Our first day of exploring took us to the island of Pico. A group of us enjoyed a beautiful hike through the vineyards, embracing the light rain that makes these islands so green and lush, and finished with a taste of local wine. Others headed to Lajes, the historic center of whaling and home of the best whaling museum in the Azores.
Amy was raised near Cape Cod in coastal Marion, Massachusetts, and her relationship with the ocean and nature has always been an active one. Her parents, avid divers and marine biologists, introduced her to the underwater world when she was very youn...
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During the night, National Geographic Endurance repositioned from San Miguel to Pico Island and early in the morning the ship parked alongside in Sao Roque do Pico, the largest community on the island. Guests were able to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Criacao Velha, featuring the Pico Island vineyard culture that has developed and been preserved since the 15th century. We visited Cachorro, a spectacular ancient village situated atop an 18th century lava flow where all the buildings are constructed from the local volcanic stones. Then we toured the vineyards which are densely crisscrossed by volcanic stone fences, and we took a trip to a winery which included wine tastings of local Pico wines. There was also a hike offered through the UNESCO vineyards. Finally, there was a trip to Lajes do Pico where guests had an opportunity to see the Whaling Museum, featuring the impressive history of whaling around the island. In the evening, captain Oliver welcomed the guests onboard while the ship repositioned to the neighboring San Jorge Island, the location of tomorrow’s activities.
The day started with a group of us heading out on a hike to Pico Alto, the highest point in Santa Maria. Despite the rain, we hiked through the lush forest of the island, enjoying the green cedar forest until we reached the famous red dunes of Santa Maria. The rest of our group enjoyed a leisurely tour by bus, visiting some of the most notable locations around the island, including the church where Christopher Columbus stopped in 1493 on his way back from America. Back on-board National Geographic Endurance , we shared our experiences over a wonderful sushi lunch and spent the rest of the day looking for wildlife while sailing to São Miguel. A few dolphins and the elusive Monteiro storm petrel rewarded our efforts on this wonderful last day of the voyage.
The morning found National Geographic Endurance underway from Terceira to Santa Maria in the Azore islands. The expedition team scoured the ocean for cetaceans and sea birds and yielded a long-tailed jaeger and the elusive Bulwer’s petrel. Dolphins road the bow briefly and time was spent watching presentations and enjoying the ship’s many onboard amenities. In the afternoon, National Geographic Endurance came alongside in Vilo do Porto and we were treated to an amazing picnic in Reserva Florestal de Recreio de Fontinhas.
