the 28. May. We called the marina before entering and got a friendly welcome and we were asked to anchor in the bay.
There were 20-25 boats anchored there already but we managed to find a good spot right infront of the marina office
with enough room to swing around the anchor. The bottom had very good holding.
We were checked in on the VHF and instructed that we were not allowed ashore and could not put our dinghy in the water.
Later the same day the harbour police came to our boat and checked our passports and gave us a signed form stating the regulations
for the port of Horta.
The famous Peter Cafe Sport has for many years been a well visited bar in Horta. Now that no one could come ashore, they ran
a service for all the boats at anchor. They were available on VHF and WhatsApp and could arrange to get us just about anything.
We bought take-away food, groceries, they filled our water jerry cans, brought us medicine. We will remember them always for their great service.
The boats were coming and going. But the turnover was slow and at some stage there were almost 40 boats anchored. Boats that need repair or fuel and water were allowed to come alongside the dock that was isolated and fenced.
We spent almost 2 weeks waiting for the right weather window - but it never appeared.
The forecast was very unreliable.
What looked ok one day, was totally changed the next. At the end we just decided we'd had enough and set a departure day.
We were given permission to come in to fill up with fuel and water and to stay over night in order to have some 230V to do some cleaning/hoovering
and to top up our batteries. Same evening we were invited for a beer/drinks at another Norwegian boat.
They were there as they needed repair to their gear-box. It was very good to have some social contact with others
as we had been isolated to the boat for more than a month.
We left in the morning Friday the 12th June. We set sail and cruised towards the east and then northeast past the island of Terceira in order to avoid a weather system with high winds, that was forecasted.
We were successful and had a great sail.
We lost sight of Terceira Saturday evening. Sunday noon the wind calmed down and we had to motorsail.
Wind returned from the southeast and later east and we sailed north. When we reached a point 600nm west of Porto in Portugal we changed to an easterly course as there is a LOW pressure coming in from the west with high winds.
We are now 525 nautical miles from Horta and have 800 left to UK or Ireland.
Ireland is still locked down with the COVID-19 - we can visit a port, but then we will have to quarentine for 2 weeks. UK is partially open in certain ports iin south England.
Weather will decide which way we will go back to Norway. One is via Ireland, Scottish west coast
via Pentland strait accros the North Sea.
The other is up the English channel and up the North Sea.
Days passes fast. We cook meals, read books, chat on the radio etc. Geir sends daily position reports and checks in on the Ocean Cruiser Clubs Atlantic West to East radio net every evening.
Leif/LA3ZH keeps an eye of the weather forecast for our route and gives us great advise.
Geir also have contact with radio friends on 14328 every evening at 2100 UTC. It is very nice to hear
friends familiar voices. It breaks up boredom and feeling of isolation.
Now that we have decided to return home, we really look forward to see our kids and their families and our newest grandson Tobias. He is now almost 5 months old. Grete's phone is bursting with pictures and video's of the little guy. We look forward to meet him for the first time.
