Azores ?

[captainslarty]

Jayne and I have been talking of heading over to the Azores for a protracted stay. Have you any details on climate throughout the year and costs for horta for min 6 months, or a better place than horta perhaps ?
I believe the normal conditions are 90 days then request an extension. How does this work in practice, and how many times cxan it be extended, we are thinking of possibly spending 12 months there.
Other info is up to date costs for food etc, also, is hardware available easily, wood etc..

Or, any other comments on the azores in general.

Ta,

 

[Amphitrite]

A destination I would really like to visit some day (by boat)..... That not being a very helpful comment, I may add thatthe Azores section "Atlantic Islands" by Anne Hammick looks quite detailed - and I heard that quite some facilities for yachts came up during the last years... but I am sure there a forumites who not much more (and first hand)...!

 

[CPD]

Cant help much but visited Horta once and hardware/chandelry stuff is not a problem. Good luck.

 

[capnsensible]

Um, very nice places to cruise around in a pit stop kind of way, most islands now have reasonably priced marinas and those that dont have ok anchorages e.g. Flores. But 12 months?? Well a place is what you make of it but if you wish for rain, overcast, winter gales, nothing much to do then get yer wellies on and enjoy! Oh yeah, pi@@es down in the summer too.

 

[captainslarty]

/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
I was brought up in the Isles of Scilly, I have no problem with remote places. The islands look absolutely stunning and it will be fascinating exploring the island lifestyle. Rain ?? no probs, thats what the pilot house is for /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Another thing is, I have decided I dont like hot weather.
Just got two boats in today from the azores so having a get together tomorrow. As for crossing, it looks like august is favourable from N Spain according to the pilot charts, but we are thinking of heading down to Sines for the winter so a departure from that area would be even better.
Joe

 

[capnsensible]

Yeah I think the Azores show their nicest side through the summer, may be the best time to jill about without getting stuck for a bit in a place you don't like.
One place I reckon to winter one year (because we both like it) is Rota. Met a few people there who have done it and rated it highly. The longest I spent there was abot 10 days but have visited a lot. You can get a good few winter days daysailing rond the bay off Cadiz plus several good marina pit stops. Good chandlers, airport (Jerez) up the road, restaurants out the ying yang and very few Septics from the nearby base. Gone right off topic here, oops!!!!
Whatever, enjoy! Oh yeah, might be good to ask those boats why they are not in Azores now.........

 

[captainslarty]

lol, nice one cap, the boats from the azores have just crossed via Bermuda and just used it as a stop, one boat is a good friend of ours and to be honest he is thinking of a 6 monther there (got us thinking!), or maybe longer, loves it. . Will have a good chat tomorrow to them.
Cheers n Beers
Joe. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[AndrewB]

Part of the EU. Stay as long as you like.

 

[snowleopard]

Food is available in similar variety and price to Portugal though the supermarket is a long slog up the hill if you're on foot.

MAYS is good for chandlery and repairs (e.g. I had some s/s welding done through them.) June is the best time of year, when the hedges are blue. Eating out is very reasonable though the local Pico wine is dreadful! Buses are cheap and ferries can get you around the islands easily, e.g. you can nip over to Pico for lunch.

I think the only other place with 'proper' marina facilities is Ponta Delgada but haven't been there.

 

[wanderlust]

I was there for 3 weeks in 05. Marinas springing up all over. Horta is busy with boats from Caribbean in june. 250 boats when I was there. Climate is similar to Cornwall. cost of living is lower than uk. part of EU so stay as long as you want. People are very friendly. Inter island ferries run for summer from mid june. You can get around this way very easily and leave you boat in a safe marina. Some islands dont have safe harbours and wind direction can change rapidly, just like uk.

 

[Capn Pugwash]

Horta is OK, but for 6 months? Great for whale watching etc. We spent 5 days in Horta (June 07) , importing our yacht from the USA. Rained continuously (or so it seemed!) MAYS handled all the VAT bumph etc. Duncan Sweet is the man to speak to - very dry sense of humour and has a great team! Food, beer, wine and diesel all much cheaper than UK. I have been told Graciosa is well worth while seeing as well - (Thanks to Dobbo on Spirit of Lundy!)

Great to chew the fat with all the other transit crews - a real wealth of experience to be gained!

 

[captainslarty]

ref a couple of commecnts on this thread re . "its the EU, you can stop there as long as you want"
That is NOT my understanding, please clarify where you get your info ?
My understanding for most EU countries is that you can have your boat there for as long as you wish, BUT, you cannot LIVE on your boat there as long as you wish. For example, in spain, officially if you live on your boat for 185 days or more, then you are liable to pay taxes on your boat..... This is usually a very difficult area, sometimes enforced, sometimes not, and can change from area to area.
That is why I was asking re specific of the Azores (Portugal)
Joe n Jayne

 

[freedom44]

I left my boat for last winter in Horta. Lovely island, great people etc etc, but , in my opinion, Horta is not safe. During the winter, the finger pontoon in the new marina broke away, admittedly in a gale, but this should be anticipated, as basically the islands are slap bang in the way of the lows coming over the atlantic.
In June this year, a complete pontoon with 20 plus boats broke away and moved 2 meters in high winds. Fortunately it could be regained by chains and winched back, but it was brand new!
There is only very limited hard standing in Horta. A better place, but less interesting, to leave a boat over winter ashore is Pria Vitoria on Tercera.
Duncan Sweet at MAYS is the guy to advise. It may be OK if you live on the boat, but do not trust the marina staff to look after it. I did, and it has cost me a repaint job!

Having cruised the Azores extensively (except San Miguel), I came to the conclusion that visiting the islands by boat was a rather stressful operation. There are only a handful of safe harbours, and you are therefore always dependent of the everchanging weather. Flores and Corvo are particularily beautiful but have no safe anchorage. Some friends have just returned from a fabulous holiday crising the islands by ferry and staying in cheap hotels/guest houses. Thats the way I will do it again!!

Dont know about residency conditions, but I did have to pay circa €200 for some type of license after 6 months.

 

[marcost]

for longer period, look once at terceira wiht 2 good and cheap marinas with cheap travel lift (angra do heroismo and praia da victoria) in the latest we paid 43 Euro a week for 43 feet elec, water, wifi, included
beautifull island good food

 

[webcraft]

(Following notes are based on our experiences June/July 2007)

Weather can be rubbish in June, but is usually OK in July and August. Otherwise very variable, with severe gales in Autumn / Winter, occasionally catching the tail end of tropical storms. Inter-island ferries only run predictably in Summer. In Winter some services simply do not run because the weather is so unpredictable, although the inter-island air service is allegedly reliable. Locals told us that the ferries are expensive, although we did not check this.

Distances between islands vary from a few hours to an overnight passage. Horta marina did lose a pontoon in June this year, but it was a new one . . . the existing pontoons were OK. I think it is safe year round if you pay attention.

The marinas on Sao Miguel and Terceira are definitely safe . . . wrt anchoreages on the other islands, I think you need to be prepared to leave if the weather blows up - and it may be a long way to a safe berth.

IMO it would be very rewarding to base a boat in the Azores for a year - but inter-island sailing opportunities Oct-April might be somewhat limited.

Notes on specific islands below:


SANTA MARIA
The most S-Easterly of the Azores, only 450nm from Madeira. A lovely island, but no safe anchorage until the marina at Porto Vila is finished.
(Should be complete by Summer 2008, but check before visiting)

SAO MIGUEL (60nm from Santa Maria)
Ponta Delgada is an excellently run first class marina safe in all weathers with good faclities, wifi in the yacht club and most things you could need available. The island is fascinating to explore, with spectacular caldera and hot springs. Direct flights available from the UK.

HORTA (150 miles from Ponta Delgada)
The third businest yacht harbour in the world, with the famous Peters Cafe Sport. Lots of yachties to meet in the Summer and a growing community of liveaboards staying for the Winter, but it is a small island . . .
MAYS (Mid Atlantic Yacht Services) can probably fix or get most things.

TERCEIRA (70 miles form Horta)
The 'Party Island' with loads of fiestas (the main one in Angra do Heiroismo goes on for ten days) plus the highly entertaining bull running and loads more. Highly recommended. Two good marinas, with Prai da Vittoria being particularly cheap for liftout and hard standing.

You can read about our time in the Azores HERE

- Nick

 

[Sequoiah1]

We were down there Punta delgada for the AZAB this summer and that will be the third time I have been that way. Its mild weather and still lack of serious tourists make it a real pleasure. Been to Horta, Punta Delgada and Santa Cruz on Flores (dont stop unless you know you can get out) I liked it and provided you dont mind the relative isolation of the islands its a nice place
I was told by some Germans that the best port for being unspoilt is Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira. If you are from the Scillies you will get on just fine. Enjoy................

 

[philmarks]

Have been there twice - Horta and Terceira (Angro de H) in 2004 and Sta Maria in 2006. Going back next year for a month to include St Jorge (great cheese) and San Miguel. Chill out...

 

[AndrewB]

[ QUOTE ]
ref a couple of commecnts on this thread re . "its the EU, you can stop there as long as you want"
That is NOT my understanding, please clarify where you get your info ?

[/ QUOTE ]You should apply for a residence permit when you arrive. All you need as a UK citizen is evidence that you can fund yourself during your stay. Check out http://www.centralportugal.com/moving_to_central_portugal/residency/. The Azores is an autonomous region of Portugal with its own statutes, but should have identical law in this respect. Check with the Portuguese embassy (Belgrave Square, London) if you want to be absolutely certain.

Incidentally, the time I was in Horta, 10 years ago, there appeared to be little oversight and I met boaters who had been there more than six months without applying for residency.