porto Santo

Madeira Beach Braai

Madeira Levadas with the Metzis

Lanzarote sundowner with Asteria, Caballito de Mar IX & Metzi

Touring Lanzarote

In Fuerteventura with Asteria & Zora

Touring Gran Canaria

Wonderful finale at Pasito Blanco

For more detailed information on our visits to each island or our passages between them use the search box at the top left of this window.  For some places you'll find 2021 blog posts as well as this year's.  To tour through our Cruise start here.

We hope the Macaronesia Cruise is repeated.  It's a wonderful itinerary.  It could be split into two separate cruises - Azores & Canaries - which may attract more boats heading out from Europe.

The Port Officers did a magnificent job organising the Cruise.  They organised tours, assisted with marina bookings and provided excellent advice throughout.  And where no POs existed the fleet organised itself - as OCC boats always do.  What a great organisation!

Madeira to Canaries

Hi everyone,

Our 270nm passage from Quinto do Lorde Marina in Madeira to Playa Francesa on Graciosa was a fast sail over a choppy grey sea and under a sullen grey sky.  Winds were NE 12-18 with gusts mostly to 25 but one to 30 knots.  Zen Again loved it but a little sun would have cheered the crew.  At least it was a beam reach and not another close reach.

Grey!

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

We logged 257nm during the 47 hour passage, for an average boat speed of of 5.5 knots.  That pretty good for us.  In contrast to the same passage in 2021 we passed Ilhas Desertas to windward which avoided its lee.

Passing Ilhas Desertas

Sailing under a grey sky

A little sun on day 2

Entering the anchorage in light rain

Party boats in the anchorage

A view of Graciosa

Sadly our foredeck leak isn't yet fixed.  Time to start removing the headliner to see where it's coming from.  Some years ago we removed the side paneling in forepeak and quarterberth, and headlining in the quarterberth.  Time to finish the job perhaps.

We expect to stay here for a night or two before heading onward to Lanzarote.  We're here with OCC Macaronesia Cruise sv Asteria and at least one other OCC boat.

Looking forward to some trade wind sailing in the months to come!

Trust all's well where you are.

Madeira Outbound

Hi everyone,
At 1200 today (Thursday 3rd) we were at 32 33N 016 27W steering 145M, sailing under single-reefed main and and single-furled yankee at 6 knots. It was overcast which made the spectacular Ilhas Desertas islands a little threatening under our lee. The wind was 11G17 from the NE.

We departed Quinta do Lorde Marina at 0900 this morning. It was nice to revisit the marina and get three good night's sleep. So much nicer than the rolly anchorage at Machico, but the latter was free.

During our stay at QdL we sealed the bow mooring cleats and the forward hatch. During the close reach across the N side of Ilhas Desertas we were taking plenty of water on deck. Sadly the leak is still there so it's back to the drawing board on that problem. By noon we'd borne away onto a beam reach with little water on deck, so little leaking below.

We're sailing towards Graciosa in the NE Canaries. OCC Macaronesia cruiser sv Asteria is there and it'll be good to catch up with them.

Trust all's well where you are.

Madeira

Hi everyone,

We've been in Madeira for 8 nights.  Three were spent in the anchorage at Ensenada da Abra, four anchored off Machico and we'll spend the rest of our time in Marina Quinta do Lorde.

Madeira!
(sign on Funchal waterfront)

Our three nights at Ensenada da Abra were quite social.  We spent time with OCC Macaronesia Cruise SVs Asteria & Metzi, plus German SVs CrazyB and Zora.  One afternoon we had a beach BBQ/Braai.

Colour landscape at Ensenada da Abra

Beach BBQ in Ensenada da Abra

Our next anchorage was off the town of Machico.  It's a nice town but the anchorage is notoriously rolly, and so it was for us.  But hire cars were cheap and we shared a car with the Metzis for three days.  We had a marvellous time exploring Madeira with them.

Approaching Machico

Machico anchorage from harbour

Machico artwork

Machico waterfront

On car hire day 1 we explored the western part of the island, including a great Levada walk, a swim in the sea water pools at Port Moniz and driving around the coast.  Levadas are man-made water channels used for town water supply, agricultural irrigation and hydro power.  This network of waterways was started in the 15th century, then greatly expanded in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Let the Levada walking begin!

Levada

Levada view

Lunch 1 (sv Metzi photo)

Wonderful coastal scenery

Nice viewpoints

Porto Moniz pools

Dramatic coastlines

On car hire day 2 we did a long Levada walk of about 20,000 steps in the island's centre.  The walk involved descending about 100 storeys down into a valley then climbing back out again.  At the base were a waterfall and the '25 fountains'.  Spectacular and exhausting!

More amazing landscapes

Ready to walk

Down to the waterfall base

At the waterfall base

View down the valley

At the 25 fountains

Looking up from the 25 fountains

From the walk we drove across to the windward side of the island - out of bright sunshine into cloud/fog.  But we found another great lunch spot.

Sky cows & cloud/fog

Lunch 2

On car hire day 3 we explored the eastern part of the island including a short Levada walk, amazing landscapes, a look around the town of Santana and yet another fantastic lunch.

Levada view

Walking break

View to the coast

Lunch 3

Amazing valley views

Santana traditional cottage

On Machico day 4 we bussed to Funchal with the sv Metzis to briefly rediscover the town and to visit the Botanical Gardens.

Funchal waterfront

Funchal city centre

Funchal waterfront art

Funchal old town door artwork

Tiled artwork

Funchal old farmer's market

Tutti Fruti

Spectacular plants and flowers in the Botanical Garden

Funchal from the Botanical Gardens

On returning to Machico mid-afternoon we made ready for sea and motored the 4nm to Marina Quinta do Lorde.  What a difference from the rolly anchorage!

Approaching Quinta do Lorde

Quinta do Lorde

We have a few boat jobs to do over the next two days, followed by a good weather window for the Canaries.

Trust all's well where you are.