Azores and Europe - 2007-05-08
Sao George & Pico |
After a great last few weeks in Antigua we are heading back across the Atlantic and hope to visit Flores and the Azores in late May and June. Chao Lay is ready to go and we are looking forward to the passage and the joys of Europe in the spring. We arrived in Horta on the island of Faial in the Azores after a 16-day passage from Antigua. The early sailing was fast and warm with perfect east and southeast winds, giving 170 miles a day plus. All changed on day nine, the wind went round to the northeast and blew 35 knots, and there the wind stayed. The last seven hundred miles were hard on the wind, tacking on the shifts and with a last days run of 181 miles, we slipped in to port to miss the worst of the depression coming of main land Europe.
We were lucky catching a 16-pound Wahoo sailing passed Barbuda and a Dolphin fish on route and have fish pie for dinner as I write. Fran did a great job in all weathers producing good warm food from all the excellent provisions. The passage is another great testament to Chao Lay with an average passage speed of over 6.5 knots.
We celebrated with dinner out in Horta and now look forward to exploring these beautiful islands.
We have now been in the islands for three weeks, this year has seen some strong weather passing through the Azores and we have limited the cruising to Faial and Teceira the islands with the safe Harbours. In between the weather systems we have been enjoying the fiesta season with the spectical of the bull running and carinval.
We have been looking for a weather window for the passage back to main land Europe, the Atlantic depressions just keep rolling on and we will take the sleigh ride ( we hope ) on to North Spain. The Azores have been delightful as ever, relaxed and beautiful. We arrived in Ria Carino in North Spain after a busy 6 day passage from Terceira, we were blessed with fair winds although at times with the fronts passing through conditions were some what boisterous, logging 10 knots with our hank on number 4 at times. North Spain is scenic as ever although summer has not arrived with water temperature around 17 C. We will spend a few days here before making our way across Biscay. We crossed biscay in a two day weather window between two depressions covering the 315 miles from Ria Barquero to Camaret in 46 hours. Friends Nicky and James on there rival 41 arrived in Camaret half an after ourselves. The Biscay crossing was boisterous and the arrival in Camaret with 50knot gusts made docking the most difficult part of the trip, assistance by a weather resistant Dutchman was much appreciated and we relaxed out of the rain, and enjoyed are return to Brittany. We sailed via Alderney with south westerly 6/7s and arrived back in the Beaulieu river for our two month UK visit. Chao Lay will now under go a mini refit and will keep busy with day charters, and some Cowes week racing for Alex.
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