São Jorge: The HIDDEN GEM of the Azores (MJ Sailing - EP 86)

São Jorge was never an island we planned to visit. We hadn’t given it a second thought until friends of ours stayed in bungalows there and raved about it’s undeniable lush beauty.

There aren’t many harbors to drop anchor in the Azores, and when our limited space is threatened in Sao Jorge, we race to get a place!

Since we can’t seem to find a long enough window to get to Ireland, we trade it for the rolling green hills of Sao Jorge. Leaving the harbor of Angra on the island of Terceria just as the sun comes up, we make the 55 mile journey to Velas on Sao Jorge, fighting the setting sun and the limited space in their anchorage. Although we are able to make some good miles under sail between the islands, once we come along the coast of Sao Jorge we are head on into the winds and have to pound into the waves until they settle.

Claiming our spot that evening, we reunite with Bill & Grace of s/v Calico skies, and hunt down a good watering hole for the evening. The next afternoon under sunny skies, Bill comes to grab us in his dinghy for a few hours of snorkeling. We check out a few rocks near the harbor, and the big monte.

Later that evening we are picked up by Phillip who transfers us to the town of Urzelina, where he rents out the sets of bungalows Bill and Grace and previously stayed in. Filling ourselves up on 1 euro beers and sangrias, we wander past the windmills on the coast, framed by Pico in the background, and wonder what a life on this island would be like.

Much love from the Azores!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Videos made by Jessica, featuring Matt and Georgie.

Music:
00:00 – Smooke – Damma Beatz (ES)
00:34 – I Met You In The Summer – (ES)
05:29 – Morning Light – Onda Norte (ES)
08:30 – Alpines – Onda Norte (ES)
10:13 – Hats – Giant’s Nest (ES)
14:14 – Morning Light – Onda Norte (ES)
19:50 – What You Believe In – Velvet Moon (ES)

Camera equipment used:
– Panasonic Lumix G85 – http://amzn.to/2iv2g4G
– Shure VP83F shotgun microphone – https://amzn.to/2rsIHLL
– Sony HDRCX675 – https://amzn.to/2FTMZRm
– Rode VideoMicro microphone – https://amzn.to/2rsemOk
– SJ CAM SJ6 Action Cam – https://amzn.to/2wnzGZZ
– DJI Mavic Pro Drone –

Our boat: 1983 Trisalu 37 (custom aluminum, built in Quebec)

Where we’ve been: 2.5 year refit in Indiantown, Florida; Abacos, Bahamas; St. Barth’s; St. Maarten; Antigua; Saba; Azores

Our Previous Boat: 1989 Sabre 34 Targa (Serendipity)

Where We Sailed Her: U.S. – Bahamas – Jamaica – Cuba – Cayman Islands – Honduras – Guatemala – Belize – Mexico – Bermuda – Azores – Madeira – Canary Islands – Sint Maarten – BVI’s – USVI’s

Editing software:
Adobe Premier Pro

Website:
http://www.mjsailing.com

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