Last night had to someone honestly all hard and ironed all waves of the Atlantic Ocean. He lay before us like a duck pond. Ursache war der komplett fehlende Wind 🙁 So lief bei uns schon seit gestern Abend der Motor, denn an segeln war mit vier Knoten Wind aus umlaufenden Richtungen wirklich nicht zu denken 🙁 Aber heute Abend soll er wiederkommen 🙂 Das hat der Wetterbericht zumindest so versprochen.
So we took advantage of the pleasant day on board without angle and with little rocking, to make it clear to ship and I cooked in for the rest of the trip. In quiet conditions, there were sausages with potato salad for lunch. A dish with many people, the I me traveling so far not dared.
Already around noon, we could set sail again and now just before midnight we Jet with more than seven knots our goal contrary to. Let's see, whether we still manage, the last two low-wind days to compensate and to arrive Friday evening in Porto ?!
All posts by Katja Henke
Oops-Hopp
Since Wednesday noon, the captain is back on board and now we have the disease introduced from Germany (Cold) well in hand.
So we decided this afternoon at four o'clock, tomorrow to take the plunge on the Portuguese mainland, Since the weather during the next week should be much less favourable.
Bustle of events followed the decision, but now all is well prepared for the 800 Nautical miles distance. We will keep you up to date and submit the reports of the last week in the Azores, Once yogesh Porto have reached.
Hot springs with sea monsters :-)
On the first, We wanted to drive for Furnas some murky day of my mother with us on board. Here there are fumaroles as well as various hot springs. Particularly worth seeing that should but old Terra Nostra hotel with its large park, and the giant, be warm thermal bathing lake. The visit had been laid warmly us by various sailors at the heart. Also it has to get us, nur dunkle Badekleidung mitzunehmen und sich von der Farbe des Thermalwassers bloß nicht abschrecken zu lassen 🙂 Das konnte ja heiter werden 🙂
The main attraction of Sao Miguel is signposted at all conceivable corners of the island. We took along the way on the North Coast. After several photo stops at the many, ausgeschilderten “Miradoren” We reached the midday ” Lagoa the Furnas”. Auf dem Parkplatz wurden wir direkt gebührend empfangen 🙂
Unfortunately we had even no treats for the young lady. We wanted to change that in the future but. Aber im Moment standen wir einfach nur mit leeren Händen da 🙁
We headed up once to the fumaroles. For this, it needed no sign, you had to follow only the columns of steam and the smell of the sources.
So, we have also witnessed a “According to guide of special spectacle”. There were pots with “Cozido” buried in the hot Earth, to heat these underground. Cozido is a stew of various meats- and sausages with vegetables, You can make it without volcanic activity and which is generally very popular in Porugal. Hoffentlich bekommt es hier keine zu kräftige Schwefelnote 🙂
After an extensive tour, we had the urgent need for fresh air. Am Seeufer hatte der Gestank ein Ende 🙂 Hier stand auch ein Imbisswagen, the something special in the its range had. Cat dry food ! 🙂 So konnten wir bei unserer Rückkehr zum Auto die Fellnasen doch noch glücklich machen.
Satisfied, we continued in the city centre of Furnas. Parking spaces were scarce unfortunately, but we finally found one in front of the local soccer stadium. So we walked a short distance through the city to the Terra Nostra Park Hotels. The entrance was quite expensive for Azorean ratios with six euro per person, but it was well worth it. The park with Lakes, Is beautifully landscaped creeks and caves. Everywhere it flourished in a wide variety of shapes and colors.
Only the thermal lake, with an opaque “Brown broth” was filled, had we leave still left. It is a special pleasure???? We were still not convinced and once needed a small strengthening. The bar of the Terra Notras was wonderfully suited hotels. Nach leckeren Sandwiches und einem Gläschen Wein waren wir bereit für die Herausforderung 🙂
Und es war toll 🙂 Mindestens “Bath tubs” warm 🙂 und total entspannend. Who can claim, Once in a 30 x 50 Meters large bathtube in about one and a half metres water depth and swim to be ? 🙂
You should watch only on the sea monster. Die können einen ganz schön in die Füße beißen 🙂
After the bath, we found, that not only dark swimsuit, but also dark towels by advantage would have been. But why is there finally washing machines?
On our last vantage point we got rid even the remaining cat food, which we had purchased this afternoon. Apparently the wild cats around the vantage points around have settled and with good reason: Denn an jedem Aussichtpunkt ist auch gleich ein Picknick-Platz 🙂 Und wenn nicht zufällig irgendwelche Touristen Katzenfutter dabei haben, something from here sure often times for the hungry Pack. So the gang was at home but not so mopsig like our German cats, but fortunately still far away from a malnutrition.
Family holiday
Dietmar was already on Tuesday morning in wanderlust. On Wednesday morning, he would (At last) fly to Germany and to take part in the 25 H race of VW fun Cup at Spa. I wanted to take advantage of his absence, um einmal wieder richtig Urlaub zu machen 🙂 Und damit ich nicht so einsam sein würde, had I invited especially love family visiting from Germany: meine Mutter 🙂
Anyway, far too many people lived on Sao Miguel and especially Ponta Delgada to Dietmar taste. According to the other islands, it was also a little culture shock for us. Here live together as many people as the other eight Islands on Sao Miguel. Ich war aber am Dienstag trotzdem auf Inselerkundung eingestellt und wollte mit dem vorbestellten Mietwagen lieber früher als später aufbrechen 🙂
Nevertheless, was already clearly but then after lunch, When we were finally on the way. Our excursion was at first under a lucky star. The weather was pretty much to be desired and when I me right on the edge of the city of Ponta Delgada also still firmly proceeded, war der Ausflug eigentlich gelaufen 🙁 So beschlossen wir für uns, an diesem Nachmittag besser getrennte Weg zu gehen 🙂 Ich ließ meinen Mann mit seiner “Ring mood” am Hafen zurück und machte mich alleine auf die Socken 🙂
Sao Miguel is the island of hot springs and it steams and stinks in many different places.
My first exploration led to the next hot spring and the associated fumaroles. Good, that's no “Smell photography” are, denn die Schwefelgase können schon recht unangenehm stinken 🙂
Unfortunately you could in the place visited by me, use the water of the sources just in a not particularly inviting bath house in old bathtubs. So also no one gave this “Pleasure” Hin. Such an uncomfortable day a warm bath would have been something great, especially for sailors without bath on board.
But in Furnas, which should be possible in the next few days. Other sailors had raved about this place and very recommended visit. It is then for the next few days on the to-to list.
So I brought even a little criss -cross through the western part of the island, aber das Wetter trieb mich dann doch zurück zum Hafen 🙂 Ab morgen soll aber wieder die Sonne scheinen. Best conditions, with my mother make the island uncertain.
Wednesday after breakfast we made our way to the airport. He was just around the corner and the Marina in the flight path. Good, that here mass tourism still not arrived. Die Lärmbelästigung hielt sich somit in einem akzeptablen Rahmen 🙂
Dietmar would disappear with same machine direction Germany, with my mother angekommt. Everything was perfectly organised. So we drank a farewell coffee at the airport, caught my mom in the “Arrival” AB, put the Dietmar “Departures” off and were an hour later back on the buzzer.
After the luggage and the souvenirs from Germany safe on the boat were stowed, We had to get into the holiday mood, a lunch in the restaurant at the port taste us. After such a long time, there is of course much to tell – especially, wenn Frauen unter sich sind 🙂
My mother was just as eager and curious to the island as I. Deshalb vertrödelten wir keine Zeit 🙂 Dietmar kaum weg als wir auch schon mit dem Mietwagen unterwegs waren.
Our first destination was the fog Lake, It is located pretty much in the middle of the island. In my travel guide, he was described as especially beautiful, If there above the clouds spoil one not the view. Und heute sah es sehr vielversprechend aus 🙂
The Lake was actually scary beautiful. Down on the shore, one could also observe even a few a few people while bathing. Leider fehlte uns sowohl für die Wandertour als auch für ein Bad die nötige Ausrüstung 🙁 Aber aufgeschoben ist ja nicht aufgehoben.
Außerdem schoben sich doch hier oben schon wieder ein paar lästige Wolken vor die bestellte Sonne 🙁 Daher flüchteten wir lieber hinunter an die Küste und ließen am Strand noch ein bisschen die Füße im Wasser baumeln.
Back in Ponta Delgada's continued in the old town. Here we had to find out more, What of with the “Holy Spirit”-Festival has to, the of the 9. up to 12. July will be celebrated in the city.
Preparations were in any case already in full swing. The city centre was beautifully adorned with flags and pennants.
A large Crown was built on the square in front of the gate of the city. After dinner we made unsafe the Internet on the SUMMER to find out, What to see will be here in the next few days. The website was quickly found, aber sie war leider nur in portugiesischer Sprache verfügbar 🙁 Das Problem war für uns ja nicht neu. Tomorrow we will try, with the help of “Leo” some clarity in the matter to bring. It would also be nice, auch etwas über die Hintergründe der Festivität zu erfahren 🙂 Aber Eile mit Weile. Tomorrow is another day.
Twice fully in addition :-)
In the Azores, there is, as already on the island of Porto Santo, the tradition, that there angekommende glider with a small or larger artwork on the harbour wall perpetuate. This open air Gallery in Horta on Faial island is particularly gorgeous.
Unfortunately we had not because of our hasty departure, to leave there a painted business card. Santa Maria we wanted to get here to this. Actually, it was also the place, denn hier sind wir ja zuerst gelandet 🙂
So I've been busy on weekends before and after the dives. Actually, it's not so difficult, eine Hummel an die Wand zu bringen 🙂 Auf Porto Santo war sie mir wirklich gut gelungen 🙂 und hat auch tapfer die letzten Monate überdauert.
But last weekend I've surpassed me unfortunately myself. Our “Sumsi” sah aus wie eine schwangere Auster 🙁 Wer aber schon einmal mit Ölfarbe auf Hafenmauern gemalt hat der weiß, that a subsequent correct is actually impossible. So haben wir unser Wappentier in Santa Maria mit ganz viel Winterspeck verewigt 🙂 Das war wohl leider voll daneben 🙂
Dietmar comment hit me also: “Yes, she looks like a pregnant horses” 🙂 Naja, because I must think through and may not rely also on my artistic freedom me :-). Nobody is perfect…….und etwas mit einer Schablone an die Wand zu sprühen kann ja jeder 🙂
We returned back painted misery finally on Monday morning and left early to Sao Miguel. Peacefully under sail it headed Northwest, and then lunch unfortunately North, because the wind for us had turned pretty unfavorable. We decided in the late afternoon, the last few miles under motor to drive and not gegenan to cross, um nicht im Dunkeln anzukommen 🙂
All of a sudden I heard, how the brake of our troll started to schnarren. This noise was also totally invigorating Dietmar, who wanted to keep taking a NAP in the Salon. Behind the boat, I had see before circling a Yellow-billed Shearwater. Not that we had a bird on the fishing?!?
Unfortunately, that was the case. Anscheinend hatte unser rosa Tintenfischköder einfach zu verlockend ausgesehen 🙁 Schnell nahm ich Fahrt aus dem Boot und drehte es in den Wind. Dietmar cranked out our drivers on board carefully. At least he had not caught the bait, but “the only” tangled in the line.
While gently holding the bird Dietmar, I started with the kitchen scissors to cut the lines tangle. At the beginning, that went really well, probably was the patient still in shock and kept quiet so good. But the “Idyll” was only of short duration. First tried our bird with wings deal to free and when fidget was not having the desired effect, biss er dann kurzerhand mal kräftig zu 🙁 Und zwar zuerst in meinen Finger und dann in Dietmars :-).
(Recreated scene :-))
Well, actually, I could understand him very well. Who will then also like to fish??? 🙂 Trotzdem nützte es ihm nichts 🙂 Erst nachdem wir die Leine vollständig entfernt hatten, We let him back off the boat. In contrast to us he had suffered no other injuries and grumbling disappeared in the distance.
So, for safety's sake, we desinfizierten our wounds. Amazing, wie viel Kraft so ein Vogel im Schnabel hat 🙁 Und scharfe Kanten hat der Schnabel auch 🙁 Die Lust zu Angeln war uns für heute auf jeden Fall gründlich vergangen. Das war ja schon wieder voll daneben gewesen 🙂
The culmination :-) :-) :-)
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 :-)
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?????
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
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
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…