Getting to Know the Ocean
As originally posted on http://azores.paulofernandes.net
This trip has been my first opportunity to really experience the ocean, and experience it we have—we’re on an island surrounded by the Atlantic. While “really” just a layer of salty water covering part of our planet, to those of us used to the landlocked life of the Canadian prairies, the ocean is a magnificent spectacle that seems to take on a life of its own.
Swimming in the ocean is almost completely unlike the usual Lake Winnipeg that we are used to. The water is clear, cool and salty, often a bit shocking when you first dive in due to both temperature and taste. Once over that, it’s quite enjoyable. The water has been choppy every day since we’ve been here (a hint of the power that lurks within it), which has made swimming quite enjoyable. Attempting to ride the crests of waves with our bodies like a surfer has proved to be a lot fun, but also results in nose and mouthfuls of salt water.
Life near but out of the ocean is also pretty good. While eating dinner and relaxing at São Lourenço or going for a walk outside the Beach Parque at Praia Formosa, the ocean is there providing a background ambience of crashing waves. There are also tides! Again a foreign concept to us prairie-folk, the ocean level does change noticeably throughout the day. We are still trying to figure out when high-tide and low-tide actually occur, as we only typically see the ocean in mid-afternoon and the late evening.
There’s far more to say about our experience, but this is all for now. I hope you’ve been enjoying all that we’ve had to say thus far.