Azores to Portugal: Day 2

Our mystery rudder issues were confirmed! When we left the harbor in Terciera, we had trouble turning to starboard. We thought it might be weird currents or something keeping the bow from turning to starboard. I thought it was epic weather helm since we were moving straight but had the helm hard over. 

Later, the issue manifested itself as “not turning to port” when we were on the other tack. In my mind, this meant weather helm again. 

I started wracking my brain to figure out how this could be, weather helm while only flying a staysail makes no sense!

I inspected the steering system and found that the quadrant key had slipped out and the quadrant was slipping around the rudder post. 

We made quick work here to get that key in there again and suddenly steering was restored. 

With good steering, we set the trysail and staysail in harmony and rocketed along the surface at 6-7 knots the rest of the day. 

Unexpected Passenger

While out in the middle of nowhere on our passage from the Azores to mainland Portugal, a sea bird took rest upon our solar panel. He stood there for a while, watching the seas pass by from his perch, then as quietly as he arrived, he left.

Azores to Portugal: Day 1

Last night was our first night sail in a long time so we set our storm sails before dark so that we would not have to fumble around in the darkness should a squall hit us in the night. 

By morning, nothing had occurred and we were slowly moving along at 3 knots. Having 1200 miles to go, 3 knots is not a desirable speed. 

I took down our trysail and set our main with two reefs in it to balance out the sailplan with the staysail. Our speed shot up to 5 knots and we were moving along comfortably. 

All day, we have been on a beam reach heading north. We are in the westerlies but the winds are out of the east, something is brewing out there and is messing up the trade winds. Off our port side, to the west, comes a very large swell with an extraordinarily long interval, likely from a powerful low pressure system west of us. All we can do is wait while we make our way to Porto, Portugal. 

The beauty of ocean sailing is that our next waypoint is 500 miles ahead, meaning we will be on this same tack and same direction for the rest of the week!

Azores to Portugal: Night 1

This time, it was less surreal because we knew what to expect. We sailed out of Terceira and away from the little island chain that has been our home for almost a year, and we are back in the abyss. The warm orange lights of little towns are dotting a small portion of the horizon behind our stern. It’s a cloudy night, but I can still see Jupiter shining big and white next to the moon, which is making the boat look like an old film in its gray light. I can see Saturn too.  On our way out, we passed two pods of feasting dolphins, and one of them came to say a brief hello. I wonder how many are below and around us now. We are only granted access to the stars, while below the black waves exists an entire world. I am still grateful. 

Azores to Portugal: Day 0

Today we left Angra do Heroísmo, 10 months after we arrived there and 364 days since we left Florida on our transatlantic voyage. Why the huge delay? Because we are not in any rush and really wanted to experience the Azores. 

After being there a few weeks, we learned that the window to make it to Portugal had closed and it would be unsafe to venture on until May the next year. 

We spent that time rebuilding and refitting the head and galley, making upgrades and changes that we have been talking about for years but never had the time to execute them. Now we had the time, so we spent 6 months working on the boat and making her look brand new again, 51 years after her hull was produced. 

So, the time has come and we had to say goodbye to the place we called home for so many months. Leaving a place will show you how much of an impact you have had there by how many people will come and say goodbye. All of our friends as well as people from the town that we had come to know well all came by to see us off on our voyage. 

We scooted out of the marina quietly with our electric motor, then raised the sails quickly since we have a make-shift battery bank at the moment. We began tacking out of the harbor in what seemed like a washing machine! Ocean waves pounded into the harbor only to reverberate off the rock walls in the harbor. You are literally being hit from sides by towering waves. 

The forecast for that day and the next few days was light winds (8-15 knots, no gusts) but we had steady winds of 20 knots! We all know how accurate forecasts are! 

Once we made it clear of the harbor and Monte Brazil, we turned onto a broad reach to leave and clear the island. 

As we sailed around the island, we could see all our favorite towns and the towns where our friends lived. We now have a deep connection with this tiny island in the middle of the ocean. As the sun set and the island lights turned on, we slowly sailed away into the darkness of the ocean, watching the little lights dim out on the horizon. 

We are cruising once again.