I left Bermuda on 14th June and arrived 18 days later at Horta on the Azores. The trip was sort of a tutti frutti in terms of weather and sailing conditions: downwind, close hauled, light winds, storm, mist, rain, blue skies with perfect visibility, etc. I had them all. The frustrating part was the headwinds that started 800 miles before Horta and obliged me to beat for days. It was only two days before my arrival that the NNE winds picked up and that we could steer a straight course to Horta.
The fishing started promising but after having lost three lures and one hook completely bent I was at the verge of throwing my fishing gear overboard. Luckily I caught a 1.45m Sailfish a few hours later.
I read much less than I intended to. Somehow there is always something else that needs to do be done on board – including sleeping. Although I also often find myself just watching the sea, as if staring at a tv-screen from which you can’t keep your eyes off.
I crossed three other cruisers and even had a short chat with an American couple when I passed them by at very short distance.
Below some images in chronological order:
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| Left wind-speed and direction. This was during a gust, on average we had 35 knots of wind and ran at 8+ knots under a double reefed mainsail and a tip of the Genoa |
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| 'Something big' managed to bend this heavy hook. |
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| A sailfish of 1.45m |
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| A view from the galley's window |
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| Clouds on fire |
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| This group of dolphins popped up along side the boat just as I wanted to photograph the evening skies |
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| Roughly 240 miles before Horta, after many days of headwinds, we finally pick up the NNE breeze and sail close-hauled under the genaker straight towards the Azores. |
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| Portuguese man o' war - I have seen hundreds of them during this passage |
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| The contours of Pico on Saturday morning 2nd July |
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| Horta Marina, Faial, Azores |
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| The Caldera of Faial |
