Category Archives: Azores

The culmination :-) :-) :-)

5. July 2015Katja Henke

We wanted to pull diving technically all register on our last weekend on Santa Maria. On Saturday, a tour was planned after Ambrosia, and Sunday it should then (At last) go Formigas.

The dive boat was this Saturday morning with seven “Man” loaded, as we front were picked up at the pier. Very nice cozy for us low season divers :-), aber alle waren sehr nett und es herrschte kein Durcheinander 🙂

Arrived at the dive site the following image offered us:

No, that was not a lone shark, der da seine Runden drehte 🙂 Schon an der Wasseroberfläche konnten wir die ersten beiden Mobulas (Manta Rays) see. There was now little hustle and bustle. Jeder wollte zuerst im Wasser sein 🙂 Um allen Tauchern eine auch eine gute Sicht zu ermöglichen, We divided us into two groups. So a half hung on the front of the anchor rope, marketed by Steffen while the other is on the extra line to the stern of the boat “Hung”. Wegen der Strömung sollten wir auch möglichst an der Leine bleiben 🙂 Diese Anweisung galt natürlich auch für Fotografen. But as you can see on this image, nehmen es manche mit den Sicherheitsanweisungen nicht sehr genau 🙁

After a big swarm offshore barracudas and Trevallies, they then came back: die Mobulas 🙂 :-):-)

First two and then a whole swarm. Und sie waren wirklich nicht schüchtern 🙂

Well an hour we enjoyed the impressive spectacle, at least as good as or even better than the first time. An solch beeindruckenden Tieren kann man sich einfach nicht satt sehen 🙂 Auf dem Rückweg machten wir noch einen entspannten Kontrast-Tauchgang an der Küste entlang 🙂

Here were again good eyes, um die Tiere in ihren Felsenverstecken zu entdecken 🙂

Back at the Marina, we were both, Why always, so flat, that we order after dinner shortly after nine in the bed fell. Diving is already sport – irgendwie 🙂

It was also almost no problem on Sunday, that the alarm clock rang at 6: 30. The remaining force was still a fairly sleepy, If also cheerful impression, as we rode around eight o'clock in the boat direction East of the island along.

Then, life in the armed forces but suddenly came. Afield, large flocks of birds have been spotted :-). And where are the birds in action, sind auch fast immer Delfine 🙂 Daher machten wir einen kleinen Umweg, der sich lohnen sollte 🙂

Ein wildes Durcheinander von Vögeln und Delfinen 🙂 Schnell wurden die Schnorchel klar gemacht und es ging mitten hinein ins Gewimmel. We had to hurry because the dolphins had a baby it would appear quite soon again.

About 30 We reach minutes later our then our dive site. The Formigas existing of some boulders in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, they only 5 Protrude metres out of the water. Erfreulicherweise sind sie zur Sicherheit mit einem Leuchtturm bestückt 🙂 Da freut sich doch die Seefahrergemeinde.

During our first dive, we explored the wall on the East side of the islet. Out here at sea all was by and “Green”as nearby land :-). There were so many moray eels, dass wir irgendwann sogar das Zählen einstellten 🙂

Highlight of the dive was but a good 40 Centimeter big dragon head in 25 Meters water depth. Gewöhnlich findet man sonst eigentlich nur die kleineren Exemplare 🙂 Und geduldig war er auch noch 🙂

We made the second dive at the Canyon in the South of the Formigas. The surface of the rock Ridge was also here beautifully covered and numerous small, colorful fish schwommen in their large and colorful diversity through the deep blue.

Our anchor had wanted a particularly safe place in a rock column. That had to be directed naturally once and with the prevailing flow, waren für diese Aufgabe zwei starke Männer nötig 🙂

Und dann ging es endlich los 🙂 Hinter dem nächsten Felsvorsprung lauerte schon der erste Riesen-Zackenbarsch. And it should not stay with the one. We got six copies of imposing animals in almost grown stage to face. So a grouper may have a size of up to 1,60 Reach meter!

And they were also surprisingly tame or rather curious.

Besonders dieser Bursche hier 🙂 Während Dietmar versuchte, to move a beautiful Tiger Moray with camera and flashlight in the right light, the LAD came up so far, dass ihm Dietmar mit den Flossen schon fast auf dem Kopf herumpaddelte 🙂 Das hat ihn aber nicht besonders beeindruckt.

A crowning, with our Star photographer under water almost the time forgot. Pictures of groupers (from the top, from the side, from the front, from the bottom) haben wir jetzt auf jeden Fall genug für die nächste Zeit 🙂

After the dive we sat together beer at the Clube naval still on a round. Es wurde für uns wieder einmal Zeit Abschied zu nehmen 🙁 Immer wieder blöd, especially after a lovely time. Steffen gave us three melons from the island of Santa Maria as a boxed. Da kann ja morgen bei unserer Überfahrt nach Sao Miguel nichts mehr schief gehen 🙂

Shrimp Soup and problems with gravity :-)

3. July 2015Katja Henke

Our dive today was all about the character of the weight bag. The divers need this weight bag, to in the buoyancy of the whole equipment, He needs it so under water, überhaupt noch abtauchen zu können 🙂 Sie werden im Tarierjacket in dafür vorgesehenen Halterungen gesteckt, where they should remain a safe locked and be easy to remove on the other hand in case of emergency. So weit die Theorie 🙂

Der erste Tauchgang begann eigentlich ganz normal 🙂 Entgegen der Wettervorhersage war es auf See doch noch ziemlich windig und somit etwas schaukelig auf dem Tauchboot. But once in the depth, war die Welt wieder in Ordnung 🙂

A sea Peacock, can you see very often, but it's always nice to look at. But they are particularly frantic fish and it has lasted up to the present day, ein scharfes Fotos von einem der Gesellen zu bekommen 🙂

Today was also a large swarm Barracuda on the way. Here it is also really a paradise for these predators. Invited the whole small swarm fish clearly to hunt. Two big amber jacks were on the move.

At the end of each dive all the equipment must be back in the boat. This is out of the water out isn't always as easy. So is there first its weight bags on board and then the jacket with the bottle. Today it was quite exhausting through the upcoming wave, all that stuff neatly across the Board wall to press. So his own one by Dietmar weight pockets and disappeared again into the depths. Without weights he could unfortunately not directly continue the pursuit and so he could only quite helpless the subducting utensil from the surface afterwards see . Good, dass wir noch an der Boje festhingen 🙂 So konnte Steffen noch einmal runtertauchen und erschien kurze Zeit später wieder mit der Tasche in der Hand an der Oberfläche. Da hatten wir nochmal Glück gehabt 🙂

The second dive but then just went off, how the first has ended. This time came my lead bags go astray and disappeared without me in depth. Keine guter Tag irgendwie 🙁 Aber das Timing war ok. While I me the rope slowly into the depths, holte Steffen meine Tasche zurück 🙂 So konnte ich unten ganz unauffällig mein Blei verstauen und weiter tauchen. Dietmar war es nicht einmal aufgefallen 🙂

At the we got the opportunity this dive again, to watch huge amounts of Unicorn shrimps in a tunnel. Unfortunately, the lads are very lichtscheu and immediately, If somewhere went on a lamp, kamen hektische Bewegung der flüchtenden Schalentiere auf 🙂 Für jede Kamera ein wahrer Alptraum, but at least we can reflect as least you. It was just amazing.

Also a Moray presented freely floating outside their hiding place.

Since the avid photographer has not complied with probably the moray eels safety distance. Das ging ja mal gar nicht 🙁

The other giant Moray remained as a precaution dear in their crevice. Vorsicht ist ja bekanntlich besser als Nachsicht 🙂

Der große Zackenbarsch war auf keinen Fall kamerascheu und zeigte uns seine Schokoladenseite 🙂

After this great dive she hit on the Wasseroberflächer again “common” Schwerkraft zu 🙁 Diesmal traf es wieder Dietmars Tasche. But because the anchor was already solved, mussten wir das gute Stück ganz allein in der Tiefe zurück lassen 🙁 Das vermieste Dietmar schon etwas die Laune, especially because he must then appear on the next dive with weight belt around the waist. And he really does not like that.

Trotzdem hatten wir einmal wieder tolle Tauchgänge erleben dürfen und freuen uns auch schon auf den Nächsten 🙂 Am Donnerstag war wegen des Durchzugs eines Tiefdruckgebiet mit viel Wind und Regen eine Tauchpause angesagt. Motivated towards nowhere do the weather. So we spent a lazy day with a good book. Also once again, very nice, haben wir schon länger nicht gemacht 🙂

On Friday morning, three more divers were with part of the game and it was this time unusually crowded on the boat. Wir waren da vielleicht schon etwas zu sehr verwöhnt 🙂 Nebensaisontaucher eben 🙂 Das Wetter war schon wieder erstaunlich freundlich, aber am Tauchplatz war noch recht viel Welle von gestern übrig 🙂 Somit war es vor dem ersten Tauchgang so turbulent an Bord, Dietmar decided, the camera this time not to take. Actually he wanted today with the new macro lens on ” Mini Mari hunting” go. Aber dazu braucht man über und unter Wasser ruhigere Bedingungen und eine ruhige Hand 🙂

Somit ist die Bildauswahl heute sehr gegrenzt 🙂 Aber ein paar Highlights hatte ich doch festhalten können.

As for example the first Stingray, the US is met in the Azores. Der war sicher über einen Meter groß 🙂

Later in the shrimps cave we saw a rather rare Octopus, der sich Ton in Ton mit seinem Hintergrund nicht besonders auffällig in Szene gesetzt hatte 🙂

A few of the (estimated) 1.000.000 Shrimp make a photo available. The small video perhaps gives a better impression, I have recorded at the cave entrance. There were not so many shrimp, but some day light. Da blieben die hektischen Dinger auch einmal recht manierlich an einem Fleck 🙂

After two dives, still a little trip to Dietmar lead bag was on the agenda. After some back and forth, Steffen surfaced again with the treasured missing bag. Starting tomorrow, they get an additional fuse. Because every time to spend a round of ice cream, wird irgendwann doch zu teuer und ist nicht besonders gut für die Figur 🙂

Once in the harbor, We sat together then even longer for ice-cream and sandwiches and talked. Tomorrow it goes once again to Ambrosia. Wish us luck, dass die Mobulas auch wieder Zeit für uns haben 🙂 Das wäre einfach traumhaft!!!! 🙂

And over water?????

30. June 2015Katja Henke

Today was the day then, the “about water”-Exploration to start. Hochmotiviert kümmerten wir uns erst einmal um ein Auto und waren am frühen Nachmittag wie geplant mobil 🙂 Bus fahren ist auf Santa Maria wohl möglich, aber doch eher schwierig 🙂 Da das Wetter heute noch nicht so prickelnd war, extra so we rented the car, that we could do something tomorrow morning even :-). Sicherheitshalber 🙂

The island of Santa Maria is a really beautiful and informative travel guide. Many points of interest are shown there clean numbered with photos and described in detail. The only drawback: You can find anywhere, wo sich die Orte auf der Insel verstecken 🙁

However, since the roads on the island are only very sparsely signposted, We were not always there anyway, wo wir eigentlich hin wollten 🙂

By chance we stumbled on our Holy Seniora of Fatima Chapel. Were actually in search of the red sand desert, that somewhere in the North of the island hidden was. Big it might not be so comfortable. Let's see, ob wir die noch finden würden 🙂

Today, the weather had read clearly the weather and the rain clouds, in the afternoon the rain should bring, were there already. But it was still dry and warm, nur die Aussicht war etwas eingeschränkt 🙁 Schade, because the coast is really impressive with the rugged cliffs and the Caribbean turquoise water. Das kommt jetzt auf den Bilder nicht ganz so deutlich heraus 🙂

Is on Santa Maria, as well as on Pico, Wine grown on all slopes. The houses are painted here generally white and nearly all well maintained.

Our last destination on our tour was in the northeast of the island of São Lourenço. From a vantage point overlooking probably large parts of the East coast on sunny days.

When then the announced rain, We finished our trip and drove back to Vila do Porto Marina. In the evening we had with Steffen, arranged for his parents and the rest of the team of Wahoo diving for dinner. For this we wanted us in Maia in the restaurant “O Grota” meet. Actually only off 1. Opened July, The landlady for us but made an exception.

After our rain break on the boat we headed to half on the way. Unfortunately, it was still raining :-(. Aber wir wollten ja nur Essen und das an einem Tisch der hoffentlich im Haus steht 🙂 Der Weg über die kleine Insel zog sich kräftig in die Länge und nachdem wir länger hinter einer Herde Kühe festgesteckt hatten, We came across “UN-German” actually a bit too late. There, but all in the “Cow jam” have plugged, fiel es gar nicht weiter auf 🙂 – Inselleben eben 🙂

The evening was fun and the food excellent. There was an old family recipe in the pot with potatoes fish, Geschmorrt tomatoes and spices. Very tasty, aber ich persönlich bevorzuge bei dieser Zubereitungsweise eher Tintenfisch 🙂 Da muss man nicht so viele “Fish bones” im Heuhaufen suchen 🙂

The next morning, early, we made on the way towards Santo Espírito. There should be the best bakery on the island and we wanted to have breakfast there too. Although Santo Espírito consists only of a few farmhouses and a church, had we ask only in a bar after the bakery. But the searching was really worth. Wenig später saßen wir mit unseren Leckereien in Maia am Wasser in der Sonne und ließen es uns schmecken 🙂

In the back of the bakery were several looms, where hand-crafted fine blankets and towels are manufactured, just like in old times.

Maia is a beautiful village on the East Coast. Last night was not even noticed us from sheer rain. Bei Sonnenschein sah die Welt sowieso gleich ganz anders aus 🙂

At the end of the village, you can find a waterfall next to the obligatory picnic area. Despite the rain of the last few days, the water was not very economical, from the rock face good 110 Trickled meters in depth. The winter was a little too dry on Santa Maria. Trotzdem ein toller Ort 🙂

The vineyards of the village pull up accurate and clean the mountain slopes is. Create the walls must have been a very hard work for men :-(. But it looks really great.

The Lighthouse is located at the Southeast tip of the island “Ponta de Castelo” and the old and abandoned whaling station of Santa Maria. Gut dass diese Tiere generell nur noch mit der Kamera gejagt werden dürfen 🙂

If you have a cloud-free day in the Azores, should you go directly to the next mountain and enjoy the view. You never know, When the opportunity comes again. 🙂 Der höchste Berg auf Santa Maria ist der Pico Alto mit knapp 600 Meters.

Von der kleinen Aussichtsplattform kann man rundherum die Ganze Insel sehen 🙂

Before we had to return the rental car we bought some fresh things do Porto in Vila, and promptly fired him then at the airport.

Here are the towers for the air traffic control from the “Present and past” in lockstep next to each other. Why also tear down, es ist doch genug Platz da 🙂

Contrast program

28. June 2015Katja Henke

After the really very impressive dives from yesterday we could imagine kinda hard, What could impress us much else under water. An absolute contrast program was planned for today. No big fish and idle on the rope in the blue in 20 Hanging meter depth. In the East of the island is a large underwater rock before the city Maia, gave the but much beauty to be discovered.

Dietmar hat sich mit der Kamera mittlerweile richtig gut angefreundet 🙂 Gestern Abend haben wir noch gemeinsam ein paar Grundeinstellungen geändert und die Ergebnisse vom heutigen Tag zeigen, dass wir wohl auf dem richtigen Weg sind 🙂

Wenn man der Muräne zu sehr auf die Pelle rückt 🙂

Directly during defrosting, we found a fin. She had already domesticated set up a crab, and a Madeira snail. Leider mussten wir sie enttäuschen 🙂 , because the fin with wandered back into the dive boat.

A rather rare guest: Eine große Tigermuräne 🙂 Immer gern gesehen

One of many chestnut groupers, die wir in einer Felsspalte trafen 🙂

Für die vielen kleinen Schnecken müssen wir noch an der Technik pfeilen 🙂 Ganze zwei Zentimeter lang war die kleine Schönheit 🙂

Die größeren Exemplare wie diese Sternschnecken hatte Dietmar aber schon sehr gut im Griff 🙂

Here we had found something special: An abalone, a species of bivalve mollusc, die erstaunlich schnell laufen kann 🙂

Thus, it was clear after the first dive: Quite different, aber genauso toll 🙂 Tiere beobachten ist einfach immer spannend und schön, egal ob große oder kleine 🙂

We spent our surface interval in the next Bay in front of the cave of Leander, our next dive site. Completely sheltered from the wind, with lots of Sun and without waves even the break was a real treat the bizarre rock backdrop.

Dann ging es ab in die Höhle 🙂 Leider gibt es von innen nur eine Handvoll Fotos. Because when photographing in the light is already not easy, wird es im Dunkeln leider richtig kompliziert 🙂

Back on the boat was still a large swarm of triggerfish. Because the quality of my camera very significantly behind that of Dietmar new camera images remain, have I now begun to, Videos aufzunehmen 🙂 Das ist doch auch mal was 🙂

Now it's getting serious – On to Ambrosia

27. June 2015Katja Henke

According to the trafficking in human beings by yesterday we had agreed for today a pick-up service at the buzzer. Hop did the boat as a meeting about ten o'clock just opposite in the box stop and we could with our equipment on board. Viel entspannter 🙂 und weniger anstrengend, because the Sun was very warm from the sky. Besonders wenn man in 7-mm dickem Neopren verpackt ist 🙂

Like yesterday, we were also today again only four divers. In addition to Beate (from yesterday) the game was a young Portuguese. The trip to our first dive lasted a half hour. While we look for whales, Dolphins or turtles were, wurde die junge Dame immer stiller und leider auch etwas grün im Gesicht 🙁 Die Arme. Whether you can dive seasick also? We would see it.

The first dive site “Banco Joan Lopez” is an underwater rock, It is located quite far away from the coast. Using GPS, we searched for the mountain top in open water (on ca. 10 m water depth) , where to throw the anchor. To be safe, went Steffen in the water and personally brought the anchor in the right place. The area is not so big up on the underwater mountain Yes and also it went down sharply.

Here we could see large swarms of Bermuda blue fish and Bernsteinmarkrelen.

Then some old acquaintances was traveling on the underwater mountain.

Large and small rockfish

And especially missgelaunte moray eels :-), they are clearly among Dietmar favorite fish.

After knapp 40 It was then time minutes, to return to the surface of the water. The young Portuguese had somehow brought the first dive behind, but now no longer went with her really. Despite ginger tea gave her the rest of the one hour surface interval on a rocking boat and a second dive was for them not to think. Pity, denn jetzt wurde es doch erst richtig interessant 🙂

We continued on a further and stopped the boat at a small, slightly shabby buoy in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Ich hätte hier wohl eher ein Fischernetz vermutet 🙂 Hier draußen herrschte schon recht viel Strömung und wir erhielten ein ausführliches Briefing, how we would have to do. Not that one would be lost, that would be Yes bad drum.

So it went by boat directly to the front on the leash, She led through the buoy in the depth.

This line we were also off until about on 33 Meter. Steffen had inculcated us, to make getting a hand on a leash. Come down to the whole situation seemed already pretty surreal. So very alone somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, rings around only a deep blue :-). Das war schon ein mulmiges Gefühl 🙂

At about fifteen meters deep hang once additional three canisters on the rope, They provide buoyancy. Dort wohnt der wohl meist fotografierte Fisch des Atlantik 🙂

Because if it depends on something down on the rope and looking and waiting for, was our only pastime to watch the boys. Our patience was also hard put to the test.

Eventually surfaced then least three Barracuda. Sehr nett, aber deshalb waren wir doch nicht so weit gefahren 🙁
And then they came: the Mobulas – Manta Rays. We could include all ten animals.

You completed several laps to our group, weightless and graceful, before they disappeared again in the blue. Wir waren noch ganz überfahren von ihrem plötzlichen Auftauchen und dann waren sie auch schon wieder weg 🙂

After that wait was announced again and time, lustige Selfies und Unterwasser-Blasen-Bilder zu machen 🙂

After 60 minutes we were back on the surface. What were we lucky. It can also happen, that depends on the rope for an hour and nothing happens. Just we had stowed divers and equipment again happily in the boat, passed as a large swarm of Wahoos directly under the boat. We then took the opportunity, um noch einmal eine Runde zu schnorcheln 🙂

And it swam us this young lady on the way. Only a short photo shoot, dann durfte sie unbehelligt ihren Weg vorsetzen 🙂

The flow had aborted us unnoticed by the dive boat. So we had to paddle properly and athletic, to get back to the boat. Twice we stopped on the way back, to snorkel with dolphins passing. Aber die hatten anscheinend noch andere Verabredungen und wirklich keine Zeit für uns Taucher 🙂

At some point in the late afternoon we were do Porto back then in Vila. Happy and satisfied. Can you actually still beat such a day???? It will be quite more than hard…

All fish :-)

26. June 2015Katja Henke

Today was finally ready, We met Steffen Wahoo diving forward on the port. Bepackt mit der gesamten und schweren Tauchausrüstung war der Weg von der SUMMER bis dorthin doch erstaunlich weit 🙁 Da war man ja schon fertig, before it ever started.

With us today also Hanna and Beate were part of the game. With the boat there should be at most beautiful weather first after “Pedrinho” and then to the “Caverna Malbusca” go, not 10 minutes travel time from the port.

Santa Maria it is so regulated, that you must book in advance some dive sites. So the first Divesite for eleven just for us was reserved and we had lot of time , all to prepare and to stow away in the boat. After the short ride, we moored the buoy and threw us into the water. Dieses war erstaunlicherweise gar nicht so kalt wie erwartet 🙂 La Palma im Januar härtet einen wirklich ab 🙂

Come on down we were of the variety and the quantity of fish, that is there bustled, slain something. I did not know, what I should set my camera first. It was of course wonderful, that Dietmar his own was now also a underwater camera. Here were definitely enough models for all of us together on the road.

Here are a few impressions of the underwater life:

Dietmar sets really photographic ambition on the day. For some good pictures though was not the world, but rather on the head. Under water, many possibilities are open. Die entstandenen Bilder sind aber auch wirklich gut gelungen 🙂

After a wonderfully warm break after the first round in the radiant sunshine we plunged us again highly motivated in the depth. At the “Caverna Malbusca” It is a very special cave deep and located in the rock. Tens of thousands of shrimp live here. Unfortunately it was not possible to us both, only a single of them so to scan, that he was to recognize. Actually a good reason, to visit the great place again.

Us returning to the harbor doesn't have much to begin with was overwhelmed by the many impressions. Hungry and tired from the unusual effort we sat together about our pictures. Dietmar camera were a few settings to improve, so tomorrow for Ambrosia everything would be optimally prepared. Let's see, was uns dort alles erwarten wird 🙂

Port cinema at its finest, Part II – In the main role: Henke family :-)

25. June 2015Katja Henke

The morning before we left was actually completely normal and peaceful. Nothing indicated, was für traurige Szenen sich später noch abspielen sollten 🙂 Während ich noch ein Abendessen für die Überfahrt vorbereitete, checked Dietmar in the Harbour Office from. Then we took even a walk down to the Marina area, where were some boats ashore. There he wanted to introduce his new love me: a blue Nautors Swan 55 Yawl. Good, that nothing got with our SUMMER of :-). I'm there patient…..

On the way back we stumbled over a soapbox, its finish line located directly on the Harbour. We let us not escape, because we were not in such a hurry. We wanted to not leave the port before noon, to be quite sure, To reach Santa Maria the next day not in the dark.

Then it was ready and it was “Leinen los”. There already neatly blew wind from the side, We talked through whatever briefly the berthing. The last line, that should be solved, was the stern line. She should prevent, that the wind pushes us on our neighbours. Also, I could solve this line of Board. Soweit der Plan 🙂

When I had the first lines on the bridge, two lines were left and I got the instructions from the captain: “Now the stern line” Ok????? I'm used to from it me long time ago, in solchen Situationen zu diskutieren 🙂 Dann halt die Heckleine zuerst. Immediately saw movement in the boat. Dietmar could keep the SUMMER against the wind in position and had to quickly back out of the box. Quickly, I solved the last (ineffective) Spring and looked after the buzzer. Weg waren die Beiden 🙁 Wollte er mich etwa hier lassen?

So I stood on the bridge and looked stupid out of laundry. After swimming was really no alternative, I found. After all, the SUMMER not quickly disappeared from the port, but Dietmar did his rounds from our former place of refuge. Dann wollte er mich wohl doch nicht hier lassen 🙂 Wenigstens etwas. Jetzt musste ich nur noch wieder zurück aufs Boot kommen 🙂

Maybe front at the reception bar??? Unfortunately fully occupied. And the wind was blowing right on the pier. So we threw away the plan, on one of the boats to go alongside. After an unsuccessful exercise we were going no further risk.

Perhaps with a small fishing boat, that drove up just in the port??? Unfortunately, the Fischer understood no English, and so I could not bring my concern him. War aber ein guter Versuch 🙂

In the meantime, we were also observed. Port cinema at its finest, but this time we as actor. The Norwegians, which are your boat at the reception stage had, kindly offered, Images to make and to make the Internet. As it is always: Who does the damage, braucht für den Spott nicht zu sorgen 🙂

Maybe on the harbour wall opposite??? I makes me go walking on the way to the other side of the Harbour, While Dietmar in the dock turned laps. Once there a leap in good one and a half meters deep appeared uninviting me, because it was only a place on the ferry free.

Front of the Yacht Club I had see arrive a dinghy. Maybe I could convince someone there, for me to play taxi? Arrived at the pier, I tried my luck with English, Unfortunately again in vain. But the second young man, then back came to boat, could understand me. First he wanted to help but not. He must now start the regatta of sail children out there. Apparently he had not quite grasped the situation because when it became clear to him, He would pass on the SUMMER anyway, He immediately relented. I was so by two nice, young men brought directly to the bathing platform – What kind of a service. Aber so viel Service möchte ich in der nächsten Zeit nicht wieder in Anspruch nehmen müssen 🙂

So we continued our way together with a half-hour delay to Santa Maria. Dietmar was visibly pleased, to have me back on board. Das wollte ich ihm auch geraten haben 🙂

The crossing with pleasant wind and a shaft from the rear went quickly and smoothly. In the morning at 9: 00, we reached the Marina at Vila do Porto Santa Maria. An hour later the SUMMER was already neatly desalted cleaned and a hearty breakfast was on the table.

Then we phoned with Steffen of the dive. Morgen würde es losgehen und die Bedingungen sahen wohl sehr vielversprechend aus 🙂 Da freuten wir uns schon.

More joy came on but, When we stumbled in the afternoon at the Jetty of a black and white Tomcat. As it turned out, He belonged to our French neighbors and heard (more or less) the name “Sikaflex”. A little later was told how he got the name. Sikaflex is a sealant, it sticks like the plague and is made in the colors black/white. His name was really program, as we found out in the next few days :-)In the afternoon he had paid us a short visit and as evening with us, the fish in the Pan bruzzelte, did he come “random” again over. Very charming and well-mannered he advantage until our hearts and then a considerable portion of fish is. Since he had chosen just the right. So we were happy all night long about that “Temporary cat” because he had already made himself easily's the whole night with us on board. Katzentiere sind gerade für uns schon etwas ganz Besonderes 🙂

Our last day in Angra

23. June 2015Katja Henke

The 23. June is the day of days in the San Joaninas Festival. The most beautiful and longest procession takes place in the evening and morning two there are sardines “for free” in the “Rua de São João” for all , that have endured until then.

In the morning we had before but something else. Because we've got so far still no whale to face, We wanted to help a bit to and drive around 8: 30 for the whale-watching. Während der Festwoche wurden für die Touren sogar spezielle Rabatte gegeben 🙂

A small fishing boat, it went out off the coast. Unfortunately, the Lake was out quite wavy and you could really see anything. However, we had some luck and saw two rare Risso dolphins. Our guide had us this way as “Michael Jackson Dolphin” explains: He is black in the world and is always white in the course of his life and he doesn't have a nose also. I will probably never forget that :-). Unfortunately, these dolphins are very shy and was not to have a photo. Darauf hätten wir vielleicht noch eine weitere Ähnlichkeit mit Michael Jackson gefunden 🙂

Whales are not swimming but again us on the way. We are but keep your eyes open. At some point it will already work.

For Wednesday, a good weather window for our journey arose after Santa Maria. Da Santa Maria is one of the smaller islands, We filled our fridge in Angra again. Dietmar saw an old man with vans on the port, the seemingly fish sold, He wanted to get us to even which. So he went and asked, If you could buy fish? “No” was the answer. He would sell no fish because money means nothing to him. He had 26 Worked years in Canada, is now retired and wants only health. And she could give him probably bad Dietmar. Then he put four beautiful fish in a plastic bag and gave it with a recommendation to Dietmar, as most would be to prepare. There was even the boss speechless :-). A things happen here on the Azores, die man sich nicht vorstellen kann 🙂 und das nur im positiven Sinne. So Dietmar thanked warmly, wish him health and trotted home with the fish.

Our refrigerator has been so jam-packed, that the first two fish directly in the Pan had to migrate.

After the delicious, fresh dinner we wandered one last time through the city. In this way we wanted even Ann of the SY RESTING GOOSE “Goodbye” say, the moment not on the boat, but on land he was. Unfortunately, we were too late and no one was more at home. It was time for us, a place on the parade route to seek. Today, the city was still full as the evenings before.

The groups, you are in the official San Joaninas moving with it, magnificent and elaborate costumes and are surprisingly large. During the whole parade was sung and danced. You could clearly see some, How exhausting the number is actually. Good, that the road is not quite as long, sonst hätte man am Ende bestimmt ein Sauerstoffzelt aufstellen müssen 🙂

Between the different groups are usually longer distances, get the music group doesn't get in the way. The later the evening was, the more Feierlustige was followed by music and dancing left out on the street.

We decided to, couldn't hold out until morning to two and to forego the free sardines. We bought us yet a delicious dessert at a bar: Curros with sugar and cinnamon. Danach stand uns Beiden jetzt mehr der Sinn 🙂

Und wieder war die Zeit auf einer Insel fast vorüber 🙁 Es hätte noch so viel zu entdecken gegeben, but called Santa Maria with the great dive sites, and the weather was perfect. So we listened to the last evening concert and let the others wild until the morning celebrate. Wir würden dann die nächste Nacht zum Tage machen 🙂 Allein auf der SUMMER mitten auf dem Atlantik.

Further, we celebrate :-)

22. June 2015Katja Henke

After the strenuous race on Saturday we had the Sunday something go. Even if we celebrated yesterday itself won't be so long, had music made up morning to half-past four strong the others at the port and that had gone without a trace over to us. Ohrenstopfen hin oder her 🙂

So it moved us only in the evening again in the city to the “Desfile do Desporto”. Hid behind the relocation of sports clubs. Now not so spectacular sounds, was it but.

Live total on the island of Terceira 55.000 People and it is really amazing and impressive, How many clubs participated in this parade, and with how much effort and attention to detail the clubs have presents itself. More than one and a half hours took the move and there were almost all kinds of sports, that you can imagine. Focused on this evening most definitely rather young athletes, die sich hier stolz präsentieren hatten 🙂

The next day, the sense was me then after contrast and I wanted to take a trip on the Mont Brazil, während Dietmar am Hafen anderen Booten schöne Augen machte 🙂 Eine Schönheit hatte es ihm ganz besonders angetan 🙂 Ceserina

The Mont Brazil is the local recreation area of Angra and very well developed. One finds also a picnic area with large children's playground and some birds in aviaries in addition to the usual here hiking trails. Even outhouses can be found at several, zum Teil überraschenden Stellen 🙂

Once at the top a great views over Angra on one side and the small Caldeira overlooking the sea on the other side, I had.

And also the many different flowers were my photographer heart beat.

For the evening we wanted to continue but the Festival program. It would be so bad, If you missed something. Tonight there were two different program points: “Desfile de Carnaval” and “Animação pelos Grupos Folclóricos municipality de Angra do Heroísmo”.

So we went first to the parade of carnival groups. After the Carnival in the Canary Islands we hoped us here color magnificent costumes, Samba groups and lots of music. We got music, but unfortunately no dancing ladies, but actress gentlemen. Funny and fanciful costumes were listed on the flyway skits and jokes. That was very funny, zumindest wenn man Portugiesisch verstehen würde 🙂 Die anderen amüsierten sich also köstlich und wir schauten eher in die Röhre.

Good, dass es noch ein Alternativprogramm gab 🙂 So sahen wir noch mehrere Folkoregruppen mit Gesang und Tanz, bis der ungewohnte Musikstil dem Kapitän zu viel wurde 🙂

Down at the port, we drank another beer and a Calpi ordinary pop music, bevor wir unsere privaten VIP-Plätze für das Mitternachtskonzert in unseren Betten auf der SUMMER aufsuchten 🙂 “They are always in the front row with us :-)”

Angra Bay Cup – Is our SUMMER a race of goat?

20. June 2015Katja Henke

In the context of the whole festivities, various sporting events held in Angra, including a regatta: the Angra Bay Cup.

On Thursday night, some members are of the “Angra Iate Club” come with us on the bridge over and had invited all the boats, to take part in the regatta.

The Ragatta would start on Saturday at 1: 00, and around two small islands around before along the coast. About thirteen nautical miles would be to go. On Friday evening a briefing for all participants in the Yacht Club would instead find and then there should be little snacks and beer. And after the race, a traditional dinner with awards ceremony takes place in the harbour restaurant. Die Teilnahme an allem wäre natürlich kostenlos 🙂

Das hörte sich schon fast ein bisschen zu gut an 🙂 Aber das Ganze hatte auch einen großen Haken. Almost no wind was announced for Saturday and our thick SUMMER needs a few nodes, um in Schwung zu kommen 🙂 Und wir beide haben ja auch schon so unheimlich viel Regatta-Erfahrung sammeln können. After all, we have ever watched a finishing of such an event from the beach. Would that be??

Next to us was the American Yacht CADENCE at the jetty. So we consulted with Bill, What to do. The racer was awakened quite soon in Dietmar. And so a short time later it was clear: Wir fahren mit 🙂 Ich sah das eher olympisch, denn dabei sein ist bekanntlich alles 🙂 Außerdem gab es etwas Leckeres zu essen 🙂

So we went on a Friday night with Bill to the briefing. Sure all our questions would be answered here. Just in time we arrived at the Yacht Club at seven and were once again the first :-). After the other participants arrived. Everybody knew everybody and it was laughed a lot. The remaining field of participants seemed to be a sworn community.

Once the formalities were settled. Anyone got a sign-up sheet with many empty fields. To enter, we needed but only the name of the boat, the boat class and the number of people, the morning for dinner would appear. That's when you knew direct, was eigentlich wichtig war 🙂 Dann begann das Briefing……in Portugiesisch 🙁 genau wie die Regatta-Satzung und das weitere Regelwerk auch, We got handed out.

We were just relieved, als im Anschluss noch eine kurze Unterweisung in englischer Sprache folgte 🙂 Anscheinend hatte man die vielen Fragezeichen über unseren Köpfen sehr deutlich sehen können, denn nach dem offiziellen Teil kam direkt ein jüngerer Portugiese auf uns zu und beantwortete sehr freundlich alle offengebliebenen Fragen 🙂 So verließen wir die Veranstaltung halbwegs beruhigt. I hope you had ordered wind for tomorrow yet tidy, otherwise we would have to probably vigorously rowing, um irgendwann die Ziellinie zu passieren 🙂

On Saturday morning, it knocks on our boat wall: Outside stood Birgit by the Dutch SY synergy. We had met Birgit and Dan in Velas, but here not seen in Angra. She had a really good idea: “Whether we would like, to sail the regatta with the two as crew on the buzzer? Das wäre doch viel lustiger 🙂 🙂 :-)” There she was clearly right and therefore it was agreed.

Our crew was highly motivated in our on board against 12: 30. Until now we have never sailed the SUMMER with other sailors together, but everything went smoothly from the outset – einfach super Teamarbeit 🙂

Outside the port romped already the boats. We continued, Once there, also sports the sailing and dümpelten back and forth at three knots wind in slow motion. Das konnte ja heiter werden 🙂

Also the regatta line found, that the conditions were very difficult and shortened the routes and moved the starting line. The start should now half an hour later, to 1: 30. Fortunately, we got this information in English on the radio. Unfortunately we could not understand but, where they had moved the starting line. To ensure the general confusion, they drove for a walk the red marker buoy with the inflatable boat.

So mussten wir wohl oder übel eine andere Strategie entwickeln 🙂 Also suchten wir uns ein sportliches, Portuguese boat and put us on his heels. As it turned out then, We had chosen well and were in the starting signal with one of the first, took the course on the first island.

Came then with the go-ahead “How to order” the wind and we made good speed. So we cruised up diligently towards the Islands. In the meantime us long ride sailors was somewhat queasy, because the tough sailor flew over time with less than three meters distance across our bow.

We enjoyed the sporty sailing, a quite a change to the, was wir sonst für gewöhnlich so machen 🙂

Even if subsequent images give a different impression, wir waren wirklich sportlich unterwegs 🙂 Es wurde gekurbelt und getrimmt, und irgendwann war dann einfach alles perfekt getrimmt 🙂 Dann war auch einmal eine kleine Pause angesagt.

On the last route was then once again used the parasailing and brought us despite decreasing wind quickly towards the target.

Auch die Presse war mit von der Partie gewesen und so konnten wir uns über einige Bilder unserer SUMMER unter Segeln freuen 🙂

Perhaps we were also in the television? We will probably never know. If we were also not the fastest, so haben wir doch die schönste Hummel des ganzen Feldes links und rechts auf dem Bug 🙂

The great day sounded out atmospheric Harbour restaurant for good food in fun round.

Each skipper got even still presented a bottle of port wine.

And small souvenirs were ready for all participants.

A really interesting experience, auch wenn unsere SUMMER sicher keine Rennziege ist und auch nicht werden wird 🙂 In unserer Klasse sind wir immerhin auf Platz 9 by 16 Participants ended up.

SY CESARINA

A log of our travels