Today we set foot on the island of Terceira, where a group of active hikers walked a beautiful trail along the coast, the Baías da Agualva. It was a beautifully sunny day with blue skies, green surroundings, and many singing birds. Graciosa, the last island we visited, has many invasive trees, so it was interesting to see the endemic trees here in Terceira, including the Juniperus brevifolia, Erica azorica, and the Morella faya. In the meantime, others were headed for a scenic tour to experience the beautiful vistas the island has to offer. The afternoon highlighted different walks throughout the region: a photo tour, a nature hike, or free roaming through the city of Angra do Heroísmo, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
4/16/2025
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National Geographic Endurance
Santa Maria
Santa Maria welcomed us with cloudy, rainless skies. Our most committed hikers set out early for a strenuous walk down from the cloud forest. Their long descent was rewarded by views of the red clay “desert” at Barreiro da Faneca. Another group started at the Church of Santo Espírito, and ended at Maia, just by the sea. They had the chance to see the amazing precipitous Aveiro Waterfall and then braved the multiple steps down the cliffside. The people that preferred to explore the island on the scenic tour visited a multitude of places, from tiny little churches (including the one where Columbus stopped to pray after getting to the New World) and other viewpoints. They also got to see the star-shaped yellow flowers of Aichryson santamariensis, an endemic plant recently described. In the afternoon we had talks by Gemina Garland-Lewis on whaling and whale watching in the Azores, and Sergei Ponomarenko spoke on the geological history of the Azores. The star of the day was a blue whale who graced us by feeding close to National Geographic Endurance during our crossing from Santa Maria to São Miguel. At night, Rafael Carvalho, a local master musician played Viola da Terra, the Azorean guitar. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day.
