Porto Santo is a small (11km by 6km) island of volcanic origin surrounded by gold sandy beaches and turquoise water (one is immediately reminded of the Caribbean). Large palm trees and colorful hibiscus and bougainvillea flowers decorate her interior which has only about 5,000 inhabitants and one town, Vila Baleira, where Christopher Columbus lived for many years. The town feels wonderfully Portuguese – old world charm yet modern – and offers most important amenities including several pastelarias and a bench filled square with free WiFi, which is where my captain has spent most of his time.
The town is a 15 minute walk along a beach rimmed shore line from the marina. The marina offers basic necessities but overall it pales, especially the dock, compared to the last three marinas we’ve visited. We are the only sailboat in the harbor, another sign that we are late to head south.
Next stop is the larger island and namesake of the archipelago,
Madeira.
Upon arrival we knew we should have allowed more time to explore the unique island of Madeira. The island is comprised of steep once volcanic peaks that rise sharply out of the sea. There are no sandy beaches, only dramatic mountainsides or cliffs created through erosion. One side of Madeira is lush while the other is more arid as shown in my photos. Quinta do Lorde Marina is at the end of the arid side. The island is laced with man-made terraces that allow for farming (and hinder erosion), and tunnels through the mountains.
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