tough choice 1point2

The other part of my holiday which stuck out above the rest of my adventures were the Tidal Pools in Mosteiros.  Mosteiros is a small town located on the west end of Ponta Delgada.  It was fairly easy to get to, as were most things on the island, so we set out on a one of the warm, sunnier days to check out the tidal pools which we had read about in a few different publications.  

After making a few minor stops at some overlooks, getting caught behind a few slow tractors and stopping for lunch at a pizza place run by an Italian family, we arrived in the early afternoon.  One of the first things you noticed upon pulling up was the vastness of the ocean, there was nothing but clear blue water as far as you could see.  Once you got out of the car you were able to witness the intensity of the waves crashing on the rock.  And it wasn't ordinary granite rocks like we have here at home, it was black basaltic rocks leftover from cooled lava flows.  Some of this basalt still retained the form of a lava flow while others were pockmarked with air holes from burst bubbles of magma, still others were worn into sharp crags which you wanted to avoid at all costs for fear of slicing the random foot or hand.  

The tidal pools themselves are separated from the sea at low tide, retaining the ocean water which previously had covered them.  Some were deep enough to dive into while others were only inches deep.  Most of the pools had some water still splashing into them from the waves flowing over the rocks.  A few were filled with stagnant water, with visible fish waiting for the tide to roll in so they could make their escape.  I ended up going into two of the larger pools.  One had a ladder bolted into the rock for easy access although most of the pool goers just ran and dove in.  The other pool I ventured into was a bit more precarious, with no ladder and only rocky outcrops to grab onto for access.  This particular pool was a bit more like a hot tub, with ocean water splashing in from three sides that swirled around you.  

It was certainly busy there with loads of people relaxing in the sun or leaping off rocks into the pools.  We chatted with a few while we enjoyed ourselves, there was a couple from Quebec on holiday, a few guys in their 20's from Germany sipping Especial (one of the local beers) and of course the locals who paid us little mind as we intruded on the wonders of their Island.  

All around it was a wonderful day, so much so that we returned here later in our trip and had lunch overlooking the pools.  And now as I am finishing up writing this here at work, I desperately would love to be back there right now sipping beer as opposed to sitting here like I am.  I suppose I'll have to be content with some of the pictures I took, and the thought of returning to the Islands at some point in the future.