Peter Azevedo, the Sailors’ Friend, Has Passed Away

Created by doina. Last modified on 2005-11-21 11:30:10
Countries: Azores

Peter Azevedo, whose Café Sport in Horta is probably the best known watering hole among sailors anywhere in the world, passed away last week shortly after his 80th birthday. At any time of day and long into the night the blue-fronted café overlooking the port of Horta on the Azorean island of Faial is full of sailors from the many yachts that call there. Their autographed ensigns, pennants and club burgees are displayed five and six deep on the walls or pinned to the wooden ceiling. Interspersed with the countless flags are many gifts received by Peter from visiting yachtsmen as a token of gratitude for the welcome extended to every sailor by this warm-hearted man.

According to family lore, the tradition was started by Peter’s grandfather who greeted Joshua Slocum during the solo navigator’s visit to Horta on his yacht Spray in 1896. Unfortunately that historic encounter is not documented, but this is more than made up by the detailed recordings of the many yachts that passed through Horta in the following one hundred years. The second known yacht to make landfall at Horta was also from the USA, Sea Bird, which called in 1921. During the 1920s and 30s the number of yachts increased to two or three a year, then their number doubled and after the second world war the trickle became a flood. In recent years, the number of yachts calling at Horta has grown to over one thousand yachts per year.

In 1966 Peter started his first guest book of which there are now over sixty. Looking through the early books feels like reading a history of modern yachting with all the famous names cropping up again and again: Eric and Susan Hiscock on Wanderer III, Humphrey Barton on Rose Rambler, Eric Tabarly on Pen Duick, Mike Richey on Jester, David Lewis on Rehu Moana, Francis Chichester on Gipsy Moth and many many others.

“I try to do my best for everyone, not just for famous people or old friends” Peter told me when I first called in Horta in 1987. His words echoed the philosophy of his father Henrique, who was equally famous in welcoming strangers to those shores. Their name travelled far and wide, the magazine Newsweek listed Café Sport among the world’s best ten bars and the modest café has been featured in several television programmes.

Straddling the transatlantic migration routes of whales as well as yachts, the Azores have a long tradition of whaling, which is reflected in Peter’s other passion, a unique collection of scrimshaw. Hundreds of beautifully carved whale’s teeth form the core of this vast personal collection which is now a museum. Café Sport’s middle floor has been fitted with display cabinets to house Peter’s scrimshaws, as well as his most cherished yachting mementoes.

“Although I get a lot satisfaction from welcoming visitors to my café, I would like to leave behind something durable, both for myself and for this island.” Peter’s concern for the future was understandable as a few years ago he suffered a stroke that left him almost disabled. Peter has now gone to meet some of his many sailing friends, but he leaves behind a tradition that is being kept alive by his son Jose. He also leaves behind a warm affection among the thousands of sailors who were always welcomed with open arms by this modest and caring man.

Jimmy Cornell, Aventura III