Around the island of Terceira. Leaving the Azores today!

We are now on our very last here, which is a great shame, but the forecast is right and we have still got 1000 Nautical Miles to Ireland and then up the Irish sea towards home.

We are having a wonderful time and the weather is lovely. The temperature is just right for us 22-28 degrees C, but the locals are unhappy the summer has never come!

Two days ago we hired a car toured all around the island of Terceira, which is circular with a volcano at the centre. We went to see the volcano and got right inside the crater as the actual volcano was long dead, but a few miles from the summit we visited some hot springs. The island is quite small, and the circular tour took a few hours only. Obviously we stopped several times for photo- sections. The country side is really pretty with hundreds of small pastures divided by stone dykes like an enormous tapestry of green, with dairy cows grazing. The villages are mainly along the coast and the houses are all well kept in bright and cheerful colours. We just missed a bull-fight in a town by the name of Santa Barbera. Bullfights are very common on the islands and take place through the main street of the village, which hosts the event at the time. Everybody in the street is game for the bull, which is let loose to run along the length of the town with all houses and gardens boarded up along the route. A pity we missed it!
Yesterday David went and I snorkeled above a wreck in the bay from 1858 outside the marina in the bay. It was very interesting. But, It did give me the shivers to think of that ship coming in to harbour in a storm, not being able to go to port and the anchor not holding. Well, food for thoughts!
Today we leave the Azores for Kinsail in Southern Ireland 1000 Nautical Miles away. The forecast is in our favour with a high pressure area stretching north from here, so if we stay outside the center we should get light SW winds.
We have really enjoyed these islands and I am sure we will be back.