Azores : Profile

Facts

Most yachts stop in the Azores on their way east across the Atlantic, although some call on their way west or when sailing from the South Atlantic towards Northern Europe. Although hundreds of yachts call every year, very few of them cruise around the islands and the majority stop only in Horta, on the island of Faial, one of the perennially favourite places of long-distance sailors.
With their secluded bays, uncrowded anchorages and protected harbours, the rest of the Azores are still waiting to be discovered as a cruising destination in their own right.
Yachting facilities are concentrated in the 4 main ports: Horta, Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroismo and Praia da Vitoria.

The climate in the Azores is dominated by the mid-Atlantic area of high pressure which bears their name. The position of the Azores high varies with the season, being more northerly in the autumn and more southerly in the spring, usually lying to the S or SW of the islands. In winter the area can be stormy and very wet, while in the summer the Azores high can be stationary with prolonged periods of calm weather.

A long-term weather forecast can be obtained from the Meteorological Observatory in Horta; it is best to do this through Horta Marina. A daily prognosis is also posted at the offices of the marina and the port authority.