São Jorge Recap
After a week in Faial, we departed for São Jorge. As I mentioned, we had a lovely downwind sail during which we used our spinnaker—a sail specifically designed for light, downwind conditions. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful sail of just over 20 nautical miles.
We arrived in Velas, São Jorge, and decided to take a slip at the marina for a week due to predicted winds that would have made the anchorage quite unpleasant. It was tight getting into the marina, but Ken maneuvered us in like a champ.
Upon arrival, we spent time connecting with our new friends, Jane, David, and John, from Ipswich, England. We first introduced ourselves to them in Horta when we saw that the hailing port on their boat was Ipswich, where we plan to overwinter on Remedy later this year. They are truly delightful people, and it was fun getting to know them better. They also have a wealth of knowledge on sailing in the UK, so we soaked it up like sponges. It is one of the things I love about the cruising community—how quickly you can connect with new people and how willing everyone is to lend a hand or share their experiences and resources. We are both heading to Ireland, so I am hopeful we will get to spend more time together in the future!
The landscape of São Jorge is stunning—lush green mountains, farms divided by lava rock walls, and livestock dotting the hillsides. Velas is small, quiet, and quaint: cobblestone streets, stone cottages, and a relaxed pace of life. We loved it there.
The first night, just as we were getting ready to sleep, I heard the oddest noise. It sounded a bit like a bunch of drunk cats in a bar brawl. But then I remembered that Jane (and another friend, Jane) had told me about the unique bird calls that occur at night. The Cagarro, also known as the Cory's Shearwater, made quite the ruckus. After hearing the cacophony echo around us every night, I think I have nearly perfected its odd call. But you can judge for yourself. The first video is of the Cagarro. The second is a video I took from our boat the second night. The third is a video I sent to our “adopted” kids, Dan and Sarah, of my interpretation. How do you think I did? (PS…For some reason, the Squarespace website does not allow my videos to come through in your emails. So if you want to see the videos, you will have to view them from the original post on the website, which you can find by clicking this link.
This is what the cove where we spent one week sounded like every night, but louder!
Our friend Monica, who came along on our passage from Bermuda to the Azores, rented a car, and this was such a delight. It gave us the opportunity to explore much of the island's scenic vistas. Though it did become a bit comedic. Every time we thought we would have an opportunity to see a caldeira—a giant collapse crater formed after a major volcanic eruption—the mountain shrouded us in cool, misty fog. But that did not stop us from trying!
We hiked a stunning trail that led us seven miles through mountainous terrain, along cliffside paths with ocean views, across flatland pastures dotted with cows, and through small villages with cobblestone streets and stone houses.
Dairy and cheese are a major economic force in the Azores and São Jorge is known for its cheese. The island’s cows provide anywhere from 29,000 liters (sometimes more) of milk per day to produce the cheese. So we made sure to tour the cheese factory while we were there, which also gave us the opportunity to sample its offerings at the end. We got to taste cheeses aged anywhere from four months to 24 months. They were all delicious, but my favorite was the spicier, more pungent cheese aged for 24 months. So I made sure to buy a very large chunk while I was there!
São Jorge also hosts a coffee plantation, so you'd better be sure we made our way there. Café Nunes sits at the base of the mountain. While we were unable to get a tour, we stopped in for an espresso, and I bought a small bag of beans to take with us.
Coffee plantation and Café Nunes
The famous São Jorge cheese!
While we have visited only three of the nine islands so far, São Jorge may be my favorite. There are no big cities—only small, quiet towns and individual farms dotting the stunning landscape. We rarely rent a car when we visit somewhere, and public transportation on the island is minimal, so we are incredibly thankful Monica rented one, which gave us the opportunity to see all that this beautiful island had to offer. We spent one week in São Jorge before moving on to the island of Terceira, where we are currently. But more on that next time!
All is well!
Here is a gallery of pictures from our time in São Jorge. If you are viewing this email from your phone, you will need to click this link to view the original post from the website!
