The Azores - Horta

Riding big waves

The unsettled weather we’d experienced on our way to Bermuda continued. The Azores high was “uncharacteristic” according to the weather forecasters. Perhaps they should have said “non-existent”! As for the westerly winds we needed to cross the North Atlantic to the Azores, they were a long way north and easterly winds persisted. 

Big, following sea

 So, why didn’t we wait in Bermuda until the weather changed? The official start of the hurricane season is 1^st June and Bermuda is in the hurricane belt. Did we want to risk a hurricane by leaving later or face strong winds to gale force by leaving sooner? We checked and double checked the weather and decided on the northern route. We would sail east when we could and go north when the easterlies blew. 

 

Gale force winds

We checked out with Customs and Immigration on Thursday 1^st June and left Bermuda. The winds were light or moderate for the first two days, but the barometer was dropping slowly. Heavy rain pelted down and water came into the saloon through an unknown leak around the seal of an air vent. The ceiling panel had to be taken down in the saloon and the sliding companionway hatch cover removed. Jeremy struggled to take off the vent in such a confined space. All the time the wind and waves increased. I started to take Stugeron. About two hours later, with new sealant applied, Jeremy replaced the vent, hatch cover and ceiling. No rain or waves came in afterwards.

Nauticat overtook us in big seas

We continued to sail north in strong to gale force winds with big seas, breaking waves and many squalls. At long last the low pressure area passed us by and more moderate westerly winds began to blow. It was 5^th June. 

A rare, calm sunrise

Two days later sailing vessel Vagabond called us on VHF. They were about two miles away and heading for Horta in the Azores. We could expect calm weather in five days’ time and moderate to fresh SW winds in the meantime.

Delicious lunch at Athletico

We did have to motor for about 5 hours, then we were back to squalls, heavy rain, strong winds with gale force gusts and big, breaking seas. A few ships passed by in the distance. I called one on the VHF radio for a weather update. How to spoil my day! SW force 7, he said and a 3m swell. We made some bread.

The marina, Horta

On 14^th June a catamaran called Nauticat overtook us and called us on the VHF. Did we need anything? I asked how long this awful weather was going to continue. They said the wind would ease after 1800 and leave a good sailing wind all the way to the Azores. Hurray! 

Boat names painted on the harbour wall

Gradually, the barometer started to rise, the sun shone and the sea began to calm. Just as the wind died away, the Hydrovane stopped working. We started the engine and steered with our electronic pilot, Neco. We had 127nm to go. The gas ran out in the middle of the night. Jeremy changed the bottle. On our last day at sea, the engine salt water pump started leaking and had to be replaced.

Can you see Sal Darago?

 It was going to be a night entry into Horta. The lights of the island of Faial shone as we approached. We entered the harbour, avoided many anchored yachts and found the Reception berth we were supposed to tie to. There was no room and yachts were rafted up four abreast. We anchored off. We had arrived. It was Saturday 17^th June. We’d been at sea for 16 days and the passage had been one of the roughest we’d had in our two circumnavigations of the world.

Sewing the no.2 jib

We went ashore in the dinghy in the morning and checked in with the marina office, Immigration and Customs. The marina was full with boats rafted up, so we stayed at anchor. 

Lovely fish lunch at Genuino's

Horta has many facilities for visiting yachts. We ate out at Athletico, shopped at a big supermarket nearby and bought SIM cards for our phones. Then there was laundry to do and hot showers ashore. The Hydrovane company has been emailed and we hope we can have a new part sent to us.

Jeremy at Port Sim, Horta