Funchal and the flower power

Every year, by this date, Madeira is invaded by tourists. Together with the New Year's Eve, the Carnival and the Madeira Wine Rally; the Madeira Flower Festival (or Madeira Flower Party, in a literal translation) is one of the most famous events that takes place in this small Atlantic island. Taking advantage of the richness of the island's flora, this festival is, among this group of four, the only truly representative of the island's most important and unique asset: its perfect and pristine natural world.

This, in fact, is the only reason why so many thousands of tourists search for Madeira, year-round, for their vacations.

Its natural world, preserved and well kept, together with a benevolent climate and a net of well designed mountain trails and paths makes this island a must for any nature-lover worldwide.

The Madeira Flower Festival is, therefore, the vehicle to divulge this unique characteristic. It's no surprise also that it takes place in the middle of the Spring. After the end of Winter, the colors start to return once again to the mountain peaks, to the valleys, to the agricultural fields, to the grass-lands, to the gardens.

This is simply the appetizer. Located in Funchal, the capital city of the island, the festival only shows to foreigners what they can expect to see everywhere in the island if they dare to stay until the end of the session, instead of leaving the room before the intermission.

Granted, the festival is lovely. The exhibition of flowers in the city, everywhere, is amazing. The colors, the perfumes invade the downtown of Funchal during these days.

However this is only a sample. An example of what you can see if you dare to leave the comfort of you hotel in the city, put on some walking shoes, and hike around amidst nature.

You can take my word for it.

The Avenida Arriaga, here seen from a sentry tower in the S. Lourenço fortress, is the epicentre of many cultural activities in Funchal. The Madeira Flower Festival is no exception.

In the Madeira Flower Festival you can have an overdose of perfumes...

... and colours.

You will see also lots of photography fanatics, like you and me. However, all the beauty present here is nothing compared to what you can see if you dare to immerse yourself in the natural Madeira...

...after buying a cheap Easy-Jet ticket, reserving a few nights in a middle-category hotel (it doesn't have to be the Reid's - unless you like it!) and don't forget your hiking boots at home.

Picture taken in Queimadas, North coast, with Nikon D300, Sigma EX 10-20mm f:4-5.6 DC HSM, Manfrotto tripod and head.

NRP Baptista de Andrade in Caniçal

Another working day in Caniçal port. The departures of the M/V's "Monte da Guia" and "Funchalense 5" were the only operations scheduled for the entire day. However, we have received a visit of a naval unit. The "NRP Baptista de Andrade" visited us in a routine call, for provisions and fresh water, before heading South, to the waters of Guiné-Bissau.

Things are not good in those latitudes, with a new military "coup d'etat" on the streets. Although the situation seems to be calming down over there, at least according to what we can see in the news, the Portuguese government decided for the deployment of a naval task force to the proximity of that African country, to help the evacuation of the Portuguese citizens living there in the case that things go rough.

This force, called Força de Reacção Imediata (Immediate Reaction Force), is composed by a Meko 200 frigate (the NRP Vasco da Gama), a logistic vessel (the NRP Bérrio) and the corvette NRP Baptista de Andrade. Besides the naval units, the task force counts also with the air support of a Lockheed P-3 Orion, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules and the organic Lynx helicopter of the NRP Vasco da Gama. From all the vessels, the NRP Baptista de Andrade was the only one to touch land, in a routine call, on the voyage to the South.

The NRP Baptista de Andrade is a Spanish-built vessel (under portuguese design and specifications), by the Bazan shipyards. She was launched in 1973 and she gives her name to a class of four very similar vessels. Besides the Baptista de Andrade, the class comprises also the NRP João Roby, the NRP Afonso Cerqueira and the NRP Oliveira e Carmo.

They were built with the conflicts of the Portuguese ex-colonies in mind (the Portuguese Colonial War), so they were made pretty much with specifications for the African waters. However, with the Portuguese African Empire collapsing in 1974-75, these vessels had to adapt themselves to marine patrols in more rough waters: the Portuguese North-Atlantic. Looking for their almost forty years of service, it seems that they adapted quite well.

Vessel specifications:

Name: NRP Baptista de Andrade

Pennant number: F486

Type: Corvette

Class: Baptista de Andrade

LOA: 84.60mts

Breath: 10.30mts

Draught: 3.10mts

Propulsion: Two diesel Pielstick engines, two shafts, two fixed propellers, 10000 HP total.

Max speed: 23 Kts

Autonomy: 10600 Kms at 18 Kts speed

Armament: 1 x 100mm piece, 2 x AA 40mm Bofors gun, 2 triple launchers for 324mm topedos

Crew: max 122 persons

The NRP Baptista de Andrade and the NRP Schultz Xavier, side-by-side, berthed in the South breakwater of the Caniçal port. In the foreground, on manoeuvre, the tug "Boqueirão", from the port administration.

The NRP Baptista de Andrade alongside the Caniçal South breakwater. Photo taken from the North terminal.

At 1900, the NRP Baptista de Andrade left the port of Caniçal and headed to the waters of Guiné-Bissau. Godspeed gents.

Porto Santo in the low season

I love Porto Santo in the low season. For me, April, May and the beginning of June is the best period to enjoy the island. The Winter season is normally cold and grey and the island is somehow desert. Nevertheless there are always a few hardcore tourists that enjoy it during those colder months.

It's only a question of relativity. For me fifteen degrees in Porto Santo on the peak of Winter might mean just that. For a German tourist coming from Bavaria, that  air temperature is Spring time. Be that as it may, I try to run away from Porto Santo during the Summer months. The island gets to crowded for my taste and it's only enjoyable if you are on vacations, whitch is never the case when I'm visiting.

So, if you enjoy the Algarve or South of Spain-alike Summer environment in the middle of the Atlantic, by all means, go for it. If you prefer more peacefulness and relaxation together with nice weather, avoid the peak of Summer months. Go for the Spring time and early Autumn.

And a beautiful Spring day is what I've found on arrival to the island, early four days ago. With only two flights during the day connecting Madeira to Porto Santo (one in early morning, at 0800, and the other later in the evening, around 2000), besides the, also twice-per-day maritime ferry connection, and with the berthing manoeuvre of the M/V Funchalense 5 scheduled for 1700, we cannot say I had plenty of flights to choose from. So I woke up at 0600, arrived at the Santa Catarina airport at 0700 and after a calm flight with SATA we  landed in Porto Santo at 0820.

At 1000 in the morning I was already at the hotel, waiting for the afternoon manoeuvre. And, with nothing more to do, I went to the city to make a few pictures in a particularly calm morning.

On the old pier we have the best view of the seven kilometre golden-sand beach.
There are years in witch all the sand of the beach almost disappears. Those years form part of the natural cycle of nature, according to the local seamen. The sand sometimes goes away, only to driven back one year later. So, for this present year, King Neptune blessed us with a perfect sandy beach.

A perfect Spring weather was what I've found on my last trip to Porto Santo. Clear blue skies, sunny weather and peaceful sea are normal conditions in Porto Santo during this time of the year. Normally, with the advance of Summer, the beach becomes more windy, since it is, due to the flatness of the island, exposed to the fresh predominant NE winds, typical of the hot season.
On the picture, you can see the old pier and , behind it, the Ilhéu da Cal. Reminder of a time when there was no harbour in Porto Santo, and when the movements of cargo and passengers were, therefore, more difficult, the old pier is nowadays a pleasant walk that everybody takes at evening time, during the many calm nights of Porto Santo.

Costa Magica and Independence of the Seas

After several weeks of Summer weather, this Saturday saluted us in Funchal bay with a grey dawn and rainy conditions. Better than nothing, at least we had no wind for the morning manoeuvres. I started the day with the entrance of the Costa Magica, at 0730 (LT) in the morning, immediately followed by the Independence of the Seas arrival manoeuvre, piloted by my fellow colleague Orlando Figueiredo.

The Costa Magica alongside pier nº2, in Pontinha breakwater, after her morning berthing manoeuvre. Photo by Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3.

Pilot Card:

Ships name: Costa Magica
IMO number: 9239795
Type: Cruise vessel
LOA: 272.19 mts
Beam: 35.50 mts
Summer displacement: 51387.3 t
Max draft on manoeuvre: 8.11 mts
Propulsion: Diesel-electric - Two propeller shafts - two fixed pitch propellers - 40 Mw total propulsion power
Pitch: N/A
Rudder: 2
Bow thruster: 3 (total power: 5160 Kw)
Stern Thruster: 3 (total power: 5160 Kw)

The Independence of the Seas approaching the  nº3 berth of Pontinha in a rainy Saturday morning. Photo by Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3.

Seabourn Spirit

On the past 2 of April, we received in Funchal the Seabourn Spirit. Coming from Fort Lauderdale and heading to Gibraltar, the Seabourn Spirit is a luxury small cruise ship where the passengers can certainly have a more relaxed experience of a voyage by sea. As in shore tourism, the cruise tourist is divided in two main categories: the ones that enjoy the crowds and the ones that hate it. My feeling is that the passenger that searches for a cruise in the Seabourn Spirit belongs to the later one. On my short walk from the Pilot ladder to the bridge, you could almost hear a pine needle hit the deck. All was quiet and peaceful and I'm almost certain that you have as much crew members as passengers on board. And that fact, normally, in this industry, is a statement of quality.

Anyway, we seamen are a big family worldwide and after a few years in the Pilotage service, particularly in a such a cosmopolitan port as Funchal, we get to know the ships and the crews quite well. So it was a pleasure to meet once again Captain David Bathgate and his crew on this short transit call, while heading to the Mediterranean.

Our new Pilot boat "Ilhéu do Lido" approaching the Seabourn Spirit by her Starboard side, for Pilot boarding, on her arrival to Funchal, in a calm April noon.

Pilot Card:

Ships name: Seabourn Spirit
IMO number: 8807997
Type: Cruise vessel
LOA: 133.40 mts
Beam: 19.00 mts
Summer displacement: 6820 t
Max draft on manoeuvre: 5.42 mts
Propulsion: Two engines - two variable pitch propellers - 10000 HP total
Pitch: N/A
Rudder: 2 - Schilling Semi-balanced
Bow thruster: 588 Kw
Stern Thruster: N/A

The Seabourn Spirit mascot, here over the gyro repeater, standing on watch on the ships bridge, while the vessel is in port.

Our new toy

The two new Pilot boats we were expecting finally arrived. They should replace both existing Pilot boats, Cte Valério de Andrade and Cte Cristiano de Sousa, on service in Funchal and Caniçal. These new buildings are Portuguese constructions from Peniche and, so far, are surprising all of us by the positive side. During the present Sunday, I've been using one of them (the "Ilhéu do Lido") for our daily manoeuvres, in a day that started around 0800 with the berthing of the cruise ship Kristina Katarina and finished with the departure of the same one and the arrival of the Aida Sol.

The Kristina Katarina alongside in Pontinha, Funchal. A former Russian ferry, the ship now operates under Finnish flag and is a living example of the soviet merchant marine constructions of the Cold War Era, during witch the vessels had to serve a dual purpose: working in peace time and at war. For that matter, the vessel is spartan in terms of operation and the bridge is very simple, relying mostly on outdated technical systems that are, nevertheless, fully reliable when facing magnetic or electrical anomalies, consequence of nuclear explosions.

Pilot Card:

Ships name: Kristina Katarina
IMO number: 7625811
Type: Cruise vessel
LOA: 137.10 mts
Beam: 21.00 mts
Summer displacement: 9901 t
Max draft on manoeuvre: 5.90 mts
Propulsion: Two engines - two fixed propellers - Gearbox
Pitch: N/A
Rudder: 2 - Semi-balanced
Bow thruster: 600 Kw
Stern Thruster: 300 Kw

Our new Pilot boat, the "Ilhéu do Lido":

And another photo of her:

General characteristics:

Name: Ilhéu do Lido

LOA: 12.52 mts

Breath: 4.10 mts

Draft: 0.85 mts

Propulsion: 2 IVECO N67 350 HP 3000rpm, 2 fixed propellers

Max. speed: 24 kts

Service speed: 20 kts

Crew: 2 (Pilot boat master and motorman)

Passengers: 4

My idea of Paradise

The concept of Heaven or Paradise is different for all of us. If you are a religious soul, Heaven is mostly a place in your mind. An utopic dream of eternity and happiness. For others, for the more practical minded, Heaven is a place on Earth (thanks Belinda!). I belong to this second group. Not that I don't fancy the idea of life after death. It's quite appealing, actually. After a lifetime of work and (almost) no fun in the lower level of the atmosphere, who isn't teased by the idea of enjoying the eternity in a penthouse on the highest condo of the block?

Well, regardless of that post-mortem prize we all are supposed to get, I think we should make an effort to find it here. In our lifetime.

It can also be a place within us (probably it always is), like several oriental philosophies praise for centuries. But for the vast majority of us, Heaven is, normally, a physical place and a time.

Struggling with an attempt for a concrete definition (we humans are so analytical), I would say that, to me, Paradise is a place in this good old Earth where I would love to spend my last days. And although I'm in love for the mountains since my childhood and run to them in every free weekend, I couldn't consider the idea, as a senior citizen (if I last that long), to spend among the highest peaks my last years of life. No Sir. Too cold. And I guess by that time, we all, more or less, suffer a little bit from rheumatism. Too isolated, also. So that means no roads, no cinemas, no malls (well, that's hardly an inconvenience). But, above all, no people. And how many of us want to die alone? So the mountains have their role. Certainly. When we climb them we feel closer to something divine. Place us closer to that biblical idea of Heaven. And, for that matter, the actual mountain high is irrelevant. As long as we are above the clouds. Also, the light air makes us think smart things (or is it oxygen deprivation?).

However, after all this enlightenment, it's always good to return to the valleys, to the actual world of mankind where we belong.

Therefore mountains are far from being my idea of Heaven. To me, they are just therapeutic. It's a bit like Jesus’ forty days sojourn in the Judean desert. He went there because He needed answers. Not because it was a particularly interesting place to visit.

So, my paradise on Earth is at a quite lower altitude. Near sea level, to be precise. It has to have tepid and peaceful salt waters, a coral reef at the distance, nice people, pure white sands and coconut trees leaning over our heads. Sharks are dispensable.

I can honestly feel that I've found this place one year ago. More than a place, it's a region: all the coastal area of the Pernambuco state, from the city of Recife to the border of Alagoas. Along a stripe of a few hundred kilometres, we can see some of the most wonderful beaches of Brasil. But, to me, Tamandaré beats them all. Distant about one hundred kilometres from the state capital, Tamandaré is a peaceful small town of 20.000 persons that, for the time being, manages to be free from the massified tourism that invaded the nearby Porto de Galinhas. This calm fishing village is, for the time being, my idea of paradise.

Not so well known to the foreign tourists, Tamandaré is for decades one of the most important resorts in Brasil for it's internal tourism. The proximity of Porto de Galinhas, with it's massive international touristic offer, allowed this gem to pass the years almost untouched. Nevertheless, expensive holiday mansions located by the seaside, belonging either to wealthier Brazilian or foreign citizens, are becoming common. How can we blame them? 

The seaside avenue of Tamandaré. Here you will find plenty of snack-bars (the "quiosques) by the beach where you can eat some nice Brazilian meals, while listening some live folk music. Strangely, the place, although touristic, is never too crowded.You will always find tourists walking around, even in the low season when they are in shorter numbers. However, You will always have the sense that this friendly town is only for you.

The Tamandaré fortress (Forte de Santo Inácio de Tamandaré) is a Vauban-style fortress rebuilt in the XIX century over the previous Portuguese fortress from the XVII century. The monument, with elegant architecture, is a mandatory visit in the village. Sadly it's interior is in a state of ruin. The Tamandaré lighthouse, seen in the picture, is erected within the fortress perimeter.

No enemies to face anymore.

The guns at Tamandaré fortress face the sea and the ancient stories of the Portuguese-Dutch wars.

Regardless of becoming a touristic place, Tamandaré remains a fishing village. Aside from the normal power boats, this small industry still relies on the typical Pernambuco raft for its purposes. Steered with an oar, they also have a movable fin keel secured in either port or starboard. The propulsion is normally achieved with a Latin sail and also, sometimes, with a small outboard engine.

Evening light in Tamandaré beach.

In the Winter season, with the whole beach for himself, a biker faces the evening sun in Tamandaré beach.

The Pousada Beira-Mar, in Tamandaré.

The Pousada Beira-Mar is one of the many friendly and family-owned hostels that already exists in Tamandaré. Dedicated to a more easy-going and peace-driven kind of tourism (if you want a five star resort, you can go to the nearby Porto de Galinhas), these small hostels have, nevertheless, excellent conditions, sometimes even with wireless Internet. So, if you hate to hear noise, dealing with drunken guests and enjoy the idea of sharing "your" home away from home with a maximum of fifteen people, then you came to the right place.

It seems that in Brazil Carnival never really ends. Carnival confetti hanging in a restaurant of Tamandaré.

Coconuts in the Tamandaré street market.

The fabulous Praia dos Carneiros, 7 kilometres North of Tamandaré. Believe me, the five mile walk, along the coast, between Tamandaré and Carneiros is, probably, one of the best beach walks that you can make in this God's Earth. Just take a bottle of fresh water, a hat, a t-shirt and a pair of "Havaianas" with you.