Issue 29
The Newsletter of the Cruising Club of America
Fall 2017
THE AZORES CRUISE
dancers in the fort’s cannon room where many members demonstrated some of their own skills. The Azores High influences the local sailing conditions in mid-summer, but most boats reported periods of nice sailing. We spent evenings in local marinas, which encouraged increased social activity. Small groups went hiking about the mountainous terrain and visited local wineries. The larger group toured Terceira by motor coach on the afternoon of our lay-day, visited a geologic area where steam could be seen billowing from the ground, descended 200 meters into an extinct volcano, sampled and purchased local cheeses that could be paired with Azores Cruise the excellent Pico white wines, and marveled at the vistas of distant islands twenty or more miles away. The cruise was an opportunity to visit islands away from the more popular European and Caribbean cruising destinations. The waters and islands are pristine and unspoiled; whales and dolphins made surprise appearances. The Azoreans take great pride in their mid-Atlantic home and are warm and welcoming. Hopefully, many of us will return someday to visit and to further explore these and the other islands we did not visit this time around.
Fifty-three members joined together for a week of island hopping among this mid-Atlantic archipelago. Pete and Candi Kolyer, Steve and Karyn James, Scott and Mary Piper, and Tom Kiley and Ry Hills sailed their own boats from various East coast ports or from the Mediterranean while the rest chartered Sailazores’ fleet of Dufours. The group cruised between Faial, Pico, Sao Jorges, and Terceira; experienced Azores Cruise Participants beautiful weather; toured the rugged and spectacular islands; and were entertained by Azorean singers, dancers, and musicians at the opening, mid-cruise, and closing events. A local restauranteur, who had completed two solo circumnavigations, hosted our opening dinner. We gathered for our mid-cruise dinner in a sixteenth-century fort overlooking the harbor at Angra do Heroismo, and dined and were entertained by local folk singers and
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