The calm before the fury
Ponta da Ferraria
Azores
Although Hurricane Epsilon was downgraded to Tropical Storm the wind and waves approaching the westernmost point of Sao Miguel island, Ponta Da Ferraria still promised to be massive.
On a clear blue Indian summer day, we decided it was time for a day trip. We headed to the north shore of the island for lunch followed by an hour-long drive along the winding coastal roads to our final destination, Ponta da Ferraria. On our way, we passed through small towns, villages and miradouros with incredible views up and down the coast. The sensation of being on a deserted island was palpable as there were long stretches where we were the only car on the road.
Although we live on the south-eastern side of Sao Miguel we have an affinity for the north and far western sides of the island, particularly the popular surf beach in Santa Barbara and the rough coastlines of Ponta dos Mosteiros and Ponta da Ferraria.
As we neared Mosteiros and Ponta da Ferraria we noticed several colorful paragliders launching from the nearby bluffs. That was a clear sign of good wind and hopefully…some big surf.
Although the geothermal waters are the main attraction there is also a prominent pseudocrater that formed 840 years ago when lava flowed over the water-saturated surface. The underlying water was super-heated then turned to steam causing an explosion that formed the crater.
Due to its status as an Azores Geo Monument the crater is off-limits for climbing but it can easily be appreciated from a trail that surrounds it as well as an overlook above the beach. As non-volcanic craters go, this one is pretty impressive. In geologic terms Ponta Da Ferraria is considered a lava delta. Lava deltas form wherever sufficient flows of lava enter standing bodies of water. The lava cools and breaks up as it encounters the water, with the resulting fragments filling in the adjacent seabed topography.
It is beautiful terrain with an otherworldly quality, although it is tricky to navigate and can be sharp as broken glass. Safe to say that flip flops are not recommended footwear out here.There are also two large arches, numerous cutouts and impossibly high walls of pitch black lava that play off the incoming surf, spray and light. It is a photographers paradise made even better when there is a high tide accompanied by big waves.
Having never seen waves of this size and magnitude it was hard to get our heads around the fact that people actually surf these monsters, although not in this particular spot.
They roll, curl and release astonishing amounts of energy before folding over on themselves in thunderous climaxes.We observed some incoming waves stand up straight as they slam into others that have rebounded off the sheer rock surfaces along the delta. It’s like watching oceanic prize fighters going toe-to-toe.
