Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 434
Loc: Azores
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Nothing specific but after being away from the boat for a month, being back onboard and drinking lots of beer tonight I'm hugely excited about a planned trip to the Azores in a week or so. Any tips? NE winds seem to be well set here so I suspect it will be hard on the wind for a while then maybe none towards the end(In Gomera at the mo). Anyone else heading that way / there already? Not to miss places?
Cheers
ps. After discussion with first mate Cerveza it has been decided that this passage will be done sin gps, sextant it is! 'Til I chicken out anyway.
Edited by Conachair (04/06/2008 00:16)
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snowleopard
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 10287
Loc: Cornwall
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I'm flying out to Horta on Friday but we expect to be leaving almost straight away.
Things to see:
At Horta Peter's Cafe Sport is essential. Go up to the caldera at the top of the island and to the old lighthouse at the far end where you can see the new volcano at Capelinhos. A tour of any of the islands at this time of year when the hydrangeas are in flower.
Tours of Sao Jorge and Pico, by taxi or hire car, are worthwhile.
And of course don't forget to do a wall painting at Horta or you'll have bad luck for the rest of your trip 
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One hull good, two hulls better.
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TigaWave
regular
Reged: 17/12/2004
Posts: 1734
Loc: Buckland Monachorum
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Last trip we spent a week on each island and that wasn't enough.
In addition to Snowleopards advice...hire a moped.
Graciosa, anchor off the harbour, watch out for the cables, the locals will tell you if you are too close! Great bar restaurant just up the road past the harbour/slip, and have a walk through the side of the crater and down to the cave.
Terciera Angro, lovely town and harbour, you might see some whale boat racing, lovely coastal walks.
Sao miguel the double lakes/craters. Don't miss having a dip in the hot spring open air pool at Furnas
Have a good trip.
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www.H4Marine.com
www.sailonline.org www.sailport.se
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phlim
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 627
Loc: Brittany
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We're planning to leave Tenerife circa 10th for Horta. Hope to fit in San Miguel on the way to Galicia; have done Sta Maria and Terceira - both worth a visit.
Make sure you get your T shirt from Peter's Cafe Sport. Oh and try to see the lighthouse on Faial which is half buried in lava and 1/2 ml inland now!
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Rgds
Phil
Dream as if you'll live forever..
Live as if you'll die today..
James Dean
Edited by phlim (04/06/2008 19:25)
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starfire
regular
Reged: 07/05/2005
Posts: 85
Loc: utus
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Just the of chance might see you there ! going the other way from the windwards to uk.
Will buy you that beer if I do......
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Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 434
Loc: Azores
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Quote:
We're planning to leave Tenerife circa 10th for Horta.
Might be leaving roughly same time, hopefully a bit sooner if I get through worst of jobs list quickly so might see you there. Would you think it's best to go straight to Horta if there's some wind? I'll be heading back to Canaries afterwards.
Quote:
Make sure you get your T shirt from Peter's Cafe Sport.
Not half!! That bar's been in my dreams for years now. 
thanks all for info
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phlim
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 627
Loc: Brittany
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Where first? Well it's often the case that you'll do a day maybe two motoring depending on your routing and centre of high and your level of patience (don't forget the Azores current). I'm heading straight for Horta as I did in 2004 then back to Galicia via probably San Miguel where I haven't been. Angro in Terceira is well worth a visit. People rave about Flores but that's a way out and anchorages not good AFAIK. Where are you leaving from? I think I'll be away from St Cruz on Tue and then maybe one night at Los Cristianos.
Sta Maria is nearest, but you have to like the quiet life!
Bon voyage
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Rgds
Phil
Dream as if you'll live forever..
Live as if you'll die today..
James Dean
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Conachair
regular
Reged: 24/01/2004
Posts: 434
Loc: Azores
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Quote:
Where are you leaving from?
In Gomera today but think I might go over to Tazacorte in La Palma soon for a few days and watch the weather, ugrib doesn't look great at the start of next week with light northerlys down here but who can tell that far away. Landfall will I suspect be dictated by influences other than my own preferences 
Have a good trip.
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webcraft
regular
Reged: 08/07/2001
Posts: 4204
Loc: al shop for local people
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We went from Lanzarote (Graciosa) to Santa Maria via Madeira. With NE winds you have a close/beam reach all the way and the longest leg is only 460nm. Of course, it's a fair old haul against the prevailing wind to Lanzarote from La Gomera, but we had loads of time. Going straight to Horta from the Western Canaries you can expect a lot of headwinds but friends of ours did it in May last year.
The Azores are fabulous, and if you are coming back to the Canaries you can stay a lot longer than if you are heading for Europe.
If you are thinking of going to Santa Maria try to find out first if the new marina is open, as the anchorage / harbour is rubbish in bad weather.
Have a great time, don't miss the big festival in Angra on Terceira.
- W
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Comprehensive UK sail cruising website
BlueMoment - blown away into the blue . . .
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ZigmundoVanDog
regular
Reged: 02/02/2007
Posts: 442
Loc: South of France. Atlantic tom...
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Don't miss the torro el cordo, if you can stay awake it's great fun. The bulls know exactly what is expected.
Car hire is hideously expensive so get some friends together and hire a taxi.
I'm afraid that Peter's cafe Sport is a bit of an anti climax but hey, each to his/her own.
Don't expect good prices at MAYS but interesting window shopping.
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" All come and all goes, but our life is to go making paths over the ocean." Machado
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