São Roque to Calheta de Nesquim: Dodging the Downpours

Ruth: Weather is so important when travelling, and winter travel is sometimes hard. Today we managed to dodge a couple of major downpours on our way around the eastern tip of Pico. When we spotted the first wall of water bearing down on us we popped into a bus shelter to use my phone to locate the next bar. We joined the locals there in watching an American sport fishing show. The guy next to us explained that it is the same show every day. He grew up in California and spoke perfect English. There is so much English spoken here that Gord is getting very few chances to speak Portuguese.

We are now staying in a house in Calheta de Nesquim that is owned by Adelina, who was also our host in São Roque. It is a wonderful house where we plan to stay for a few nights. Adelina offered to carry some of our luggage to save us hauling all of it over another ridge. She has kept us well supplied with oranges, mandarins and bananas from her garden.

Adelina is related to Portuguese Joe, who jumped ship from his whaling boat in 1859 to join the Cariboo Gold Rush. He never made it to the Cariboo, but instead settled in what is now Stanley Park in Vancouver. Later, he and his family lived for many years on Reid Island, not far from our cabin on Valdes Island. Portuguese Joe, a colourful early settlor in B.C., is the subject of a book and a movie.