Iona left Bermuda on May 23 with a following breeze, headed for the Azores, some 1800+ miles to the east.  The first few days were uneventful and slow.  Eventually the wind picked up and Iona was soon romping along in 20+ kts of air, beating to windward in fair seas.  This kept up for about a week before the wind came from a more favorable direction.  IONA did well and the only problem we had was leaks.  IONA had never been sailed this hard, this long and as we stressed the boat, we flexed old caulking and small leaks developed around the windows and hatches--nothing major--just annoying.  Crissie slept in her foul-weather gear for most of the 1800 miles because a leak developed over her bed, and rather than fight it, decided to just let it drip.  When IONA finally reached the Azores 17 days after leaving Bermuda, there was quite a pile of wet clothes, towels, bedding, etc to go to the laundry, as well as several windows to fix. 
     Crissie checked in with Herb, Southbound II, everyday for up to the minute weather information, and she credits him with keeping her out of serious sailing difficulties all the way across the ocean. 
     The Azores were wonderful.  They were green, scenic, cool and comfortable, as well as very welcoming to foreign sailors.
     Boat maintenance was high on the list of things-to-do, but also a visit to the famous Peters Sport Cafe in Horta as well as leaving IONA's "mark" on the wall in Horta. 
     The ARC had organized cocktail parties and tours of Faial and nearby Pico, as well as a sailing trip around the Azores.  Iona didn't go on the sailing trip because we had only just arrived and needed time to dry the boat and get ready for the next leg.    The Azores was the last time the entire ARC fleet would be together.  The fleet was splitting up here, after the start in Ponta Delgada, with the majority heading up to Plymouth, England, and only six heading to Lagos, Portugal.
     The start of the last leg was from Ponta Delgada, about 12O   from Horta on the island of Sao Miguel.
     Sao Miguel is the biggest island in the Azores group.  Ponta Delgada is the largest city on the island and also the largest city in the Azores, as well as the capital, with a population of over 100,000 people.  That represents about 51% of the population of the Azores.  The rest are spread out over the other 8 islands.  
     The Azores are volcanic.  There are black sand beaches, and parks surrounding lakes that are calderas of extinct volcanoes.  The islands are lush with vegetation, growing everything from bamboo and pineapples to hydrangeas that grow wild along the roads to grapes for wine.  Each island has its own "flavor" and uniqueness. 
     Faial is probably the best known island for sailors because of the town of Horta, with its famous painted wall, and unparalleled welcome for visiting yachtsmen.  The Cafe Sport has been welcoming sailors for over four generations, beginning, according to family legend, with welcoming Joshua Slocum by the grandfather of the present owner.  The Cafe Sport guest books read like the "who's-who" of sailing history, with names like Eric Tabarly, and PEN DUICK, Eric and Susan Hiscock with WANDERER III, Francis Chichester on GIPSY MOTH, to mention some of the more famous entries.  Horta was indeed, a special place for Iona.  It was one of those places you read about but doubt you will ever visit then, bingo, there you are, right in the thick of things.
     From Horta we sailed down to Ponta Delgada where we continued to get Iona ready for the next and last, leg of the trip--to mainland Portugal.