When we reached the end of the island, 25 miles from the harbor, we found the true ocean wind to be almost directly from Portugal - the direction we were going which meant uncomfortable head seas. So much for the forecast. It was pointless to bash into the waves to get nowhere and be miserable doing it so we turned around, sailed the 25 miles back to Ponta Delgada, and anchored in the harbor to try another day.

Swinging at anchor the next morning (August 19th), I lay on deck and studied the wispy clouds tracing out like streamers from the higher peaks, and tried to gauge the true ocean winds

It looked better so off we went again. Passing the end of the island 5 hours later the true wind was more favorable in direction but almost 20 knots in strength! We sailed into it for 3 hours but in the 6-foot seas we still couldn’t lay a course to the Algarve.

The best course we could do would put us in Africa - not in our plans for this leg of the journey. Turning around again we had a wonderful downwind sail back to Ponta Delgada to wait for a change in weather.

Tying up in the marina this time, we saw a distinctive canary yellow catamaran clear the breakwater. It was “Banana Split” belonging to our friend, Antoine, who is the host of the television series “Once Upon an Island”. (See August newsletter.) We helped him and his camera operator, Arno, tie up the boat and then Larry from “The Dove” appeared as well - a reunion of the sailing filmmakers from Horta earlier in the summer! Maybe this was why we weren’t meant to leave just yet. With all of us talking at top speed we went out to lunch to catch up on each other’s adventures. Larry (see July newsletter for his earthquake experience) had completed his assignment for NHK in Japan documenting dolphin behavior and had only a few hours in Ponta Delgada before catching a plane. He was leaving his boat and was off to his farm in France for 2 weeks vacation (!!!). Antoine was just back from being 3 weeks away from his boat. In the meantime he had been around the world! Leaving “Banana Split” in Faial, he had been to his office in Paris, then Sardinia to film some introductions to his films in Italian, then on to California, Bora Bora and Tahiti to see family. Around the world in just 20 days. There were lots of stories to be told.    

On the 24th the weather finally turned in our favor and after another pleasant reunion, this time with Canadians Ernie and Dianna aboard “Gander Bay”, we cast off for the final time. The distance from São Miguel to the Algarve region in southern Portugal is just over 800 nautical miles or roughly 1500 kilometers. We plan on 100 miles a day on a passage so planned 8 days for this trip.    

After the first two contrary and then blustery starts, our passage turned out to a very relaxed dry-decks voyage characterized by light winds and calms. Our strategy was to head northwards from São Miguel to be in a better position to make our course for the Algarve when we met up with the northeasterly Portuguese tradewinds which blow offshore down the coast. To do this we had to do a fair bit of motoring the first 3 days and then used only the sails for power until we got to Portugal where we lost the wind before coming into port. So with a gently rolling swell and light breezes just ruffling the surface of the sea we tried to catch each puff of wind. Down below the water chuckled against the hull which heeled only slightly so that the off-watch could sleep comfortably. At times we made less than 2 knots over a glassy ocean but the sails kept the boat stable and we gently made our way across the sea towards Portugal.    

Nights were magic with the best displays of phosphorescent plankton we’ve ever seen. As the bow furrowed a wave away stirring up the tiny organisms, they’d flash a green glow annoyed that we’d disturbed them. They were so thick in the water that our wake was a solid green sparkle in the moonless nights. The glow was so bright it lit up the sails and we could actually see details on the deck and rigging from the light of the wake!! We discovered that playing a flashlight over the sea near Two-Step would also start the plankton glowing and when the light was extinguished they remained illuminated, a constellation of stars swirling up from 10 feet below the surface. Where the keel furrowed the deepest, the phosphorescence was the thickest so we seemed to be trailing a comet tail 30 feet behind Two-Step. Stars above and below the boat.    

With the light winds we rarely made our 100 miles a day. One day we made just 59 miles but the passage couldn’t have been more pleasant. With the clear nights we could easily see ships 10 miles away, so watches were easy. Mornings generally brought an hour of even lighter winds until the breeze of the day picked up. Afternoons we lazed in the cockpit reading, writing and trimming the sails to catch each puff. Finally on the 9th day out from the Azores the dramatic Cape Saint Vincent thrust up from the sea. We anchored in the lee for the night before continuing on to Lagos the next day.     From here we plan to cruise and film in the Algarve for 2 more weeks to complete an episode of “Exploring Under Sail” before heading on toward Gibraltar to film an episode there. Then we will find a place to lay up the boat for a few months while we return to Canada to edit the new shows and finish work on our latest book, the story of our first 3-year cruise.        

Keep in touch. We love to hear from you!

Paul & Sheryl
In transit Lagos, Portugal