Category Archives: Azores

Baptism of fire 2. Part – Now wind really comes into play

17. September 2015Katja Henke

Once we had mastered the first challenges but pretty neat, decided further to increase the level of difficulty the fate. For the next two days, neatly much wind was announced. A thick depression would traverse North of us. Although we had set our course significantly farther than necessary after South, Wind speeds were up 38 Node (Wind strength 8) announced.

We decided only the mainsail when downwind wind in the 2. Reefer to keep standing and awaited the things, die da kommen würden 🙂 Und der Wind kam mit Macht, too much rain brought with him and gave us a day's run (Driven nautical miles in 24 Hours) by 182 Seemeilen 🙂 Sonst blieb alles erstaunlich ruhig im Schiff 🙂 Während meiner Wache saß ich unter Deck und polierte Beschläge :-), While Dietmar slept peacefully next door. All 10 I checked minutes radar and AIS, but no other ship was far and wide to discover. Bei dem Wetter schickt man ja auch nicht einmal seinen Hund vor die Tür 🙂 Auch nach dem üblichen Wachwechsel um ein Uhr hatte Dietmar nichts zu klagen und ich schlief wohlverdient und friedlich 🙂 So hatten wir unser erstes schweres Wetter gut hinter uns gebracht und im Laufe des nächsten Tages ging der Wind auch wieder auf angenehme 15-20 Tie back. Als kleine Belohnung für die letzten beiden anstrengenden Tage tauchte ein Pottwal direkt neben unserem Boot auf 🙂 Schon der zweite den wir treffen, Since we're on the road with the CESARINA.

On our drive to Vilamoura, we should make a more wind-rich experience. In the meantime we had in lighter winds Genoa, Mainsail and mizzen set and enjoyed the pleasant half wind sailing speed more than eight-node (We wanted to get as fast as possible :-)) Out of nowhere a dark rain cloud suddenly appeared. A squall! (local low pressure system) This had not only properly downpour, but also really windy in the luggage. Before we have a chance to the react had, We were already located in. Of 15 on 35 Node up in less than three minutes. Quickly we did close the hatches and felt, how our CESARINA put just a bit on the side, then to pull away with 9 nodes. It was wonderfully stable in the sea and held the course without shooting in the wind, wie es eine kleinere getan hätte 🙂 Trotz der beeindrucken positiven Erfahrung ihrer Seetüchtigkeit haben wir uns vorgenommen, to avoid more squalls or to meet only with customized sail area. You must not challenge Yes happiness. At some point, our first big trip went to then but the end. We arrived at Vilamoura on Thursday night about eleven o'clock at night. Much to our surprise we were waiting. Emil and Marita stood first on the pier and little later also at the jetty, to take our lines. Both of us fell a stone of the heart, als die CESARINA dann endlich sicher am Steg vertäut lag 🙂 Endlich angekommen! Everything had worked perfectly! Darauf mussten wir unbedingt anstoßen 🙂

Baptism of fire

14. September 2015Katja Henke

Now it was serious. On the Saturday afternoon we had made all preparations, to us on the about 840 Nautical miles long back in the Algarve Vilamoura to make travel from the Azores.

Still quite happened us quite strange. Although we were flown with two large travel bags in the Azores, but somehow, incredibly many things were missing, that we had such a long sea routes like this one. Only the really necessary and safety had found in the luggage space. In addition Pieter and Rini had a basic set of tools, Signal equipment and kitchen equipment on the CESARINA. On board all but was still pretty unusual and strange. Let's see how we together the next few days would pluck us, wir Drei 🙂

The first challenge was also equal the berthing for two with 20 Knot crosswind, He put us firmly on the bridge. Es hätte ja auch entspannt losgehen können 🙁 Nach ausgiebiger Diskussion der Ablegestrategie gelang Dietmar das Manöver aber mit Bravour und ich stand mit dem bereitgehaltenen “Emergency fender” völlig arbeitslos am Bug 🙂 Während Dietmar uns sicher aus dem Hafen steuerte, had I do heavy work. For such a big boat has also correspondingly large and heavy fenders and mooring lines long and thick, die jetzt ordentlich verstaut werden wollten 🙂 Das war doch deutlich mehr Arbeit als auf unserer SUMMER 🙂

To play the entire five and a half days in detail, würde wohl den Rahmen sprengen 🙂 Also beschränke ich mich nur auf die besonderen Highlights!

Especially difficult for us “Roles sailing spoiled” was the conventional rig of the CESARINA. Setting, Reefing or mountains of the mainsail is always connected to a trip to the mast, What when there are waves, Darkness or rain can be really uncomfortable. So we were content us initially only with the (Roll)Genoa, Let our CESARINA raumem wind well seven node of which noise. After the wind strength and direction had stabilized, We decided, to take us before the onset of darkness on the setting of the mainsail. Just in case but in the 1. Furling, to be on the safe side the coming night.

Little blue-eyed Dietmar set out equipped with safety vest and harness in the direction of mast, while I steered the ship with the bow into the wind. Now the CESARINA was so unfavourable to the shaft, that Dietmar had been the first shower behind, bevor er überhaupt am Mast angekommen war 🙂 Jetzt lohnte sich das Ölzeug auch nicht mehr 🙂 Aber für das nächste Mal würde er sicher besser gerüstet sein 🙂 Das Setzen des Segels dauerte zwar noch ziemlich lange, ran but without complications. So happy we could book the first sailing manoeuvres as a success.

So we sailed motivated and relaxed in the first night. After dinner in the cockpit, I assumed the first watch, While Dietmar comfortably in the booth back. Gegen ein Uhr war dann Wachwechsel und ich durfte bis um sieben Uhr ausschlafen 🙂 Und schlafen kann man ganz hervorragend auf der CESARINA. Your length, Their weight and the sleek shape are eerily comfortable ship movements. In addition our bunk is airy but not more so nice and wide as on the SUMMER, but it absolutely seaworthy. You can't have everything, Yes.

Just for me the CESARINA has another advantage: Sie schlägt mir fast gar nicht auf den Magen 🙂 Nachteil ist, now at first I have to Cook. Sonst konnte ich mich immer die ersten Tage davor drücken 🙂 Dabei musste ich feststellen, that the locks of doors and drawers work something different than on the buzzer. Is very important on the CESARINA, You must push the button to close back in the drawer, otherwise, it is namely not locked. And with more wind and angle the cutlery drawer flies then just unchecked through the entire Salon. Fortunately she has just missed me. This never happened to me.

Surprise……Surprise

29. August 2015Katja Henke

If I knew in may already, what organizational challenges I would be early September, would I be waived, for Dietmar 50. Birthday invite some surprise guests in the Algarve.

Unfortunately I could not clairvoyance but – or should I say “Gott sei Dank” 🙂 Ein paar Tage “Forced vacation” würde uns beiden nach den turbulenten Wochen ganz gut tun 🙂 Alleine würde ich den Chef sicherlich auch nicht bremsen können.

Are some time already I was in close contact with Claudia and Reiner, us today evening in Vilamoura “totally surprising” would expect. Now we needed from our Azores island on the mainland just yet as planned and on time back fly and return by train to the Algarve. We were going to the US between 9: 30 and 10 “random” in advance via SMS called restaurant at the port meet me.

Out of concern, that something could be I was a little nervous in the morning. The way was now also really long and there were many opportunities for breakdowns and unforeseen events.

In the run-up to Dietmar had made almost planning my niece, When he travel to the Azores from the 28. up to 30. August had planned. He had booked plane tickets even without my knowledge. I had but to prevent this accident, by I put our tight schedule as the reason for a previous visit to CESARINA. The airline had the tickets as an early birthday present, as the Lady at the travel agency noted, free cancelled. No joke!

But our return journey was completely uneventful until on a jacket forgotten at airport. We could win something even time (and taxi costs) in which we simply already in Quarteira, and thus a station formerly dropped out of our train. There we have come ever last week bus pass. Here one should say, dass Busfahren nicht bildet 🙂

Nevertheless we wandered only against ten o'clock on the harbour promenade along, because I was just sooo… hungrig 🙂 Nach einer gefühlten Ewigkeit (I could push Dietmar so badly to rush :-)) I spied the two – eigentlich genau im selben Augenblick wie Dietmar 🙂

Da war das Hallo natürlich groß 🙂 Mehr als 16 We had not seen each other months. Und nicht nur wir hatten viel zu erzählen 🙂 Erst morgens um zwei Uhr beendeten wir die lustige Runde, but not without to date us equal to the breakfast for the next morning. Because never is one with both the conversation and there is really much to laugh.

The next morning, then, we arrived at the hotel for breakfast, Because buying had I Yes unfortunately can no longer. Because the breakfast would have been but little too lean. Außerdem hatten wir uns in den letzten Tagen doch sehr schnell an ein gutes und ausgiebiges Hotelfrühstück gewöhnt 🙂 Mal gucken, whether the luxury hotel in Vilamoura with our * hotel Terceira could keep.

Extensive test showed, dass auch auf dem Festland ein hervorragendes Frühstück serviert wird 🙂 und das Personal musste uns schon fast rausschmeißen, because the dominions were already cover the tables for lunch.

Für den Nachmittag hatten wir dann etwas ganz außergewöhnliches geplant 🙂 Wir wollten an den Strand. Those who already follow our blog, which would have fallen on, that lazy, lying on the beach, does not belong to our favorite things. Obwohl das irgendwie falsch formuliert ist 🙂 Denn ich liege eigentlich sehr gern einmal am Strand 🙂 Außerdem war ich auch schon längere Zeit nicht mehr Baden 🙂 Hier an der Algarve sollte das Wasser ja angenehme Temperaturen haben.

Reiner and Dietmar wanted to right the way to the beach with a visit to the boatyard on the Marina area. This is while conveniently located within sight, But if you want to swim not over, so you must go around but the whole port basin. Und der Hafen von Vilamoura ist wirklich riesig und die Wege entsprechend lang 🙂 Somit trennten sich nach zwanzig Minuten unsere Wege und wir Damen suchten uns am Strand ein gemütliches Plätzchen. Endlich mal Zeit für ein Frauengespräch 🙂 Fehlte nur noch der Kaffee 🙂 Und da die Herren doch etwas länger auf sich warten ließen, zogen wir nach einer Weile in ein Strandcafe um 🙂

From there we saw also eventually pass the men on the beach. On their way along the water, although every Beach beauty was extensively evaluated (Pure always said “scanned”), aber die gesuchten Ehefrauen sind ihren aufmerksamen Blicken entgangen 🙂 Trotzdem ließen wir sie nicht bis nach Albufeira weiterlaufen 🙂

A small strengthening we were looking for a nice place on the beach us together. Bath time was now! The Sun was high in the sky and it was quite warm. A dip in the Atlantic Ocean should now bring cooling. So I went with Claudia first on the way to the cool waters.

“Cool wet” was somehow not the apt description. The water was so cold, I got goose bumps even on the arms, was already as I'm only using the feet inside. Soft love to, aber doch keine Erfrierungen 🙂

Back in our men we had to listen to us then the clever sayings. Surprisingly, neither of them was willing but, terms of hero-jump into the waters. That would be completely under their dignity they meant. Somehow it galled me yet, that I had taken a bath in the Atlantic small frostbite. I've been in January on La Gomera in the water. It might not be here yes even worse. So I took all courage together and ground plunged into the water. Unfortunately, the feeling was “If you once inside, is it not as cold” even when swimming is not a. Claudia was following me now. Women are the real heroes?. However, we both were happy, as we again lay on our towels in the Sun. Now was once again “Thawing” angesagt 🙂

In the evening we left the beaten track of Vilamoura then behind us and went by car to Faro. We made plans for the next day in a nice restaurant in the old town. Tomorrow we were going to go sailing. If the wind would allow it, After Culatra, we were planning to drive. This particularly beautiful corner, We knew that already from last year, wollten wir den Beiden doch so gern zeigen 🙂

Drum check, who is forever binds :-)

26. August 2015Katja Henke

Heute sollte es also ans Eingemachte gehen 🙂 Mal sehen, What has everything to offer the CESARINA.

We have a ship with our SUMMER, that no sailor wishes, who want to go on a long journey, leaves. In recent years, much time and of course lots of money in their equipment has been and for the planned crossing of the Atlantic Ocean end of November 2015 haben wir sie perfekt vorbereitet 🙂

Wassermacher, Washing machine, Shortwave and almost every imaginable technical gadgetry, the one could wish and think. Reliable and tested on good 7000 I saw no reason rationally considered nautical miles, mit einem anderen Boot wieder von vorne anzufangen 🙁

Now I would like to once Dietmar's new love a closer look imagine, denn sie ist eine Yacht mit einer bewegten Geschichte 🙂

CESARINA is a Swan 55 Yawl (Hull 004) and was 1971 built by Nautor Swan in Finland. Her first name was Laurita and she was severely damaged mid-nineties in a hurricane in the Caribbean.

After that, the yacht was completely gutted up on the bare hull and to Holland to the now world famous “Campbell” Take appropriate.

Up to this point the Campbell shipyard built only wooden ships. But the former owner of the LAURITA and the beautiful classic form of by “Sparkman&Stevens” winning yacht was able to convince the throwing owner Nico Claasen and within three years she was without any limits with much passion, Love and highest craftsmanship for the ideas of the avowed perfectionist Nico from the keel to rebuilt. Since only the J-class super yachts are built by Campbell. What kind of a reputation! After you received your new fine-sounding names: CESARINA. Sie hat das Feeling einer J-Class Superyacht sagt Dietmar 🙂

Thus she did so with one “Classic” Swan not really much to do, sondern kann ohne Übertreibung als ein einzigartiges Kunststück bezeichnet werden 🙂

The Interior impresses with many loving details and plenty of room to live. Also, deck and superstructures are a collection of many beautifully crafted details.

On the other hand, there is also much to do. The on-board water maker was given way to a new bow thruster. It's also super, aber jetzt fehlt der Wassermacher 🙁 . The whole day we drove emotional rollercoaster and asked us, whether we can meet such a ship . Again and again during the breaks we sat on the harbour wall and viewed the CESARINA and their beautiful lines. In any case, it would be no easy decision.

Our appointment of the Atlantic crossing at 22. November 2015 hovered on the horizon. Would it be feasible, until then all work requested by us to do? The description of a ship of this size is unfortunately no small thing, because ab 15 Metres in length must be registered in the German ship register. There so much paperwork to do. You can do it in less than three months ?? Where should we later on the new ship “move”??? Both vessels must be yes then together in a port, so that we could easily rearrange our home stand. In the SUMMER, everything was well organized after more than three years. Did we start really back? We would all our belongings and goods on the CESARINA can accommodate?? The Sunbeam 42 DS is really a space saver. Could keep the four meters longer CESARINA da?? And the most important question ever: What should be done with our SUMMER????

Location speech – short of it: At midnight we have then done and sealed the purchase handshake. Also Rini and Pieter are emotionally gone through hell all day, because the CESARINA lay them close to our hearts. Now they look forward but, You will go with us on the journey. Und wir freuen* uns natürlich auch 🙂 Sie wird bei uns sicher das sein, was man ein geliebtes Schiff nennt 🙂

*(To describe, what you feel, When making such a decision, is kinda impossible for me. Freuen ist auf jeden Fall nicht das richtige Wort 🙂

A small world tour

25. August 2015Katja Henke

Why is it actually, When the night anyway shortly through the alarm clock, plagued by a Portuguese killer mosquito?

Our Tuesday morning started early and because of the mosquitoes unfortunately also with moderately good mood. Without breakfast we headed to seven on the way, to go with our taxi ordered the previous day in the direction of Faro train station. With a small detour through the airport (The English of our taxi driver was probably not so good as expected) waren wir aber immer noch sehr früh am Ziel und es war endlich Zeit zum Frühstücken 🙂 Für unschlagbar günstige 5 We were saturated and provided with boxed euro. Auch die Stimmung in der kleinen Reisegruppe hatte sich deutlich verbessert 🙂

On time at 8: 30 our train Faro left with the aim “Lisbon Oriente” and exactly as planned, we arrived at noon there. The train ride in the pleasant and spacious carriages was pleasantly. Only two American ladies, They sat till almost the end of the trip behind us, with their loud non - stop talking about all the important things of life our nerves quite worn. It was a bit like Chinese water torture: If you once had the pitch of both in the ear, again she was going on and it felt, as you slowly drilled holes in our eardrums.

From train station Oriente, we went by taxi to the airport of Lisbon. Here was some haste, Since we the conditions (Traffic, Removal, Roads and traffic at the airport) could not estimate. But again, everything went smoothly, and after a lunch at the box host (a Bavarian friend of ours always for McDonald's used this beautiful name) was it sated and strengthened to the gate.

But we have not betrayed Yes always have you, wo diese Reise eigentlich enden sollte 🙂 Mit dem letzten Blog vom 24. August we have stretched well quite some impatient on the torture. Our destination of today was Terceia. Diligent readers have now arguably an idea, why it drives us towards this, or rather why it drives Dietmar in this direction. For all, now do not know which, what it's actually about, can am 22. and 25. Juni nachlesen 🙂

After a pleasant flight, so we ended up on Terceira and Pieter and Rini, the Dutch owners of the CESARINA directly in reception included. With the car it went directly to the Marina of Angra, where the two are your piece of jewellery at the moment had.

Of course many change of email and phone calls ahead took this visit. Aber nicht nur das 🙂 Als mir klar wurde, that the CESARINA was not only an obsession with my dear husband, had the blessing hung pretty wrong too a long time. The discussion on other ships, they were much great as our SUMMER, war mir nicht neu 🙁 Aber diesmal schien der Wunsch doch von sehr ernstafter Natur zu sein. So I had to leave at some point but convince me, to take the beauty again scrutinized. Und da waren wir nun 🙂 Jetzt wurde es ernst.

Since the next days wind up thick nine announced was, We decided to make us a trip before the waters of Terceira. Even as Pieter the 23 Tonnes heavy and 17 Metre long yacht skillfully in the port turned, were we impressed. Would we get that too? She was simply impressive long, almost four meters longer than our SUMMER.

Out in the troubled and yet quite rough sea, you showed us your strengths. She has been built for such conditions and brilliant Nautor Swan has done his job. Soft she dived into the waves and ran as if on Rails at about 20 Knot wind calm and sure progress. And she was also still fast. I could see formally Dietmar heart beat. Endlich bei jedem Wettrennen mit guten Chancen dabei zu sein 🙂 Er wird im Herzen wohl immer ein Rennfahrer bleiben 🙂 Da es mir persönlich nicht so sehr auf Geschwindigkeit, but rather depends on security, was I but also pleasantly surprised. Ihre Bewegungen in der See schlugen mir nicht direkt auf den Magen 🙂 und auch bei heftigeren “Pushers” (Gusts) I felt the unknown ship safely.

Das Wetter beendete unseren kleinen Ausflug dann aber recht bald 🙁 Heftiger und ergiebiger Regen machte das Segelvergnügen doch zu Nichte 🙁 Aber für einen ersten sehr guten Eindruck war es schon eindeutig ausreichend.

So we ended the day at Angra's Harbor Restaurant. There were yet very much to discuss, and also to talk about. Morgen würden wir ins Detail gehen und die CESARINA auf Herz und Nieren prüfen 🙂 Jede Schublade, the locker and every detail we wanted to see. Da kam uns das schlechte Wetter gerade recht 🙂

Around midnight we fell exhausted into bed, but somehow we both could find no sleep. Too much excitement, Before friends but also worries drove carousel in our minds. Would turn these days on Terceira again upside our lives?

Arrived – Seven days and 864 Nautical miles

25. July 2015Katja Henke

In the penultimate night at sea on the way to Porto came's unfortunately just as it was announced: namely stormy! It ended with the peace of mind. Despite gereffter sailing we ran between seven and eight nodes, really very nice, But if we continue sailed with this rate, would we, arrive in the morning at two o'clock in Porto. Not enough, It would be pitch black. Also low tide would prevail at this time. Two circumstances, that we wanted to avoid in any case for safety reasons.

Our last sea day brought us some rest, but just so's the darkness again right around could go at breaking. With gusts up to 30 Node and Messier until partly also sinister sea, We rushed our goal against. First to arrive after sunrise in Porto, had set the course Dietmar, we sailed until midnight of towards the North-East, and later would turn South towards Porto, to extend the distance.

The sea was rough. Early morning, a large wave caught us so adversely from the side, that it flooded the whole cockpit with cold water of the Atlantic Ocean. Obwohl sie vorher noch von dem am Seezaun befestigten Bananaboot abgebremst und abgelenkt worden war 🙂 Durch die Wucht der Welle wurde die sehr massive Stütze zusammen mit dem Bananaboot um gut einen halben Meter nach innen gedrückt. The water ran partly from the cockpit through the stairs in the boat. In addition, the water was pressed even by the force of the wave through the vents on the ceiling in the shower. The breakers have even thrown and power off the 220V. That was already a bash and we were once again very pleased, dass wir ein so stabiles Schiff besitzen 🙂 Gut, that just at this moment nobody was outside on the deck…. At least that would have been a very refreshing shower.

I was somehow quite struck that night. Undefined header, Dental- and ear pain made me tired and cranky. So Dietmar gave me night awake free today and I was allowed to have neatly shake me till sunrise in the bunk.

In the morning, six type land was in sight at last as planned. Portugal presented itself at its fresh. 16° stood on our thermometers, but it was the Sun in a cloudless sky. When we arrived in the Douro River, were many fishing boats on the way. The wind eased and relaxed we could put the buzzer in the port. Now once a proper breakfast, then a hot shower and then another well-deserved round “Mattresses Horch service” 🙂

Oops-Hopp

17. July 2015Katja Henke

Since Wednesday noon, the captain is back on board and now we have the disease introduced from Germany (Cold) well in hand.

So we decided this afternoon at four o'clock, tomorrow to take the plunge on the Portuguese mainland, Since the weather during the next week should be much less favourable.

Bustle of events followed the decision, but now all is well prepared for the 800 Nautical miles distance. We will keep you up to date and submit the reports of the last week in the Azores, Once yogesh Porto have reached.

Hot springs with sea monsters :-)

9. July 2015Katja Henke

On the first, We wanted to drive for Furnas some murky day of my mother with us on board. Here there are fumaroles as well as various hot springs. Particularly worth seeing that should but old Terra Nostra hotel with its large park, and the giant, be warm thermal bathing lake. The visit had been laid warmly us by various sailors at the heart. Also it has to get us, nur dunkle Badekleidung mitzunehmen und sich von der Farbe des Thermalwassers bloß nicht abschrecken zu lassen 🙂 Das konnte ja heiter werden 🙂

The main attraction of Sao Miguel is signposted at all conceivable corners of the island. We took along the way on the North Coast. After several photo stops at the many, ausgeschilderten “Miradoren” We reached the midday ” Lagoa the Furnas”. Auf dem Parkplatz wurden wir direkt gebührend empfangen 🙂

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Unfortunately we had even no treats for the young lady. We wanted to change that in the future but. Aber im Moment standen wir einfach nur mit leeren Händen da 🙁

We headed up once to the fumaroles. For this, it needed no sign, you had to follow only the columns of steam and the smell of the sources.

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So, we have also witnessed a “According to guide of special spectacle”. There were pots with “Cozido” buried in the hot Earth, to heat these underground. Cozido is a stew of various meats- and sausages with vegetables, You can make it without volcanic activity and which is generally very popular in Porugal. Hoffentlich bekommt es hier keine zu kräftige Schwefelnote 🙂

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After an extensive tour, we had the urgent need for fresh air. Am Seeufer hatte der Gestank ein Ende 🙂 Hier stand auch ein Imbisswagen, the something special in the its range had. Cat dry food ! 🙂 So konnten wir bei unserer Rückkehr zum Auto die Fellnasen doch noch glücklich machen.

Satisfied, we continued in the city centre of Furnas. Parking spaces were scarce unfortunately, but we finally found one in front of the local soccer stadium. So we walked a short distance through the city to the Terra Nostra Park Hotels. The entrance was quite expensive for Azorean ratios with six euro per person, but it was well worth it. The park with Lakes, Is beautifully landscaped creeks and caves. Everywhere it flourished in a wide variety of shapes and colors.

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Only the thermal lake, with an opaque “Brown broth” was filled, had we leave still left. It is a special pleasure???? We were still not convinced and once needed a small strengthening. The bar of the Terra Notras was wonderfully suited hotels. Nach leckeren Sandwiches und einem Gläschen Wein waren wir bereit für die Herausforderung 🙂

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Und es war toll 🙂 Mindestens “Bath tubs” warm 🙂 und total entspannend. Who can claim, Once in a 30 x 50 Meters large bathtube in about one and a half metres water depth and swim to be ? 🙂

You should watch only on the sea monster. Die können einen ganz schön in die Füße beißen 🙂

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After the bath, we found, that not only dark swimsuit, but also dark towels by advantage would have been. But why is there finally washing machines?

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On our last vantage point we got rid even the remaining cat food, which we had purchased this afternoon. Apparently the wild cats around the vantage points around have settled and with good reason: Denn an jedem Aussichtpunkt ist auch gleich ein Picknick-Platz 🙂 Und wenn nicht zufällig irgendwelche Touristen Katzenfutter dabei haben, something from here sure often times for the hungry Pack. So the gang was at home but not so mopsig like our German cats, but fortunately still far away from a malnutrition.

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Family holiday

8. July 2015Katja Henke

Dietmar was already on Tuesday morning in wanderlust. On Wednesday morning, he would (At last) fly to Germany and to take part in the 25 H race of VW fun Cup at Spa. I wanted to take advantage of his absence, um einmal wieder richtig Urlaub zu machen 🙂 Und damit ich nicht so einsam sein würde, had I invited especially love family visiting from Germany: meine Mutter 🙂

Anyway, far too many people lived on Sao Miguel and especially Ponta Delgada to Dietmar taste. According to the other islands, it was also a little culture shock for us. Here live together as many people as the other eight Islands on Sao Miguel. Ich war aber am Dienstag trotzdem auf Inselerkundung eingestellt und wollte mit dem vorbestellten Mietwagen lieber früher als später aufbrechen 🙂

Nevertheless, was already clearly but then after lunch, When we were finally on the way. Our excursion was at first under a lucky star. The weather was pretty much to be desired and when I me right on the edge of the city of Ponta Delgada also still firmly proceeded, war der Ausflug eigentlich gelaufen 🙁 So beschlossen wir für uns, an diesem Nachmittag besser getrennte Weg zu gehen 🙂 Ich ließ meinen Mann mit seiner “Ring mood” am Hafen zurück und machte mich alleine auf die Socken 🙂

Sao Miguel is the island of hot springs and it steams and stinks in many different places.

My first exploration led to the next hot spring and the associated fumaroles. Good, that's no “Smell photography” are, denn die Schwefelgase können schon recht unangenehm stinken 🙂

Unfortunately you could in the place visited by me, use the water of the sources just in a not particularly inviting bath house in old bathtubs. So also no one gave this “Pleasure” Hin. Such an uncomfortable day a warm bath would have been something great, especially for sailors without bath on board.

But in Furnas, which should be possible in the next few days. Other sailors had raved about this place and very recommended visit. It is then for the next few days on the to-to list.

So I brought even a little criss -cross through the western part of the island, aber das Wetter trieb mich dann doch zurück zum Hafen 🙂 Ab morgen soll aber wieder die Sonne scheinen. Best conditions, with my mother make the island uncertain.

Wednesday after breakfast we made our way to the airport. He was just around the corner and the Marina in the flight path. Good, that here mass tourism still not arrived. Die Lärmbelästigung hielt sich somit in einem akzeptablen Rahmen 🙂

Dietmar would disappear with same machine direction Germany, with my mother angekommt. Everything was perfectly organised. So we drank a farewell coffee at the airport, caught my mom in the “Arrival” AB, put the Dietmar “Departures” off and were an hour later back on the buzzer.

After the luggage and the souvenirs from Germany safe on the boat were stowed, We had to get into the holiday mood, a lunch in the restaurant at the port taste us. After such a long time, there is of course much to tell – especially, wenn Frauen unter sich sind 🙂

My mother was just as eager and curious to the island as I. Deshalb vertrödelten wir keine Zeit 🙂 Dietmar kaum weg als wir auch schon mit dem Mietwagen unterwegs waren.

Our first destination was the fog Lake, It is located pretty much in the middle of the island. In my travel guide, he was described as especially beautiful, If there above the clouds spoil one not the view. Und heute sah es sehr vielversprechend aus 🙂

The Lake was actually scary beautiful. Down on the shore, one could also observe even a few a few people while bathing. Leider fehlte uns sowohl für die Wandertour als auch für ein Bad die nötige Ausrüstung 🙁 Aber aufgeschoben ist ja nicht aufgehoben.

Außerdem schoben sich doch hier oben schon wieder ein paar lästige Wolken vor die bestellte Sonne 🙁 Daher flüchteten wir lieber hinunter an die Küste und ließen am Strand noch ein bisschen die Füße im Wasser baumeln.

Back in Ponta Delgada's continued in the old town. Here we had to find out more, What of with the “Holy Spirit”-Festival has to, the of the 9. up to 12. July will be celebrated in the city.

Preparations were in any case already in full swing. The city centre was beautifully adorned with flags and pennants.

A large Crown was built on the square in front of the gate of the city. After dinner we made unsafe the Internet on the SUMMER to find out, What to see will be here in the next few days. The website was quickly found, aber sie war leider nur in portugiesischer Sprache verfügbar 🙁 Das Problem war für uns ja nicht neu. Tomorrow we will try, with the help of “Leo” some clarity in the matter to bring. It would also be nice, auch etwas über die Hintergründe der Festivität zu erfahren 🙂 Aber Eile mit Weile. Tomorrow is another day.

Twice fully in addition :-)

6. July 2015Katja Henke

In the Azores, there is, as already on the island of Porto Santo, the tradition, that there angekommende glider with a small or larger artwork on the harbour wall perpetuate. This open air Gallery in Horta on Faial island is particularly gorgeous.

Unfortunately we had not because of our hasty departure, to leave there a painted business card. Santa Maria we wanted to get here to this. Actually, it was also the place, denn hier sind wir ja zuerst gelandet 🙂

So I've been busy on weekends before and after the dives. Actually, it's not so difficult, eine Hummel an die Wand zu bringen 🙂 Auf Porto Santo war sie mir wirklich gut gelungen 🙂 und hat auch tapfer die letzten Monate überdauert.

But last weekend I've surpassed me unfortunately myself. Our “Sumsi” sah aus wie eine schwangere Auster 🙁 Wer aber schon einmal mit Ölfarbe auf Hafenmauern gemalt hat der weiß, that a subsequent correct is actually impossible. So haben wir unser Wappentier in Santa Maria mit ganz viel Winterspeck verewigt 🙂 Das war wohl leider voll daneben 🙂

Dietmar comment hit me also: “Yes, she looks like a pregnant horses” 🙂 Naja, because I must think through and may not rely also on my artistic freedom me :-). Nobody is perfect…….und etwas mit einer Schablone an die Wand zu sprühen kann ja jeder 🙂

We returned back painted misery finally on Monday morning and left early to Sao Miguel. Peacefully under sail it headed Northwest, and then lunch unfortunately North, because the wind for us had turned pretty unfavorable. We decided in the late afternoon, the last few miles under motor to drive and not gegenan to cross, um nicht im Dunkeln anzukommen 🙂

All of a sudden I heard, how the brake of our troll started to schnarren. This noise was also totally invigorating Dietmar, who wanted to keep taking a NAP in the Salon. Behind the boat, I had see before circling a Yellow-billed Shearwater. Not that we had a bird on the fishing?!?

Unfortunately, that was the case. Anscheinend hatte unser rosa Tintenfischköder einfach zu verlockend ausgesehen 🙁 Schnell nahm ich Fahrt aus dem Boot und drehte es in den Wind. Dietmar cranked out our drivers on board carefully. At least he had not caught the bait, but “the only” tangled in the line.

While gently holding the bird Dietmar, I started with the kitchen scissors to cut the lines tangle. At the beginning, that went really well, probably was the patient still in shock and kept quiet so good. But the “Idyll” was only of short duration. First tried our bird with wings deal to free and when fidget was not having the desired effect, biss er dann kurzerhand mal kräftig zu 🙁 Und zwar zuerst in meinen Finger und dann in Dietmars :-).

(Recreated scene :-))

Well, actually, I could understand him very well. Who will then also like to fish??? 🙂 Trotzdem nützte es ihm nichts 🙂 Erst nachdem wir die Leine vollständig entfernt hatten, We let him back off the boat. In contrast to us he had suffered no other injuries and grumbling disappeared in the distance.

So, for safety's sake, we desinfizierten our wounds. Amazing, wie viel Kraft so ein Vogel im Schnabel hat 🙁 Und scharfe Kanten hat der Schnabel auch 🙁 Die Lust zu Angeln war uns für heute auf jeden Fall gründlich vergangen. Das war ja schon wieder voll daneben gewesen 🙂

SY CESARINA

A log of our travels