Faial, Azores
On the island of Faial you will find a small town called Horta, which has a very cosmopolitan atmosphere. Why? Old paintings and even some photos show the harbor crowed by Yankee whaling ships. It was here that the whale ships from New Bedford, Nantucket had their first or last stop for provisions on the sail to or from the whaling grounds. This was in the later part of 1800’s and the last photos of any Yankee whaling ships here were taken in the 1920’s.
Later, as telecommunication expanded the island, Horta became a center for the Atlantic cables between Europe and America. Almost every larger country in Europe had to have their own cable and Horta became a center for the huge operations to pull these cables over the Atlantic Ocean.
For a short time, before and during the Second World War, the trans-Atlantic flights operated by Pan American used the port at Horta as a stop over.
In those days a stop over could mean anything from a day to a week. To get these large airplanes into the air again you need calm seas. In those days, traveling took time and truly was in the hand of the weather!
Today Horta is still a cosmopolitan center. As you walk through the harbor you find a unique art collection. Sailboats from all over the World, on transition, usually between the Caribbean and Europe or vice versa, use the port for a stop over.
To sail with a sail boat from the Caribbean can be anything between 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the weather. Usually the best time during the year to do this is through April and May. With luck you get following wind and seas, but of course you never know—conditions in the Atlantic Ocean even on these latitudes can change rapidly!
The place to meet since the mid 1950 is of course at Peter’s Cafe Sport. Before the times with satellites, e-mail, or mobile phones all yachts men and women met at the cafe over a gin & tonic to discuss the recently ended transition over the ocean and plan for the future, listen to weather forecast, or tell some good stories from the time at sea. Few places can create so many good and always “true” stories! This was also the place to leave messages to friends and pals on other ships.
Even today this cafe in the yachting world has the reputation, and a visit to Horta without a drink at bar would be almost impossible.
Above the bar they also house a unique scrimshaw museum made by whalers, sailors, and also the local sperm whale catchers.
This morning we had opportunity to visit the area of the last volcanic eruption in the Azores. In the year 1957, a large eruption started at the northwestern tip of the island and the lighthouse is now imbedded in lava and ash. The large eruption had a major impact on the people living on the islands and many were forced to emigrate. The US was very generous to open the border and many of them were able to make a new good life.
We also went up to the caldera, as every island of the nine in Azores of volcanic origin, Faial has a deep caldera.
We concluded the morning back in Horta and we enjoyed lunch at one of the local restaurants. In the afternoon we had free time to explore Horta, including the whaling museum.
On the island of Faial you will find a small town called Horta, which has a very cosmopolitan atmosphere. Why? Old paintings and even some photos show the harbor crowed by Yankee whaling ships. It was here that the whale ships from New Bedford, Nantucket had their first or last stop for provisions on the sail to or from the whaling grounds. This was in the later part of 1800’s and the last photos of any Yankee whaling ships here were taken in the 1920’s.
Later, as telecommunication expanded the island, Horta became a center for the Atlantic cables between Europe and America. Almost every larger country in Europe had to have their own cable and Horta became a center for the huge operations to pull these cables over the Atlantic Ocean.
For a short time, before and during the Second World War, the trans-Atlantic flights operated by Pan American used the port at Horta as a stop over.
In those days a stop over could mean anything from a day to a week. To get these large airplanes into the air again you need calm seas. In those days, traveling took time and truly was in the hand of the weather!
Today Horta is still a cosmopolitan center. As you walk through the harbor you find a unique art collection. Sailboats from all over the World, on transition, usually between the Caribbean and Europe or vice versa, use the port for a stop over.
To sail with a sail boat from the Caribbean can be anything between 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the weather. Usually the best time during the year to do this is through April and May. With luck you get following wind and seas, but of course you never know—conditions in the Atlantic Ocean even on these latitudes can change rapidly!
The place to meet since the mid 1950 is of course at Peter’s Cafe Sport. Before the times with satellites, e-mail, or mobile phones all yachts men and women met at the cafe over a gin & tonic to discuss the recently ended transition over the ocean and plan for the future, listen to weather forecast, or tell some good stories from the time at sea. Few places can create so many good and always “true” stories! This was also the place to leave messages to friends and pals on other ships.
Even today this cafe in the yachting world has the reputation, and a visit to Horta without a drink at bar would be almost impossible.
Above the bar they also house a unique scrimshaw museum made by whalers, sailors, and also the local sperm whale catchers.
This morning we had opportunity to visit the area of the last volcanic eruption in the Azores. In the year 1957, a large eruption started at the northwestern tip of the island and the lighthouse is now imbedded in lava and ash. The large eruption had a major impact on the people living on the islands and many were forced to emigrate. The US was very generous to open the border and many of them were able to make a new good life.
We also went up to the caldera, as every island of the nine in Azores of volcanic origin, Faial has a deep caldera.
We concluded the morning back in Horta and we enjoyed lunch at one of the local restaurants. In the afternoon we had free time to explore Horta, including the whaling museum.
