Day 3 (August 7, 2021): Volcanic Everything!

Although yesterday´s drive around Faial Island provided some amazing scenic sights, today was the day to dive into the Island´s three best-known attractions: the Faial Botanical Garden, Cabeco Gordo Caldera and the Capelinho´s Volcano. Feeling the three hours´ time difference from Halifax, it was almost 10:30AM when we got away. That was after experiencing our first COVID buffet of any kind: yes, the hotel had a normal breakfast buffet - normal apart from the fact that every guest had to don a glove to handle any common serving elements. That part was a bit awkward, but hey, it all worked fine, to be honest. We had thought hotel buffets were gone forever.

So where were we... ah yes, the three top sights on Faial and a late start to our day, due to jetlag.

The Faial Botanical Garden is northeast of Horta, adjacent to the community of Flamengos, in a valley. It has been preserving the 73 endemic plant species of the Azores against the 51 invasive species that have been introduced here, including the ever-present hydrangeas.

Next, it was on to the Cabeco Gordo Caldera. ´Cabeco Gordo´ translates as ´fat mountain´. The caldera is one kilometre above sea level and is two kilometres wide. On most days, we are told, it is shrouded in cloud, and today was no exception. Photos never do communicate the scale of such entities, but being there, we were amazed at the size of the caldera and the volcano that created it.

From there, it was a drive through the interior of the island to the northwest corner of Faial - literally the westernmost point in Europe - to see the Capelinhos Volcano from 1957 and to learn about its impact on Faial and its people, just 64 years ago. It was quite a thing to experience.

We ended our day with a drive down the western and southern costs of Faial to take in the views of several ´natural pools´. With few sandy beaches but tons of rugged lava-rock coastline, the people of Faial have found a creative way to turn sharp lava and pristine ocean into wonderful relaxation oases.

We found another popular neighbourhood restaurant away from the touristy waterfront spots and enjoyed a nice Azorean meal.

Tomorrow morning, we head to the Island of Pico, whose massive volcano has been in constant view across the water during our stay here on Faial, tempting us to come see it.

Faial is the Azorean island that is most westerly situated on the European tectonic plate. The other two small Azorean islands west of Faial are on the Americas´ tectonic plate. That makes Faial the most westerly point in Europe. And the Hayes Fault runs just off the western side of Faial, making it very prone to earthquakes. A major quake in 1998 hit Faial, Pico and Sao Jorge Islands, leaving 1700 people homeless. The internet tells me there was just one quake in Faial in the last seven days - a 2.3 on the Richter Scale!

Enroute to the Botancial Garden this morning, the Flamengos valley showed some very common agricultural land on Faial. Hydrangeas were introduced here as a means of creating hedging to separate land plots, and to keep livestock from wandering. While it is stunning to see blue hydrangeas everywhere, they are a very invasive species on Faial.

The Faial Botancial Garden contains over 50 of the 73 endemic plant species known to Faial.

Even bananas grow here! While the Botanical Garden didn´t have any pineapples, a fun fact is that the Azores grows over 3 million pineapples a year. So next time you reach for one at the supermarket, know that is just might have been grown here.

The highway leading to the Cabeco Gordo Caldera is lined with hygrangeas.

Shrouded in cloud today, as it usually is, the Caldera was momentarily revealed to us! To give you a better understanding of its size, let me show you what it looks like from space, although we claim no creative responsibility for the following photo from the public domain:

After leaving the Caldera, this grumpy bull decided to own the road!

Lunch was a Galao (a tall glass containing 2/3 milk and a shot of espresso) and a Pastei de nata (the most famous Portuguese pastry, made of custard).

Inside the 2008 interpretation centre at the Capelinhos Volcano, a cement pillar evokes the sense of molten lava rising up from the Earth´s core, a very powerful representation of what happened in this place in September 1957.

The lighthouse and building at Capelinhos was started in 1893 and finished ten years later. In September 1957, it was at ground zero, when the island just offshore erupted. The brave lightkeeper stayed on for a full month, protecting the light. Eventually, the building was buried in ash to the second floor, as it exists today, but the lighthouse tower actually survived. The light is no longer in use, but we had the pleasure of climbing to the top today.

The early days of the eruption, which ultimately lasted 13 months, until October 1958.

The lighthouse today, Notice how the first floor of the building is still completely buried in ash.

That island above expanded many times over and actually became joined to the rest of Faial through the eruption process.

Notice the lighthouse´s size, as a comparison to the amount of lava and ash which resulted from the eruption to join the island to the rest of Faial.

Looking toward the lighthouse and the mountain created by the 1957 Capelinhos eruption.

Capelinhos had a whaling station that was still active in 1957 at the time of the eruption. Giant sperm whales were often killed and harvested at this station. The station was abandoned due to the eruption. Remains of the stone houses of those who worked at the station are still present, although mostly buried in volcanic debris.

The Capelinhos eruption in 1957 led to a third wave of Azorean immigration to the USA. Kennedy was responsible for the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958, which saw 6000 residents of Faial leave for the USA. These homes near Capelinhos show the direct link between the eruption and the impact on the lives of the residents of Faial, causing so many to leave permanently.

Natural swimming pools are prolific in Faial. This one at Valadouro on the west coast of Faial is a good example. Notice the diver in mid-air, on the right hand side of the photo. No, we did not go in. The Atlantic is cold, even if you´re in the Azores!