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Where It's At
You quite simply can't go any further west and still be in
Europe. The Azores are an archipelago of nine Portuguese islands
with a mid Atlantic accent that are around two hours flying
time from the mainland. It's a location that is bubbling under
with steam vents in the ocean, the legacy of a volcano that
last erupted in 1957 on the island of Faial, and whale
and dolphin watching off Pico. Dry land pursuits include
trekking in the lunar-like landscapes of volcanic hills and
hanging out in a yachtie bar.
When to go
It rarely gets above 77F (25C) in the summer, but the Azores
remain slightly humid due to the Gulf Stream, with the islands
tending to be more overcast than the mainland. Avoid the rainy
season from November to March. Crucially, for divers the Gulf
Stream has warmed the normally cold North Atlantic to between
61F (16C) in the winter to 73F (23C) in the summer.
Things to do and see
Seafaring yarns
Horta, the capital of Faial, has for centuries been the
stopping off point for yachts crossing the Atlantic. For shipmates,
the marina is still definately the place to be seen. The boat
logos and the crews' messages should be seen as they are hand
painted badges of personal pride on the marina walls.
Take your sea legs to the yachting institution of the Cafe
Sport Bar, which has sailors' pennants adorning the ceiling
and woodpanelled walls. Listen out for international seafaring
yarns from craggy featured types, while you pick up your post
from the bar owner, who doubles up as the postmaster. He performs
a vital role in the community in that he holds mail for sailors,
rather like his father and grandfather did before him, further
enhancing the establishment's legendary status.
Whale watching
A half an hour boat ride from Faial is Pico, which
has turned from a whale hunting location of yore to a Mecca
of whale watching today. Before you head out for a closer
inspection in a boat, the whale watching museum will give
the sharp-eyed a view of a blob on the horizon. On the boat
trip, turbo-charged dolphins often provide the entourage for
their fellow mammals. The main attraction is the sperm whale,
with a swish of its gigantic tail as it dives and the hollow
snort from the blow hole when it resurfaces. Try to coincide
your trip with the whale migration from May to September.
Diving
Deep underwater, the coast of both Faisal and Pico are littered
with pristine diving locations. Observe schools of big fish
like yellow fin tuna and sometimes sting rays
at some sites. Some thirty metres down, lava has crafted volcanic
caves and grottos, while underwater chimneys belch out mineral-rich
black smoke. At night the scene changes as the diver's path
is often lit up with luminous, glowing plankton.
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