Sail Santa Maria to Gran Canaria 1 August 2016

 

Hike Sao Miguel Sete Cidades

0915 hrs Wednesday 27 July 2016, took a taxi from close to Ponta Delgada Marina to Empadadas - €20, arriving there at 0945 hrs.

 

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Walked through the gates to the Empadadas lakes

 

 

It was a very popular spot with several tour groups driving, walking around the beautiful lakes.

 

We then climbed along a wooded path to the Mirador above Lagoa do Eguas

 

View towards north coast of Sao Miguel from the Mirador

 

 

Lagoa Eguas

 

Views of the " Nine-Windowed Wall", an old aqueduct that used to transport water to Ponta Delgada.

 

 

Just before reaching the aqueduct we pass the start point for the PR4SMI - the Mata do Canario - Sete Cidades hike which we planned to follow

 

 

 

 

Our route left the main road and went steeply up a concrete track

 

 

Once at the top we started to get views of Sete Cidades

 

 

 

Had our picnic lunch sitting at the side of the trackout of the wind 

 

With super views through the gaps in the cloud

 

From here, our wide gravelly track took us round the lake on the top of the volcano ridge, with almost continuous superb views of the Sete Cidades lake and town on the left and the coast on the right.

 

 

 

 

Jeannette greeting the cows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the many hydrangeas en route

 

 

At around 1530 hrs we arrive in the village of Sete Cidades and pass by the church

 

Handy café

 

Caught the 1625 hrs nr 205 bus (arrived at 1640 hrs) back to Ponta Delgada after having had a thoroughly enjoyable 5 3/4 hr hike.

Sail Terceira to Sao Miguel 24 July 2016

The Grib files indicated that Sunday 24 July would be a good day for the 90 nMile sail from Praia da Vitoria on Terceira to Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel

 

with the NEerly wind increasing as we would get closer

 

So at 0200 hrs we started getting the boat ready and by 0300 hrs we were motoring with the mainsail up out of the bay - the red arrow was our position at 0301 hrs .

It was a perfect night for a gentle start to our trip - the 2/3 rds moon was shining brightly with a light NNE2/3 Bft breeze

 

Sunrise starting at 0600 hrs

 

At 1020 hrs the wind had increased to a NNE 3/4 Bft and we tried sailing. However the wind became fickle and  were motor sailing again by 1215 hrs.

 

Soon however, the wind increased to a 4/5 Bft and we were able to sail the rest of the trip

 

 

Sao Miguel became clearly visible on the horizon when still over 20 nMiles awy

 

Getting closer

 

 

This photo was taken at the same time as the above screenshot - about 5 nMiles off the coast

 

Sailing about a mile off the coast. The last few miles of the trip, the wind increased to well over 20 knots and  very gusty 

 

At 2000 hrs 24/7/2016, Dutch Link was safely moored in Berth I-44 in Ponta Delgada's new marina. Red Arrow shows Dutch Link's position

 

 

Total trip 91.6 nautical Miles in 17 hrs - 6 hrs sailing, 11 hrs motoring

 

Views of Ponta Delgada