From Whale Hunting to Whale watching,memories from Pico Island

Pico was an important Island in the region for Whale hunting and processing, whaling made an important contribution to the economy in the Island. They stopped hunting whales in 1984. Nowadays they go after whales, but now only to watch them in their natural environment.

Beautiful Whaling boats, once used to chase the giants of the sea, now kept in Club Nautica and used for rowing and sailing by people of Pico. It is very nice to see how they kept these boats and still use them with pleasure. Nice museums to visit and learn about the past as well.

Two beautiful whale boats getting ready for a weekend regatta

Club Nautico slip with Whaling Boats

Rowing a traditional Whaling boat

Sailing out in a traditional Whaling boat

a slip where Whales were processed in the past

Old Whale Processing factory, now a beautiful museum in Pico

Whale processing pressure cookers

Cauldron to hold Whale blood while processing, a piece in the current museum.

Whale watching continues everyday in Pico, even on grey and wet days :-)

Summer 2015 Our second summer in the Azores

So far, we have been lucky to visit four out of nine islands in the Azores.

Praia Da Vitoria- Ponta Delgada- Vila Do Porto- back to Ponta Delgada- Lajes Do Pico 

Sean sailed from Terceira to Sao Miguel with his friends and I joined him at Ponta Delgada after a pleasant flight from Toronto. Ponta Delgada is the biggest Marina in the Azores:

Ponta Delgada marina view with Escapade (in red circle)

We were lucky to have our Portuguese friends while exploring the Island. It was great to see Sao Miguel's volcanic lakes at Cete Citades, waterfalls and tea plantations at Gorreana. Swimming in natural pools around the Island was great, and Cozido meal cooked in natural underground ovens in Furnas was delicious.

 

Cha Gorreana

We had a chance to swim in natural pools, one with very hot water and strong minerals in beautiful Terra Nostra garden.

  The other in Feteira, natural very hot sea water pools, cooled down with ocean swells.

Ponta Delgada Pineapple plantation was very nice and interesting. I learned there that it takes 2 years to grow a Pineapple. Sao Miguel pineapples taste great, as well as Pineapple liquor and cake.