São Jorge

After 10 days in Angra do Heroismo I was ready to test my sailing confidence so decided on a gentle run over to Velas on São Jorge Island. It was 55nm and should take a full day. I set off early after paying for my time in the Angra marina, 110 Euros for 10 days including extras (showers). The wind was from the NW and light so as soon as I passed the peninsula that forms a natural breakwater around Angra I had the sails up and the engine off. I made reasonable progress but about hallway between Terceira and Sao Jorge I was hit by the acceleration zone, F7 for a couple of hours was a good wake up call. Under a small head sail I crossed the gap but ended up further north than I had hoped and was in Martha’s Anguish, an area where the south going current is forced up by the underwater sea mounts off the SW tip of Sao Jorge. I quickly headed south until things calmed down. 

It had rained pretty much non-stop since leaving Angra but on the way up the channel between Pico and Sao Jorge the rain stopped, the sun came out and the wind died. I motored for 20 miles up the coast past Manadas (see photo below) Riberia Seca, Calheta and the airport until I reach Velas.

 

The villages are built on rock outflows from past volcanic activity and all have beautiful churches and appear to cling on to the island. A couple have small ports.

 

In Velas harbour I tried to anchor but wasn’t happy with the set so I moved into the marina. It had been a long day, 16 hours, but it felt great to be in this beautiful little marina. At night there was a very strange noise, initially I thought it was children messing around in the marina with cazoos but I later found out that the noise was nesting Cory Shearwaters. 

 

The next day a lovely couple who have been cruising the world for 13 years came over to say hi. It was obvious from the first chat that we shared similar views about a lot of things and we got on very well. The next day they hired a car and the three of us toured the island. We went to several Fajas (villages built on rock out flows by the coast) and to the main towns of Topo and Calheta where we had a very nice lunch by the harbour. We visited a cheese factory, they only make one type of cheese and sell it by age. The three year old cheese was wonderful and we bought some.

 

Back in Velas we went for dinner to a local restaurant and had a fabulous meal, we querried the bill, wine was 1Euro for a large glass! The bill was correct but seemed far too small.

 

I visited the church in Velas and another in Riberia Seca. They are of a similar style with amazing interiors.

 

 

The museum in Velas was interesting and I was the only person there. As cheese plays a significant role in island life, much of the infrastructure and facilities are set up around its production. The island is extensively farmed and apart from some small fruit and veg production is given over to dairy. There are about 6 cheese co-operatives on the island and each area has an unmanned miniature cheese museum. These have large windows through which the local cheese production history is visible.

 

 

Sao Jorge was an excellent alternative to Terceira, much quieter with beautiful rolling countryside and a sense of purpose around cheese production. It would be worth visiting Sao Jorge with walking boots and a bit more time to explore the coastal paths.