This morning, after breakfast, we headed towards the Furnas Valley, a site of bubbling hot springs and fumaroles, a reminder of the legacy of these volcanic islands. It is a lovely drive, like traveling through an extensive garden. Virtually none of the plants are native, but even this time of year there are plenty of flowers to lend an almost dream-like quality to the landscape. High in the hills we stop at the Gorrean tea plantation, the only tea plantation in Europe. There is a tour and for the more wide-ranging wanderers there is a chance to observe how the tea is harvested with a hand-held machine similar to a hedge-cutter… not nearly as “romantic” as women hand-picking the leaves. We make several more stops at overlooks and small towns, strolling about and sampling mineral water before arriving at a lake, Laroa das Furnas, where people cook food in pits in a field of fumaroles. The meal of slow-cooked meat and vegetables is called cozido . We have cozido for lunch at the nearby Terra Nostra Hotel, served with delicious Portuguese wines. To help our digestion there is walking through an extensive garden and for those who wish, a dip in an invigorating pool of yellow mineral water. Okay, I did not go swimming, but from the sounds of splashing and laughing, it appears to be a very enjoyable experience. We return to the ship in the late afternoon for a “Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party” hosted by Captain Oliver Kreuss. Following dinner we have a special live performance in our lounge from the very popular young fado singer, Cuca Roseta. A very full day indeed!
As the sun rose on our last day in the Azores, National Geographic Explorer was approaching Vila do Porto on the southwestern corner of Santa Maria Island. This island is a small island, with a tiny population of only about 5,000 residents. It was discovered in the early 1400s, and settled in 1439. Christopher Columbus stopped here in 1493, on the return of his first voyage, and we visited the village where he came ashore. After spending a few days exploring the purely volcanic other islands in the Azores, it was nice to see an area that was quite different. The western end of Santa Maria is composed of sedimentary rock that used to be ancient sea floor, and is relatively flat in places. Also, the architecture on this island is quite different, with most villages having different color schemes and most houses having very distinctive chimneys. After breakfast, we set off to explore the island and were instantly aware that this island is drier than the others we have visited. Prickly pear cactus and various agaves lined the way, and dairy cattle were replaced by beef cattle. After passing the airport, which has been important since World War II, we made our way to the quaint seaside village of Anjos, where a statue of Christopher Columbus honors him and his return to this spot. From there, we made our way up into the higher parts of the island, to a gorgeous village named Santa Barbara. Here, the traditional architecture is accented with the color blue. It was an incredibly picturesque spot set amongst the green fields. Our final main stop of the day was an overlook of the gorgeous seaside village of São Loureņco. The green cliffs lined with vineyards plunge straight down hundreds of feet to the deep blue sea. Lining the shoreline are dozens of brilliant white houses all with orange tiled roofs. Many of us were ready to stay for a few days or even weeks. It was that gorgeous. After lunch, we set sail, leaving the Azores behind. The ocean quickly dropped to thousands of meters deep, and it was time to move on. We say goodbye to the Azores, and look forward to Madeira.
Sunrise found National Geographic Explorer on approach to Funchal, on the island of Madeira, for the beginning of a wonderful day. With a population of approximately 120,000 this capital city is home to almost half of Madeira’s inhabitants. In most years Madeira plays host to over one million visitors, primarily from Europe. Tourism is important to this unique place in the Atlantic. Expedition Leader Jim Kelley had so many different options on offer that we would literally be scattered all over the island. Some chose to hike on the eastern end of the island at Ponta Säo Lourenço. Others explored the city itself with visits to the embroidery factory, the fruit and fish market and the Museum of Sacred Art. Still others visited the Madeira Botanical Gardens or chose to ascend via cable car up to the vista at Monte for an exciting basket toboggan ride down the steep and narrow streets of Funchal. Many capped off their busy day with a visit to the Blandy Wine Lodge for a taste of Madeira wine before returning to the ship. Tonight we were treated to a traditional dinner at a lovely mountain restaurant located above the city of Funchal, called the Abrigo do Pastor. Chunks of grilled beef were served on meter-long skewers, scrumptious black scabbardfish were served with other local sides. The highlight of the evening was arranged for us by our ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar, who booked the band Xarabanda. The five-piece group performed beautiful Madeiran standards and showcased regional instruments while we dined.
A relaxing morning was spent at sea as National Geographic Explorer made its way to our first landfall in the Canary Islands – Santa Cruz – the capital and port city of La Palma. After breakfast we joined our Global Perspectives guest speaker, Ana Palacio, in the lounge for her presentation on current affairs and political developments relating to the European Union. Shortly before lunch we arrived at Santa Cruz de la Palma. The harbor and settlement of 20,000 people are located on the base of a former volcanic crater and immediately one is struck by the complex layered geological narrative that is apparent from every view. The island of La Palma is still volcanically active. In fact there was a sizeable eruption on the east coast at Teneguía as recently as 1971. The focus following lunch was on exploring the multifaceted geological, historical and natural heritage of this, the fifth largest island of the archipelago; and what a marvellous experience it was. Beneath an azure sky we headed off on our respective tour choices. The island has a dramatic topography. Winding roads led us high up into the interior where we arrived at the visitor centre of the national park. Here an interesting display gave us an insight into the geology and wildlife of this protected nature reserve. A number of stops at well-chosen viewpoints provided us with wide-angle vistas of coastline and mountain, and a landscape in part manicured by human activity in the guise of banana plantations and grape vines enclosed by small stone walls. A highlight was a walk along the rim of the San Antonio Volcano which last erupted in 1673. The gigantic crater is slowly becoming colonised by Canary Pine, whose fulgent fresh greenery is in sheer contrast to the duller tones of scoria and ash. Volcanic bombs pepper the slopes. The trail leads to a platform which affords unobstructed views of the coast and the site of the last volcanic eruption at Teneguía. The mineral-rich soils of the island support an important grape growing industry and during a visit to a nearby Bodega we sampled some of the islands’ wines accompanied with tapas. A small group drove to the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), which is sited on the rim of the Taburiente caldera, for a visit of the facility. This had been made possible by our shipmate, Kay Henderson, who is on one of the boards of the University of Florida and whose astronomy department is involved in the operation of this telescope. Dr Rafael Guzman, a professor and researcher who works in this department, facilitated the group with a personalised visit of the facility. Invited to present at the evening recap, Dr Guzman captivated us with his knowledge of the nature of the universe and the project focus for future research using this remarkable telescope to plumb the depths and mysteries of deep space. After dinner we were treated to an outstanding performance in the lounge by Canary Islander Benito Cadrera, a maestro at playing the timple, a small five-stringed guitar. For almost an hour, Benito, accompanied by a classical guitarist, showcased his consummate skills on this instrument. From start to finish we were drawn into the rich texture of the folk music of his homeland islands.
Starting the day pre-dawn at sea is a refreshing and peaceful exercise and at this latitude the sun won’t rise until just after 8:00a.m., giving one plenty of time to contemplate the days behind and ahead. The bridge is quiet; just the watch officers and our expedition leader, Jim Kelley, to share stories over a cup of hot coffee. Perhaps the watchmen will bring up fresh pastries for an added touch of comfort. In all, life doesn't get much better. The open ocean can seem a barren and lifeless expanse that has long been fabled as a place to fear or avoid for those more prone to stay on shore but to us the open seas are home and the time spent traveling them cherished. We have a two-day sail from the Canary Islands along the coast of West Africa to the Cape Verde Islands, our final destination in Macaronesia. We are navigating over waters thousands of meters deep; water so blue there isn't a paint swath in all the world to match it. Indeed at this latitude and over waters this deep there isn't much life on the surface; the occasional seabird perhaps or even the chance sighting of a sea turtle amid their mysterious migrations, but that doesn't make it any less pleasant. In fact, the absence of life itself is noteworthy and provides a calming feeling. We've enjoyed a mild taste of the Northeast trade winds off our stern making for perfect conditions as we head southward. The day isn't all contemplation and fresh pastries, though some may choose just that. Another benefit of days at sea during travel is that it affords us the time to present information and materials to our guests as our days on shore are quite busy and the time for more formal presentations is limited. Our first presentation was given by David Cothran titled, “The Biogeography of Macaronesia; Fortunate and Unfortunate,” a fitting title to explain the facets that have shaped the biology of these island archipelagos. Just before lunch our natural history and cultural history staff gave an “extended recap” on topics and events we've experienced over the last several days. Our next item on the program was a talk by our National Geographic photographers, Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson, “On Assignment with National Geographic,” sharing with us the stories and challenges of over 30 years of experience in the field. When traveling the open ocean one never knows what we'll see. On our daily program it was clear that at 5:00p.m. Jim Kelley would give an in-depth presentation entitled, “Going with the Flow:Circulation of the Atlantic Ocean.” Well apparently nobody told the striped dolphins ( Sternella coeruleoalba ) that naturalist Mike Greenfelder spotted from the bridge. The bow and upper decks filled to watch the show. Several dolphins came to the bow to ride the pressure wave, others leaped out of the water in the distance, but one dolphin in particular put on the best performance. When all others lost interest in our vessel this engaging and beautiful creature stayed with us for several more minutes; even as we reached 14 knots it would leap in front of the bow or come alongside and “tail walk” or leap and twist, splashing on its back or side. Soon however it was time to bid farewell and get back on our course to Cape Verde. The galley crew had prepared a wonderful spread of tapas on the sundeck as a starter before dinner. The relaxed hours at sea, insightful talks, and perfect subtropical temperatures punctuated by an exciting encounter with dolphins made for a marvelous day at sea.
Today we arrived to the beautiful Cape Verde Archipelago; early in the morning National Geographic Explorer docked at the ferry terminal in Porto Novo, located in the island of Santo Antão. Santo Antão is the northern and westernmost of the nine main islands of the remote archipelago, approximately 500 km off the western coast of Senegal. It is also the second largest of the group, and a place of extreme contrasts. Shortly after breakfast we boarded a number of vans and headed to the opposite coast, passing through upper portion of the island. The southern portion of the island, including the area around Porto Novo, is extremely barren, with just a few short grasses and scattered acacia trees on the low hills. But as we gained altitude, the scene slowly changed completely. As the terrain became more and more rugged, it also transformed into a green landscape. By the time we reached the volcanic crater of Cova de Paul, at 3,859 ft above sea level, we were surrounded by conifers and other trees. We enjoyed the amazing view and had the chance to see the neglected kestrel, and endemic subspecies of the European kestrel only found in the archipelago. We continued our journey and constantly marveled at the incredibly high number of stone terraces used to raise crops built everywhere and oftentimes on amazingly steep hillsides. Most of those terraces, which are a used to slow down the flow of water and avoid erosion, as well as the cobbled road, were made by slave labor during the late 1500s and the 1600s. It is really impressive the amount of work and skill needed in such endeavors! The views of the rough pinnacles and cliffs, picturesque stone houses and terraces made for an enjoyable excursion. We eventually arrived to the northern coast where we visited the town of Ribeira Grande, Ponta do Sol and Fontainhas. After an abundant lunch at a local restaurant, where we enjoyed some traditional dishes and live music, we continued traveling along the northern coast, stopping for a visit at a local distillery. We all happily tried some pastries and several varieties of liquors, including some made of passion-flower, honey or sugar cane and the extremely strong grogue . A short distance away we visited the inscribed rock in Ribeira do Penedo; intriguing inscriptions and a crucifix are clearly seen and the identity of its creators remain a mystery, with theories pointing to early Portuguese, Phoenician and even Chinese. Eventually we came back to our floating home at Porto Novo for some welcomed rest, showers and dinner to regain our strength and prepare ourselves for a marvelous concert on board by Maria de Barros, one of the most popular and recognized singers from Cape Verde. We all enjoyed her music and many polished the lounge’s floor dancing at her funaná rhythms, making for the perfect ending to an amazing fist day at the Cape Verde islands.
Overnight we sailed some 250 nautical miles northwest to the western group of islands that make up the Azorean archipelago. Our destination was Faial, sometimes called the “Blue Island” for its distinctive hedgerows comprised of hydrangeas, the drying heads of which were much in evidence on the lower shoreline of the island but still in bloom as we ascended the island on the afternoon tour. The morning was spent cruising close to the south shore of Faial’s sister island Pico, in the company of playful dolphins; both common dolphins and Risso’s dolphins were in evidence. Fine conditions provided excellent views of the famous volcanic peak along with its secondary craters. By midday were alongside in Horta on Faial. The afternoon tour of Faial focused on island vulcanism with a visit to Capelinhos where an eruption in 1957-58, which started some distance offshore, added half a kilometer of new land to the island. A small but informative museum provided detailed explanation both of volcanoes in general and of the 20 th -century eruption in particular. There were dramatic views of buried buildings with the old and new lighthouses marking the change that has taken place in the position of the coastline. There is much friendly rivalry among Azoreans as to who lives on the most beautiful island in the archipelago. Those from Faial claim that distinction for themselves but the inhabitants of the neighboring island of Pico counter this by saying that the best thing about Faial is the view of their island, and in particular its eponymous volcanic peak. Today the view of Pico was particularly fine; but the tour of Faial was so charming that the fairest verdict in this dispute would seem to necessitate splitting the award evenly between the two. Horta itself was a whaling centre into the closing years of the 20th century although whale watching rather than whale hunting is now the activity that supplements the island’s agricultural income. The whale museum in town, housed in the former whaling factory, gave much first-hand information on this extraordinary industry, with documentary footage of courageous but bloody whaling from hand-rowed boats with harpoons along with well-preserved examples of the processing machinery. Back in town, adjacent to the marina, is Peter’s Café Sport, a Mecca for yachtsmen – as its ceilings, crowded with flags and pennants from around the world, amply testifies – for the anchorage at Horta was and continues to be a welcome first port-of-call for many a transatlantic yachtsman. The café also houses one of the world’s foremost collections of scrimshaw, an activity that accompanied the whaling industry. The artistry of scrimshaw serves as a poignant foil to the whaling industry.
We enjoyed nice calm conditions as we sailed towards Madeira. Throughout the day we heard several excellent presentations. We also had a chance to catch up on editing the numerous photos of our time in the Azores. The day’s highlights were the two exciting marine mammal sightings of sperm whales and then a blue whale! In the mid-morning, the announcement was made that the eagle-eyes on the bridge had sighted a sperm whale. Sperm whales are the largest of all the toothed whales and are regularly seen around the Azores. We were fortunate to see a small group of four whales just resting at the surface, including a calf of the year near. Sperm whales are the deepest divers of all the marine mammals, reaching depths close to two miles deep and can stay sub-surface for close to two hours. After all that time, they need to spend at least 20 minutes or more resting at the surface, slowly breathing to get ready for the next dive. We saw the calf rolling over a bit and the whales were right next to the ship so we had a fantastic look at their massive heads, wrinkly bodies and broad flukes. Then just before recap there was another call about a large baleen whale sighted just ahead of the ship. National Geographic Explorer definitely brakes for whales so the ship turned and after a good look we discovered that it was the largest animal to live on the planet, the mighty blue whale! North Atlantic blue whales can reach lengths over ninety feet. They were hunted close to extinction during the whaling era and it is a rare sight to see one in these waters. The whale was turning on its side and lunging through the water feeding. The ship was also slowly turning in circles so the whale was probably feeding on plankton that our propellers were bringing up to the surface. We had fantastic looks at the whale as it slowly swam alongside and even under the hull of the ship. It was a very exciting day at sea but it is not often you can say that you have seen the largest of all the toothed whales and the largest animal on the planet in the same day, especially in the North Atlantic!
Our second full day in the Madeira Islands proved to be a truly spectacular experience from dawn to dusk. Typical Madeira weather and conditions began the day, 15°C before sunrise a light breeze and as the sun broke the horizon by 0730 dimming the lights of the picturesque port of Funchal we prepared for another day in this island paradise. Today there were two options of exploration here, the first being an outing to walk in the “fossil” Laurissilva or Laurel forests including a stop at the summit of Pico Arieiro to take in the spectacular volcanic landscape. A second outing visited the botanical gardens here, showcasing the diversity of plant life that can grow in this stable sub-tropical climate with a visit to the more arid eastern side of Madeira and a chance to learn about the whaling history of Madeira at the whaling museum. As author of this chapter about or expedition I will focus mainly on the first of our two options. We wound our way up the incredibly well-engineered, but narrow, mountain roads passing through various landscapes with breathtaking views at nearly every switchback, ultimately arriving at the summit of Pico Arieiro at over 1800m. From sea level one cannot truly appreciate the shape and magnificence of this volcanic gem in the middle of the Atlantic, however from a vista such as this the rugged, at times stark, and awesome landscape unfolds leaving one to ponder the processes, geological and biological that shaped this world. Having taken in as much as we could we descended some 500m to the elevation zone where the fabled forest community that gives this island its name reaches its highest altitude. The Laurissilva or Laurel forest that once carpeted most of the islands of Macaronisia, including the Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands now exists only in remnant patches and in many places has long been eradicated for lumber and agriculture over the centuries. Here on Madeira remains one of largest single intact stands of this unique ecosystem that over 100 million years ago carpeted most of Europe and North Africa, which is where the term “fossil” forest stems from. The forest itself is comprised of hundreds of species, many of them endemic to Madeira. Our hike took place along one of the dozens of levadas , manmade watercourses used to bring water down from the moist mountain forests to the more dry communities and farms below. One true highlight for those “binoculared” birdwatchers in the group was to get very good looks at two endemic species of birds, the first being the Madeira Firecrest ( Regulus madeirensis ) and the Trocaz, or Madeira-Laurel, Pigeon ( Columba trocaz ). Our hike ended at the “Balcoes” or Balcony overlook giving splendid views of the montane forests. A classic Madeira-style lunch was had in the small, forested community of Poiso before returning to the ship for the afternoon’s activity. Located to the east and just south of the main island of Madeira are the Islas Desertas where we spent the afternoon exploring by Zodiacs the barren but incredibly striking volcanic island. If that was all that happened this afternoon we would have been quite happy, however we were in for a truly incredible spectacle almost beyond words. Our short passage over to the islands was interrupted when from the bow and bridge several dorsal fins were spotted in the distance resting at the surface. We approached slowly and once close enough the naturalists on the bridge conferred that we were looking at a group of short-finned pilot whales ( Globicephla macrorhynchus ) resting at the surface. These whales are found throughout the mid-latitudes and are often quite cooperative around ships. This as it turns out would only be the beginning of our encounters with marine mammals this afternoon. Our Zodiac cruise along the sheer volcanic shoreline of Dersertas was spectacular; the myriad of colors, and textures towering over our heads mirrored in the calm deep blue waters was quite a setting. As we neared the end of our cruise a call from the bridge had informed us that there were dolphins and some baleen whales very near the ship. Another radio transmission from a Zodiac announced that the rare and highly endangered Mediterranean monk seal, known to occupy these waters, was spotted. We had to make a choice. I had decided that our chances of seeing and interacting with the dolphins would be a better use of our remaining time, my passengers on board agreed. So I turned the Zodiac in the direction of the masses of seabirds and splashes from feeding dolphins about a mile or so away. Soon enough we were surrounded by dolphins of two species, Atlantic spotted ( Stenella frontalis ) and common bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncates ). Some riding the bow wake while others leaped out of the water along either side. Though it was just for a few moments the thrill of seeing these animals up close lasted far longer. After all the Zodiacs returned to the ship our galley crew and hotel department had prepared a special treat on the sundeck, fresh tuna sashimi and wine. That was not all we were treated with as it turned out. The Captain announced that we'd be sailing into what he called, “whale and dolphin stew.” Sure enough in a matter of minutes we were surrounded by no less than five species of cetaceans feasting on the abundant food stirred up by the currents ripping through the islands and sea stacks. Dolphins performed their incredible acts as they rode the bow wake, leaping, spinning and the like, Sei ( Balaenoptera borealis ) and Bryde's whales ( B. edeni ) lunging out of the water, their ventral pleats enlarged and full of fish. In the distance several sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) plied the waters, their angled tell-tale blows revealing their presence. The show went on for over an hour as we made way towards our next destination in Macaronesia, The Canary Islands of Spain.
La Gomera is one of less frequently visited islands in the Canarias, having been deliberately protected from the more ruthless commercial developments associated with the monoculture of mass tourism prevalent elsewhere on the archipelago. Interestingly our guide on the day tour of the island, although he had been working as a guide for over quarter of a century, had never before worked with an American group. The island has a population of just over 20,000 and is the second smallest island in the archipelago. Of volcanic origin, it is no longer considered active and its geomorphological interest derives from a long period of erosion since that active phase, with prominently exposed volcanic plugs. Some 14 miles in diameter, the island rises to nearly 5,000 feet and our bus driver earned every euro of his gratuity negotiating hairpin bends and steep gradients throughout the day. The upper reaches of the island have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site for its native laurisilva , an extensive area of laurel rain forest that covers the upper slopes of the barrancos , deep ravines cut by Atlantic rainfall, of which there is some 50 inches per annum at these high altitudes. Having made our way up to the Garanjoy National Park, we lunched at a local tavern on local fare, including almogrote (a cheese spread), fresh goat cheese, a hearty potage and local fish, washed down with the distinctive local red wine. After lunch we were treated to a demonstration of silbo Gomero , a traditional whistling “language” that enabled villagers to communicate over a range of some two miles in this rugged landscape. Tourism has displaced agriculture as the prime economic mover on the island and it was sad to see so many fields abandoned. The evidence of centuries of terracing up the steep hillsides spoke eloquently of former productivity and the backbreaking labor that accompanied it. Many of the early terraces, it is believed, were dug out by the Guanche peoples who were living on the island when the Spanish arrived, for the Canary Islands are the only archipelago in our tour of Macaronesia that had pre-colonial inhabitants. Linguistic and place-name evidence together with recent DNA studies enable the Guanche to be identified with certainty as a Berber people from neighboring North Africa. Interestingly, the combined effects of centuries of Reconquista on Spanish history and culture together with a strong desire to exert their European credentials in terms of EU membership made investigations into the archaeology of the Canary Islands a surprisingly controversial field until quite recent times. As far as physical geography is concerned, we were closer to the African continent at La Gomera that at any other point of our voyage. La Gomera was the last port of call of Christopher Columbus before he embarked on his epoch-making voyage of discovery in 1492. The links with the New World are evident in the local population, with extensive family connection with Cuba and Venezuela in particular, and with local recipes, including gofio , for sprinkling on the soup, an early example of the use of maize, the native Americas’ greatest gift to the world, in the Old World. The lesson here, as so often in Macaronesia, is that isolation is more apparent than real.
Late last night the National Geographic Explorer officially crossed the Tropic of Cancer that this year lies 23 26’ 16” north of the equator. There was no bump in the night, as this is an imaginary line so named because when the sun reaches its zenith on the northern summer solstice at this latitude, it is entering the astrological sign of Cancer. This is no longer true due to the phenomena known as the precession of the equinoxes. The International Astronomical Union tells us that the sun is now actually in the constellation of Taurus at the boreal summer solstice. The southern hemisphere counterpart is named the Tropic of Capricorn. When it was named, the sun lay in the astrological sign of Capricorn on the austral summer solstice, December 21. These imaginary lines are not fixed, but vary in a complicated manner over time. The area that lies between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are officially known as the tropics, with the equator mid-way between the two. With the changes of latitude came a noticeable change in attitude. Warm weather prompted sandals and shorts, with time to enjoy being on deck. Even though it’s October all on board soaked up the sunshine as if it were a summer’s day. The northeast tradewinds were light and provided a comfortable breeze. Overall it was an exceptional day to sail in the Atlantic. In short, the conditions were perfect to be on the bow for glimpses of passing marine life like the occasional sea birds and flying fish. Falling into the easy rhythm of the sea, the day slipped by.
The striking appearance of Fogo, a volcano sporadically active for at least the past four centuries, rising majestically from the ocean, has been remarked upon by sailors passing through these waters for generations. In 1683, the English navigator, pirate and naturalist William Dampier remarked upon it during his celebrated circumnavigation of the globe. Pico de Fogo, the island’s highest point, rises to 2,829 meters and was the focal point of one of our island excursions. A fleet of vans followed the circuitous route to Chā das Caldeiras, crossing the 1951 and 1995 lava floes to discover an engaging community of some 1200 souls living within the crater, where an emigré French nobleman fleeing from the 1848 revolution in Paris planted vines and sired children. The latter activities are much in evidence: a native wine industry, the only successful one in the Cape Verde archipelago and occasional blond-haired and blue-eyed children, blistering in the ferocious heat. A variety of charming children offered models made from the local lava for sale; wine with local goat cheese was sampled and much appreciated. Another group explored the lower slopes of the island, concentrating on the human geography and natural history of the island. Places visited included the historic mission church of Sao Laurenco, the island’s oldest baobab tree at Curral Grande and a pleasant hike in misty conditions (for this is the beginning of the long-awaited rainy season on the island) at Rebeira Felipe. We saw a number of interesting agricultural crops being cultivated on small holdings: coffee, mango, corn and beans, the latter grown in symbiosis with the maize stem supporting the growing beans that in their turn provided nitrogen for the soil to assist the growth of the maize. Once again on this voyage we were witnessing New World flora brought over to the Old World. Back at sea-level, we visited the fishing village of Salinas where small-scale fishing from row boats was in operation, with small numbers of reef fish in the catch. There were good sightings of two endemic birds: the colorful grey-headed kingfisher and the “neglected” kestrel. The tour ended in the island capital of Sao Felipe, a delightful town exhibiting fine survivals of Portuguese colonial architecture; squares, esplanades and sobrado houses, with bougainvillea much in evidence. Local wine and cheese was sampled in a delightful restaurant where we were also treated to a dance performance by local school children.
