Post 10

CARA QUINN
Apr 26, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Apr 30, 2023

Madeira on Approach with the Sunrise - Wow!

As the sun began to rise over the Atlantic Ocean, we approached Madeira from the northeast. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The historic lighthouse, standing tall on its own isolated island, was the first thing that caught our attention. It was a beautiful sight to see, surrounded by the vast expanse of the blue ocean.

As we got closer, the contour of the island began to change. From the dry volcanic rock desert and grey sand beaches, the land started to transition into steep volcanic cliffs, rising up to meet the blue sky. As we sailed further towards the island, we could see miles of rising green mountains covered in trees, towering up to 6000 feet high. It looked like they were trying to engulf the white clouds that were hovering among and above them.

The island of Madeira was discovered by a trio of adventurous Portuguese sea captains, João Gonçalves Zarco, Bartolomeu Perestrelo and Tristão Vaz Teixeira, who named the island 'Madeira' for being a heavily wooded island, and its capital city Funchal for the abundance of fennel in the area.

By lunchtime, we finally arrived at Quinta do Lorde marina, our port of call after sailing 1300 nm from La Rochelle. It was time to officially checkout of France with our passports and give our boat, "Just Live," a well-earned rest until Thursday. On that day, we will continue our journey south in search of the trade winds to carry us west.

But before that, the crew had a bit of work to do. We had to clean the boat, do laundry, go shopping, explore Madeira a bit, and transition two crew members. And of course, we couldn't forget to enjoy a few pints of the local beer (“Coral”).

Madeira is a beautiful island with so much to see and do. The crew was eager to explore and experience everything that this unique place had to offer.

But for now, we were content to relax and enjoy the stunning views from the marina, watching as the sun set over the ocean, knowing that tomorrow would bring new adventures and experiences.