French Polynesia and the Society Islands
07 April 2025
After the visit to Porto Santo, we sailed to the larger island of Madeira. We got a place at the marina on the south-eastern part of the island, Quinta do Lorde, and arrived at about the same time as our Swedish boat neighbors on Aurora. This is the island of flowers! If you come here in the spring, it will be a spectacular scene of colors from all the flowering trees and plants. Now, at the beginning of October, it is not as colorful but still much greener than on the neighboring island of Porto Santo. It felt a little provocative to see that the hibiscus plants were still blooming and being used as hedge plants here. We who, at home in Sweden, struggled to keep them alive, as potted plants indoors... Maybe that says as much about our cultivation ability as the climate differences...
Madeira stretches over 1800 m above sea level, which contributes to more precipitation as the clouds are pushed upwards and leave behind moisture and rain. Although the water is unevenly distributed over the island, it is relatively fertile. Just as in Porto Santo, early on, inhabitants have tried to take advantage of the water and lead it on through so-called levadas, small water channels that lead water down to the cultivation areas. To access these, the surface of the mountain slopes has been redistributed so that it looks like small terraces. These have been reinforced in several places and are now used as popular hiking trails. Large parts of Madeira are covered by these trails, which are fairly well maintained, but even so, there are sometimes fatal accidents when tourists fall down the cliff edges!
We could not rent a motorcycle on the island, it was not recommended, said the helpful girls at the marina. Instead, we rented a car to look around the island. During a whole day we drove around to different places. We visited both the northern and southern parts and tried to avoid all the tunnels in order to see as much as possible of the places we traveled through. It probably contributed to the fact that it took an extra-long time as we had to drive on small winding roads around high, steep mountain ranges. In many places, the mountain sides consisted mostly of petrified ash, which makes them extra porous. Gravel and stone are constantly loosened and stones roll onto the roads. Here, too, we could see fantastic formations, formed when lava flows forced their way up through older layers of volcanic ash. We sat like two wide-eyed owls and looked out the car window and marveled!
In the middle of the island there is a now well-protected primeval forest "The Laurisilva of Madeira". It is a subtropical rainforest that is a preserved remnant from over 15-40 million years ago when this type of forest covered large parts of southern Europe. In the Laurisilva forest there is a great diversity of species and several endemic species that therefore only live here. The forest is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is said that there are trees here that are over 800 years old and that therefore lived before the Portuguese came to the island! We passed by the forest and both got a nice feeling from all the green that surrounded us. We probably missed Sweden's forests, we realized afterwards...
Madeira, like Porto Santo, has been used as a base for further voyages of discovery to the west. Wheat was first grown here and then, for a period, sugar beet. Slaves were used as labor on these plantations. Now we could see how the banana plantations had taken over and we learned that the organic cultivation methods are becoming more and more widespread. They are also trying to find better alternatives to the plastic bags with which they cover the banana logs to create an optimal microclimate.
One day we decided to try a hiking trail. We walked along the mountain ridge that stretches towards the southeastern tip of the island and plunges down to the sea. We were far from alone and as time went on, more visitors appeared on the trails in the heat. During our hike, we marveled at the various colorful petrified layers of ash and various streaks of dark basalt that ran across the ash layers. In addition, we could see how large stones were embedded in the volcanic ash and protruded like small bombs from the cliff walls. We had no idea how all this came about and really missed someone who could explain it to us. When we had walked for a while, we were joined by a Canadian lady who curiously asked if we were geologists? Surprised, we replied that we were just interested tourists. She laughed and said that her husband, who was a geologist himself, saw us and swore that we were experts because we were standing and pointing and discussing exactly the places, he himself thought were interesting. Of course, we were completely unaware of what we were looking at, but now we saw our chance! We started a conversation with the couple and it soon turned out that their son played in an ice hockey team in Hofors, Sweden! Eventually, when we felt we had familiarized ourselves enough, we took the opportunity to ask the man if he would be willing to tell us anything about the volcanic remains, we had seen in the area. Oh, the wife warned us. You will be given a lecture!âŠ
A bit later we knew much more about the island's geology! đ
As the forecast showed favorable winds, we quickly decided to set off again, although we would have liked to have stayed a little longer in Madeira. The Spanish courtesy flag was once more raised and after 1.5 days we were in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Now we stay anchored on the south side of the island and are planning for the coming weeks. At the end of October/beginning of November, we take a short break (also in blog posting), leave the boat on one of the islands here and travel to Sweden to, among other things, take care of the house where we keep our things. A house that we now redeemed from the previous owner. Then we will travel back to the boat and continue our adventure!
If anyone knows a nice couple or family who wants to rent a house in Stigen, FĂ€rgelanda, please contact us! đ
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Efter besöket pĂ„ Porto Santo, seglade vi till den större ön Madeira. Vi fick plats pĂ„ marinan pĂ„ sydöstra delen av ön, Quinta do Lorde och anlĂ€nde ungefĂ€r samtidigt som vĂ„ra svenska bĂ„tgrannar pĂ„ Aurora. Detta Ă€r blommornas ö! Kommer man hit pĂ„ vĂ„ren sĂ„ lĂ€r det vara ett spektakulĂ€rt skĂ„despel av fĂ€rger frĂ„n alla blommande trĂ€d och vĂ€xter. Nu, i början av oktober Ă€r det inte lika fĂ€rgglatt men Ă€ndĂ„ mycket grönare Ă€n pĂ„ grannön Porto Santo. Lite provocerande kĂ€ndes det att se att hibiskusplantorna fortfarande blommade och anvĂ€nds som hĂ€ckvĂ€xter hĂ€r. Vi som, hemma i Sverige, kĂ€mpat med att hĂ„lla dem vid liv, som krukvĂ€xter inomhus⊠Kanske sĂ€ger det lika mycket om vĂ„r odlingsförmĂ„ga som klimatskillnadernaâŠ
Madeira strĂ€cker sig över 1800 m över havet vilket bidrar till mer nederbörd dĂ„ molnen pressas uppĂ„t och lĂ€mnar ifrĂ„n sig fukt och regn. Ăven om vattnet Ă€r ojĂ€mnt fördelat över ön sĂ„ Ă€r det relativt bördigt. Precis som pĂ„ Porto Santo har man tidigt försökt ta vara pĂ„ vattnet och leda det vidare genom s k levador, smĂ„ vattenkanaler som leder ner vatten till odlingsomrĂ„dena. För att komma Ă„t dessa har ytan pĂ„ bergssluttningarna fördelats om sĂ„ att det ser ut som smĂ„ terrasser. Dessa har pĂ„ flera stĂ€llen förstĂ€rkts och anvĂ€nds numera som populĂ€ra vandringsleder. Stora delar av Madeira tĂ€cks av dessa leder som visserligen underhĂ„lls hyfsat bra men trots det intrĂ€ffar det ibland dödsolyckor nĂ€r turister faller nerför klippkanterna!
NĂ„gon motorcykel kunde vi inte hyra pĂ„ ön, det var inte att rekommendera sa de hjĂ€lpsamma tjejerna pĂ„ marinan. IstĂ€llet hyrde vi bil för att se oss omkring pĂ„ ön. Under en hel dag körde vi runt till olika stĂ€llen. Vi besökte bĂ„de den norra och den södra delen och försökte undvika alla tunnlar för att kunna se sĂ„ mycket som möjligt av platserna vi reste igenom. Det bidrog sĂ€kert till att det tog extra lĂ„ng tid dĂ„ vi fick köra pĂ„ smĂ„ vindlande vĂ€gar runt höga, branta bergsmassiv. PĂ„ mĂ„nga stĂ€llen bestod bergskanterna mest av förstenad aska vilket gör dem extra porösa. Grus och sten lossnar ideligen och stenar rullar ut pĂ„ vĂ€garna. Ăven hĂ€r kunde vi se fantastiska formationer som bildats nĂ€r nar lavaströmmar pressat sin vĂ€g upp genom Ă€ldre lager av vulkanaska. Vi satt som tvĂ„ storögda ugglor och tittade ut genom bilfönstret och förundrades!
Mitt pĂ„ ön finns en numera vĂ€l skyddad urskog âThe Laurisilva of Madeiraâ. Det Ă€r en subtropisk regnskog som Ă€r en bevarad rest frĂ„n över 15-40 miljoner Ă„r sedan dĂ„ den hĂ€r typen av skog tĂ€ckte stora delar av södra Europa. I laurisilvaskogen finns en stor artrikedom och flera endemiska arter som alltsĂ„ bara lever hĂ€r. Skogen Ă€r uppsatt pĂ„ UNESCO:s vĂ€rldsarvslista. HĂ€r sĂ€gs det finnas trĂ€d som Ă€r över 800 Ă„r gamla och som alltsĂ„ levde innan portugiserna kom till ön! Vi passerade förbi skogen och fick bĂ„da en skön kĂ€nsla av allt det gröna som omgav oss. Vi saknade nog Sveriges skogar, konstaterade vi efterĂ„tâŠ
Madeira har, liksom Porto Santo, anvÀnts som bas för vidare upptÀcktsresor vÀsterut. HÀr odlades först vete och dÀrefter, under en period, sockerbetor. PÄ dessa plantager anvÀndes slavar som arbetskraft. Nu kunde vi se hur bananodlingarna tagit över och vi lÀste oss till att de ekologiska odlingssÀtten blir mer och mer spridda. Man försöker ocksÄ hitta bÀttre alternativ till de plastpÄsar som man tÀcker bananstockarna med för att skapa ett optimalt mikroklimat.
En dag beslöt vi oss för att prova en vandringsled. Vi gick lĂ€ngs den bergsrygg som strĂ€cker sig mot öns sydöstra spets och stupar ner mot havet. Vi var lĂ„ngt frĂ„n ensamma och ju lĂ€ngre tiden gick, desto fler besökare dök upp pĂ„ stigarna i hettan. Under vĂ„r vandring sĂ„g vi förundrat pĂ„ de olika fĂ€rggranna förstenade lagren av aska och olika strĂ„k av mörk basalt som gick tvĂ€rs över asklagren. Dessutom kunde vi se hur stora stenar lĂ„g inbĂ€ddade i vulkanaskan och stack fram som smĂ„ bomber frĂ„n klippvĂ€ggarna. Vi hade ingen aning om hur allt detta kommit till och saknade verkligen nĂ„gon som kunde förklara för oss. NĂ€r vi gĂ„tt en stund pĂ„ stigen sĂ„ fick vi sĂ€llskap av en kanadensisk dam som nyfiket frĂ„gade om vi var geologer? FörvĂ„nat svarade vi att vi bara var intresserade turister. Hon skrattade och sa att hennes man, som sjĂ€lv var geolog, fĂ„tt syn pĂ„ oss och svurit pĂ„ att vi var Ă€mneskunniga eftersom vi stĂ„tt och pekat och diskuterat pĂ„ just de platser han sjĂ€lv tyckte var intressanta. Vi var ju naturligtvis helt ovetande om vad vi tittat pĂ„ men nu sĂ„g vi vĂ„r chans! Vi kom i samsprĂ„k med paret och det visade sig snart att deras son gĂ€stspelade i ett ishockeylag i Hofors. SĂ„ smĂ„ningom, nĂ€r vi kĂ€nde att vi hade bekantat oss tillrĂ€ckligt, passade vi pĂ„ att frĂ„ga mannen om han var villig att berĂ€tta nĂ„got om de vulkaniska lĂ€mningar vi sett i omrĂ„det. Oh, varnade frun. Ni kommer att fĂ„ en förelĂ€sning! âŠ
En stund senare kunde vi betydligt mer om öns geologi! đ
Eftersom prognoserna visade gynnsamma vindar beslöt vi oss snabbt för att ge oss ivÀg igen, Àven om vi gÀrna hade stannat lite lÀngre pÄ Madeira. Den spanska gÀstflaggan hissades Äter och efter 1,5 dygn var vi pÄ Lanzarote, Kanarieöarna. Nu ligger vi ankrade vid öns södra sida och planerar för de kommande veckorna. I slutet av oktober/början av november gör vi ett kort uppehÄll (Àven i bloggen), lÀmnar bÄten pÄ nÄgon av öarna hÀr och reser till Sverige för att bl a ordna med huset dÀr vi har kvar vÄra saker. Ett hus som vi nu löst ut frÄn tidigare Àgare. DÀrefter reser vi tillbaka till bÄten och fortsÀtter vÄrt Àventyr!
Om nĂ„gon kĂ€nner till ett trevligt par eller familj som vill hyra ett hus i Stigen, FĂ€rgelanda sĂ„ fĂ„r de gĂ€rna kontakta oss! đ
Island of flowers. Even in Ocober..
The landscape by car...
Amazing geology walking the trails
Banana plantations
Short movies. The sea meets the shores
Runway for Madeira's infamous airport with approach from the sea
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