Cloud forest, surf beaches, rocky cliffs and swimming in the Atlantic: photos of my day exploring the south-west and west of Madeira.
I chose my route to the south-west of the island bearig in mind the weather: somewhere called Ponto do Sol at least sounds like it should be the sunnier side, and it was. That quarter of the island has the best surf and so the best surf shack beach culture even though the surf was disappointing with no-one riding it. Good coffee and cake anyhow.
On to the lighthouse on the most westerly point of Madeira, Ponto do Pargo. Nothing between here and America except ocean.
Next, I saw a double rainbow over cloud forest... that means the road was wet. Finally to Porto Moriz, which has a pretty port sheltered from the ocean but it's main tourist attraction is a swimming pool and lido set up to be regularly refreshed by the Atlantic breakers.
The pool was closed, this being January and out of tourist season, but the ocean temperature is still as warm as (!)14°C due to the Gulf Stream. Not my thing but I did see two guys coming back from a swim in one of the rock pools used to catch fish; the local fisherman used to add a plant extract to the water, apparently OK for humans, but which stuns or kills the fish so they float to the surface.
- Levada, limpets and poncha - Madeira 6
- Architecture of the Estrada Monumental, Funchal - Madeira 5
- Pico do Arieiro (1818 m.) - Madeira 4
- Old meets new: Funchal - Madeira 3
- See also Madeira 2016: Baía de Camara de Lobos | In the land of dykes and sills | Montado do Paredão | Ilheus da Rib | “One Day More”