After a rough sail southwards from Iceland, dodging icebergs along the way, we finally make landfall about 10 days after leaving Reykjavik Harbor. At 39’30’ North, 31’ 10” West we reach Corvo.

Corvo

Flores

Most of the islands were or are still volcanic. Many have hot springs. The Azores are one of the the highest mountain ranges in the world after Hawaii.

Faial

Pico

The mild mid North Atlantic is not known for snow – but Pico is snowcapped half the year.

São Jorge

Though in the high 30’s North Latitude ,São Jorge has an almost tropical feel.

Terceira

From here one can fly to Lisbon, and in the summer – to Boston.

Graciosa

São Miguel

Santa Maria

And now, we continue to the Portuguese islands of Madeira.  An interesting note – almost all the islands of the Atlantic speak either Portuguese ,English or Spanish– or dialects thereof.

An ideal sailing trip to visit all the Atlantic Islands would take about 12 to 18 months, leaving Iceland in the late spring ,witha first stop in the Azores. By the beginning of the Antarctic summer, the boat would be in the far South Atlantic , visting Tristan da Cunha,South Georgia and the Malvinas ( known as the Falklands by the British), before turning back north to visit the Brazilian islands, on to Bermuda, St. Pierre and back to Iceland.

ArcticTropic Blog is beginning a series on the Mid Atlantic Islands – stretching 10,000 miles along the volcanic Mid Atlantic Ridge. We will start with South Georgia, onwards to Tristan da Cunha  and all the way up through St.Helena , the Azores and Iceland. Many of these islands are extremely difficult to reach – but the rewards are great for those who make the effort.