UPDATE
In October 2006 Gloria and I
visited the Annapolis
boatshow for the launch of my new book, “Atlantic Crossings”. The
boatshow really is one of the biggests and best I have ever been to. We had a
great time meeting other sailors and authors and checking out the new equipment
and boats. Annapolis
must be one of the prettiest water-side towns to host a boat show.
Thanks to all those who came to
the seminars or to the Sheridan House stand. Good luck and good sailing,
wherever you go.
What was even more apparent when
we were on the Sheridan House stand was that this little publishing house has
one of the most comprehensive and interesting list of titles for sailors. Their
2007 catalogue is a great achievement and yet is still only a pale reflection
of the books themselves when seen cover to cover along the shelves.
Now we shall spend some months in
England
on a completely different sort of vessel. Utopia, a 60 foot narrow boat
designed for the British canals. She is 6feet 11inches wide, so that she can
travel through the narrow locks of the canal system, and draws so little water
that she would probably float on the dew.
We spent the winter of 2004/2005
in Horta on Faial in the Azores. This was one
of our best sailing winters.
The nine islands spread over 300 miles of ocean. All are volcanic. They are the
peaks of some of the tallest mountains on Earth, if measured from the seabed.
Only Pico has retained its original cone but the rest all have ancient
caldeiras (craters). Some have mud geysers and hot water springs. Volcanoes
still occasionally erupt. The last eruption was the Capelinhos Volcano on Faial in 1957. Earthquakes are common and the last major
one in 1998 caused wide-spread damage in the central group of islands.
The charm of the Azores
is that each island is physically and socially quite different from the others.
Harbours here are a tribute to the power of
breakwaters. The main Azorean marinas at Horta and San Miguel shelter behind
massive outer breakwaters and smaller inner breakwaters. But the sea, being the
sea, has the power to make even these structures seem puny and temporary when
great storms blow.
Photo by Les Weatheritt
When we left the Azores we made landfall
in Bayona in the wonderful rias of NW Spain and then worked our way down the
Atlantic coast of Portugal.
We preferred little fishing
harbours to marinas.
Photo by Joelle Darby
We are currently exploring the Algarve region of southern Portugal and Spain. This will be our second
winter here. The weather is mild and mainly dry, allowing sailing all through
the winter if you keep an eye on where the storms are in the Atlantic.
Big storms can push heavy swell along this coast but not with the same force as
on the Atlantic coast. Many sailors from northern Europe and some from North America too make this their winter base, bringing a
convivial social life to the harbours.
Photo by Gloria Jardine
By now we have found many
wonderful places off the beaten track in Portugal. Rivers for exploring,
high plateaus for good walking and proud ancient cities for a sense of a living
past and a comfortable restaurant. These are like secrets that only we and the
privileged few have discovered. I would be foolish to write about them. You
must come and explore for yourselves.
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