Day: Nov 23 2023
Time: 8 o’clock
Temperature: 12 Celsius
Sea state: 0
Wind: 1
Lattitude: 32 degrees 38 minutes North
Longitude: 16 degrees 54 minutes West
Avg Speed in the last 24 hours: 0
Distance in the last 24 hours: 0
Total distance travelled: 0
Total distance to destination: 1900 km
Sailing status: N/A
Log keeper(s): Gus
Hello from the picturesque island of Madeira! We made landfall yesterday and since then it’s been nothing but stunning island scenery, vibrant coastal cityscape, and an absurd amount of Christian Ronaldo iconography.
My day began as most do, with a hardy breakfast on the Alex followed by Colors on deck. Today was Francesca’s birthday so, in a grim ritual that I can only assume carried over from a darker time, we sang happy birthday while buckets of frigid water were poured down upon her from the foredeck. What little solace she could take from the ordeal came in the form of Schadenfreude as she was able to give the water pourers wet hugs afterwards.
With colors taken care of I hustled off to get ready for the main event of my day: a driving tour around the West side of the island with Hunter and his family. The trip took us both up and over and down and around the island. While driving up and down the winding roads and sharp switchbacks of the island’s hills, we were witness to the unique environmental features of Madeira. The great verticality of the once volcanic island, combined with the different conditions of its windward and leeward sides, leads to Madeira having a total of six climate zones. Due to this, different parts of the island grow drastically different crops and raise different animals. This meant you could be driving through terraced hills of banana trees, go through a tunnel, and find yourself in a vineyard.
Needless to say we all left the tour feeling that the island deserved far more attention than we’d be able to give it in our limited time here. So, to all reading this (who aren’t already here), I would highly recommend you keep Madeira on your radar when you’re planning that big family vacation or summer getaway! (And when you get here tell ‘em Gus sent you 😉)
