(Double click to see full size, then use the back button on your browser to return here)
Sao Jorge is a relatively undeveloped, attractive, quite hilly island about 35 miles long by 5 miles wide, about 20 miles North of Pico and Faial.
There are no really good anchorages or ports, so it is not visited much by sailors. The main town, Velas, has a new, very solidly built marina, but the surge there is really bad in Southerly winds.
We enjoyed a quick visit by signing on for a local race from Horta to Velas and back, with an overnight stay in Velas.
The serious racers beat us handily, but we came in second in the cruising class by 2 minutes, despite a disastrous start when we were stuck in a hole in the wind for 10 minutes as the more knowledgeable locals sailed away.
I strongly recommend participation in the local races if you stop by Horta.
Here we are in the raft of regatta boats was about 50 metres away from the stage, with the crowd all around us.
People came from all over the islands, probably doubling the normal population for the weekend.
It was a wet, fun night, although we prefer that these be rare.
He is not faint of heart, being a true single handed sailor, with four fingers missing on one hand. He was soloing en route from St. Martin to Wales when we met.
Snorkelling below the arch is spectacular.
We did not tour Sao Jorge, but stories from other sailors we met later made us wish that we had.