We were driven on our tour through what looked like real barren wastelands with the occasional Acacia tree (not indigenous to the island but brought in from South America), which would be leaning over in the direction that the Trade Winds had regularly blown throughout its life on the island.
I was a bit confused with the neat rows of rocks that lined this barren area until the guide explained that this had once been a fertile area and the piled up rocks were the remnants of the walls that used to divide the area into the family smallholdings. Now I understood that prolonged periods of drought had reduced the area to a barren wasteland I could actually see the old farmsteads. Most had resorted to rubble but the odd structure was still standing and with a wee bit of concentration I could imagine the farming activity that would have once produced the likes of corn, watermelon and some decent root vegetables. Now nothing - only the evidence of past activity remains in the form of broken wall and uninhabited shacks.
Every so often there are small groups of people chipping away at the rock and our guide explained that they were creating small roadblocks for sale. They piled there work up near to the cart track and at the end of the day a local builder would collect it paying a set amount for each of the four inch squares that had been produced. Back breaking work for little reward, but, our guide explained, that was much better than the alternative of ‘nothing’.
After the stark barrenness of the plains we arrived back on the coast to the island’s natural swimming – well used apparently in the summer months by locals. All seemed calm with a gentle waterfall feeding into the clear still waters of the sea fed lagoon. A tourist was stood close to the pool and I approached the volcanic pillars with an intention of getting a bit closer. But then there was a cacophony of voices shouting to the lone tourist. Initially he looked startled and concerned but waved half-heartedly and then looked away. The frantic voices continued and then there was an explosion of noises as the sea almost erupted and viciously fed into this tranquil lake with all the strength and vigour that only the sea can bring. Not one or two waves but a whole bundle of them breaking at the edge and then heaving their white foam into the previously quiet waters. The lone tourist now looked a wee bit embarrassed as he edged away from the edge and joined the rest of us to admire the ferociousness of the waves.
And then almost as quickly as it started the waves lessened and bubbled up into the outer pool leaving the inner pool (the natural swimming pool) to recover its calm. Within minutes the waters cleared and the gentle waterfall resumed its careful and gentle feeding of the inner lagoon. What a treat to see this amazing phenomenon at work. Something that you wouldn’t see in the height of summer.
The “street vendor” was here with his African goods for sale and he seemed to be doing a roaring trade and I guess makes a tidy sum because all those speaking with him were part of a group and would have had limited time to barter. The “street vendors” dream scenario.
Also at this site is Algadoeira – the blue eye cave - but the weather conditions were against us and all we had was a photograph of what the “blue eye” looks like in the summer months!
Back on the bus and we are heading back inland to Terra Boa a clam oasis where we are told that we might see a mirage. It’s only a short journey – well the island’s real small – and the guide apologises in advance for the fact that we won’t see a mirage. So we all disembark a little dejected. Until there’s a woop of delight as the first people to get off the bus are viewing the non-existent waters of the distant mirage. It was fantastic. We knew there was no water there (we’d just driven over that very spot of land) and yet there in front of us a large tract of inland lake. A beautiful still lake full to the brim with clear water, Indeed, I actually saw a landrover jeep plough through the water at the edge of the lake!
The mirage was a first for me and I was real chuffed that we’d seen it and theat combined with the earlier experience of the sea-water lagoon made this part of the journey particularly special.
From journal Sal - an Island Tour