Madeira Island Ultra Trail 2012

On the past 9th of June I had the pleasure of being on the Pico Ruívo, early in the morning, waiting for the passage of the Madeira Island Ultra Trail competitors.

Already on the fourth edition, this event is getting more and more worldwide respect year after year. Since my fellow photo colleague Paulo was also a participant in the 55 kms race, I've decided to wake up early that day and proceed to Pico Ruívo, where I arrived at 9 am, just to have the pleasure of watching them passing by.

By that time the check point of Pico Ruívo was already operational, since the first athletes, that left Machico at midnight, were passing by at 5 am.

Overall, it was a nice show for the (few) people watching there, and while the dozens of athletes were passing by I could guess by the happiness shown in their eyes that the MIUT 2012, still a long way to be finished, was already a huge sucess.

Next year, if I have the guts, I'll join them.

Paulo Rodrigues, one of the athletes competing on the 55 kms race, arriving to the Pico Ruívo check point. Next stop would be Encumeada, about twelve kilometres away, running over the central massif and along one of the most beautiful trails of Madeira.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.
Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

The Spanish athlete Cristina Abrié hiking the trail above the Pico Ruívo mountain hut. The smile on her face says it all about the competition, the nice weather and the comraderie that grassed in the mountains during that remarkable day. 300 participants and 16 nationalities.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Curral das Freiras at evening time

A couple of years ago, while returning from a hike to Pico Grande, I waited a moment at the car parking of Boca da Corrida while the sunset light was making its magic. Sadly, I wasn't so lucky. The atmosphere was clear and not a single cloud in the sky. So, I had to forget the idea of dramatic light over the surrounding landscape. However, since I was in one of the most vertiginous belvederes in Madeira and facing her most profound valley, I waited a little bit longer for the best equilibrium between shadow and highlights. Since I've forgotten my neutral density degradées at home, the perfect exposure was an idea to forget. Therefore I metered to the blue sky, hoping that the artificial lights of the village bellow made its contribution to avoid a complete blackness on the lower half of the composition.

Bracketed a few shots.

This one seemed to be the best.

Picture taken with Nikon D40X and cheap Nikkor DX 18-55mm f/1:3.5-5.6G AF-S VR kit lens.
Original file in RAW format converted for JPEG.
Post-processing and minor corrections with Adobe Photoshop CS3.
Manfrotto tripod and ball-head.

Travelling palm tree

Palm tree having a fun ride along the highway, in Madeira.

M/V Ruby in Caniçal

Friday afternoon in Caniçal and another calm day in our second port, only punctuated by the departure manoeuvre of the Motor/Vessel Ruby. Property of my former employer, the German shipowner Briese Schiffahrt, from Leer, the M/V Ruby is a Chinese-built construction and presently chartered by the Portuguese shipowner Empresa de Navegação Madeirense. With Gibraltar flag, the vessel is presently commanded by the Portuguese Merchant Marine Captain António Curto.

Pilot Card:
Ship's name: M/V Ruby
IMO number: 9251509
Type: Container carrier
LOA: 100.60 mts
Beam: 18.80 mts
Summer displacement: 8561 t
Max draft on manoeuvre: 6.70 mts
Propulsion: MAK main engine, one propeller, variable-pitch propeller
Pitch: Right-handed
Rudder: 1 Becker rudder
Bow thruster: 1 (total power: 350 KW)
Stern thruster: N

Summer festivities in Madeira

Since our early years as a nation, almost nine hundred years ago, we Portuguese were always voyagers. Although immersed in a strong cultural identitarian bond, for us the physical Portugal was always to small. It was and it is home, granted. But just not big enough for the dreamy people living in it. So, after the independence in 1143 and the unification of the nation in 1249 we ended up in a dead alley with nothing more to do. I guess those following years were quite depressing, with everybody looking to each other, searching for answers to the question "what shall we do now?".

So we packed our bags and started the Discoveries, following Mark Twain's advice that traveling was mortal for the vices. That decision made us a country of emigrants, right in the fifteen century.

From those days on, our diaspora led us to the far corners of the world. First to Africa, Asia and Brasil, during our golden age of maritime expeditions. And finally, in more recent times, to the central Europe, to the United States, to Canada, to Venezuela and to South Africa.

These two later countries, in particular, are home, for decades, of a well established Madeira community.

And once every year, normally during the Summer months, many of these compatriots return to Portugal to see their loved ones, family and friends. It's a time full of popular festivities, many of them also included in the catholic tradition.

It's a season of joy in Portugal. From the North to the South. In Madeira and in Açores. Those three Summer months are, for many people, the best part of the year. And their homeland makes the best to welcome them.

Here, in Madeira, those days already started. With the small (and not so small) towns all over the island competing for the more beautiful street decoration and for the biggest religious procession.

Arco de São Jorge is a small village on the North coast of Madeira´deservedly proud of her Summer festivities.

A couple of years ago, while driving around, looking for photo opportunities, I had the good fortune of arriving there while the decorations were being made and placed all over the streets.

Particularly, the flower tapestries placed on the roads, although not originals to the village, took my breath away.

The streets of Arco de São Jorge, during a Summer festivity. Picture taken with Nikon D40X.
Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G kit lens.
Post-processing with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Building the flower tapestries takes some time and dedication...

Picture taken with Nikon D40X.
Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G kit lens.
Post-processing with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

... but the results can be astonishing.
Picture taken with Nikon D40X.
Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G kit lens.
Post-processing with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

The Catholic Church has a very important and secular presence in our Portuguese identity. Madeira is no exception. Many of the Summer festivities in Portugal are religious ones. Mostly celebrating the patron saint of the villages and towns.
The religious procession is a very important part in all those celebrations. Like here, in Arco de São Jorge.
Picture taken with Nikon D40X.
Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G kit lens.
Post-processing with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Fanal - In the heart of the Laurissilva forest

I've read somewhere that the early Madeira discoverers found an island covered in a dense, enchanted and pristine subtropical forest. Quite similar to the one existing in the continental Europe, before the last glaciation age, some 20000 years ago, wiped it out of the map. The forest that we, nowadays, know by the name of "Laurissilva". By our present standards, this was, probably, a natural paradise.

But... being us what we are... things wouldn't last too long. As soon as the first settlers arrived on the island they started the deforestation of the South coast with the objective of cleaning the ground for agricultural purposes. However, doing it with saw and axe was to much of a trouble, so they opted instead for the use of matches. And they torched the island.

According to the historians, the fires were so big and vast that several years later the island was still burning and, as a consequence, a large part of her natural heritage was lost forever.

Thankfully, most of that nonsense intervention was made along the South coast, where the climate was gentler and the land was attractive for farming. The vast majority of the North coast, however, with its harsh weather and abrupt orography, was spared from a similar fate.

So, presently, the surviving ancient Laurissilva forest in Madeira occupies an area that goes from Santana to Porto Moniz, passing thru the high peaks of the Central Massif and Paúl da Serra until the large valleys of Ribeira do Seixal and Ribeira da Janela. Amidst these two, hanging at the Northwest edge of the plateau formation called Paúl da Serra, lies the forest park known as "Fanal". My brother's visit to Madeira was the catalyst I needed to explore that remote corner of the island. Suspended between land and sea and between past and present, the Fanal is a time travel within your spirit and in your senses. And surprised both of us.

It truly is the heart of the Laurissilva forest.

The entrance to the Fanal park, as seen from the wooden stairway leading to the forest house.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Rock formation on the NW part of the park and facing the Ribeira Funda valley.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Under the canopy of an ancient tree, aiming the lens to the distant horizon.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

The secular and primeval vegetation of Fanal gives the park a otherworldly atmosphere.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Besides birds and bugs, the sole permanent occupants of the place are cool cows.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

My brother Rui approaching a vertiginous cliff, from where we had a magnificent vista over the Ribeira Funda valley.

Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.

Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

The grassy Fanal plateau, from a nearby hill. On the top of the picture you can see a artificial pond, used for livestock watering.
Picture made with Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 1:3.5-5.6/14-42mm Asph. lens.
Post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS3.

MS Riviera

A new construction, about one year old, the M/S Riviera was our visit today, here in Funchal. Coming from Motril, Spain, and bounding for La Palma. Today's call was her first among us.

Picture taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3.


Pilot Card:
Ships name: M/V Riviera
IMO number: 9438078
Type: Cruise ship
LOA: 239.30 mts
Beam: 32.20 mts
Summer displacement: 35902.2 t
Max draft on manoeuvre: 7.30 mts
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, two variable pitch propellers, 24 MW total propulsion power
Pitch: N/A
Rudder: 2, Independent Semi-Spade
Bow thruster: 2 (total power: 4400 KW)
Stern thruster: 1 (total power: 1900KW)