| It was so much fun staying in the Horta Marina. Not only was the marina right in the middle of the small town, but we were surrounded by a large cosmopolitan cruising community. Around 1175 cruising boats visited Horta each year, and when we arrived on July 4th the marina was packed. Although many different countries� flags from around the world were represented and many different languages were spoken, there was a common bond amongst us all. If only the world could have that common link. |
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| During our first four days we rafted along the inner breakwater outside of two other boats, one Danish and the other French. For the remainder of our stay we were moored in a slip and enjoyed fellow cruisers from Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, and the Netherlands. As the month of July progressed, the marina became less crowded with more boats leaving than arriving. |
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| Kuhela Horta Marina |
| When we first arrived in the marina, we were amazed by all the beautiful and colorful graffiti left by fellow cruisers on the walls and walkways of the marina. It was a tradition for all cruisers calling in at Horta to leave their boat�s name on the marina walls or walkways. Otherwise, it was said that bad luck would befall the crew and its boat during their next passage. So, almost every day we would see fellow cruisers hard at work painting their graffiti before they set sail. Even tourists came down to the marina to look at all the artwork. So that we wouldn�t have bad luck, our signature can now also be permanently seen on the Horta marina wall. As KUHELA is an Hawaiian word meaning �to move along as the crest of the sea,� Mary painted a wave design. |
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