Açores_Azores : Sao Jorge

Nous continuons notre route vers l'Est vers l'ile de Sao Jorge que nous ne connaissons pas. Là aussi la place manque dans ce petit port de Vila das Velas et il faut veiller et régulièrement appeler la marina pour connaitre la disponibilité de place. Mais quelle satisfaction de visiter cette ile magnifique au relief escarpé et de profiter de cette petite ville mignonette aux rues pavées de fresques de basalte et de marbre crème: Les Açores dans toute la beauté sauvage de ses paysages et au rythme des traditions conservées. Mais il faut se dépêcher d'apprécier ce petit paradis car les choses évoluent très vite. 

We continue our eastwards journey to the island of Sao Jorge, a new destination for us. Here as well we witness the overcrowding of the Azorean marinas. The tiny port of Vila das Velas sees movements in and out, but one has to regularly call the marina to know if there is any place vacated for the day. Our timing of arrival at Velas is pretty good - having had absolutely no trouble weighing our anchor at Horta (what a relief!) we sail into Velas marina at noon on 4/6 just as a couple of yachts leave for the other islands. The small village of Velas, quiet and impeccably maintained with its basaltic black and marble white paved streets (an artistic tradition common to Portugal's towns and cities), is set in backdrops that beautifully blend colourful parks and coastal walkways. The island of Sao Jorge is magnificent with its steep cliffs especially on the northern coast, with green hills, lush forests and natural coastal pools well worth a day's visit. We spend slightly more than a week here, finally (after 6 months since Richard's Bay!) able to hose down Galatee, our spinnaker and our dinghy, and not forgetting to leave our 'mark' on the jetty wall of the marina, a tradition of passing yachts, highlighting our Atlantic tour of 2010-2011 and our Round-the-world tour of 2015-2018.