SailZen, Vila Franca do Campo

We (my husband and I, and our three children (ages 17, 15 and 13)) are first time sailors, and to be honest, we did not know what to expect. Sailing with Andre and Rita was the best choice we could have ever made. They are the best at easing you into the experience and making a most enjoyable and memorable trip. Our family absolutely loved sailing on Irro! Each morning, you are greeted by warm smiles and cheerful good mornings. Then comes one of the best parts of the trip, Rita’s amazing food/cooking! Andre is a wonderful person and Captain. He made all of us at ease with his knowledge of sailing and the seas. He answered all our questions and took us to some of the most beautiful areas of the islands….some completely remote where we saw four different types of dolphins, turtles and Portuguese man o war. One of the days, in Santa Maria, we swam from the boat and hiked to the port where we then met Andre and Rita at a local café. From there, we decided to tour the beautiful island, including the unforgettable red desert. The day our children will never forget though is when they were able to jump off cliffs into the ocean of a secluded bay. Later that evening, Andre took us spearfishing. Andre caught fish, which then he cleaned and grilled for an amazing fish bbq dinner. Additionally, we played on the kayaks and paddle board exploring the areas where we docked. We dove off the boat into the blue water. We lounged, we slept. Most of all though, we had the chance to “go where the wind will take you!” If you have the opportunity to sail with Andre and Rita (Sailzen), you should JUMP at the chance. Not only will you have an amazing time, but you will leave with two new friends! Thank you Andre and Rita!

Overall evaluation: The best word to describe the experience would be lightness. Travelling with André and Rita on a sailboat makes you feel safe, relaxed and part of the company. I understand that all people are different, so I can't imagine how they manage to create that feeling. So now, on shore, our family is longing for all the great times, for our new friends André and Rita, and I want to thank them very much for that! Emotional evaluation: For the first time in our lives, our family has decided to spend a week on a boat. Basically, we decided because owning a sailboat is an old dream of mine and the family signed up for the experiment. So you can understand that it was a bit stressful :). I wanted to learn how to sail, my wonderful wife Eglė wanted to have elegant moments, and the kids wanted to have all the water fun they could. And I was worried that if everyone didn't like it, got seasick, couldn't use the toilet and so on, they would end up hanging me on the mast. André and Rita made everyone's wishes come true in one week, allayed all our fears and turned our time into a wonderful adventure that we didn't want to leave the boat at the end of. Everything was great: the sailing, the food, the music, the crew, the water activities, the board games, the space, the marinas and so on. On this boat you are welcome in every marina, every pub and every restaurant. And most importantly, in every sea. We even ended up all together at the Santa Rita Blues Festival! Rational evaluation: Sailing: 10/10. Andre&Rita's sailing experience is impressive, spanning all the world's oceans, and they are happy to share it if you are willing to learn. Food: 10/10 Excellent, very varied, delicious home-cooked food. Rita has foraged a wide variety of herbs and is constantly replenishing her supplies from local farms. And our children were constantly spoiled with desserts :) Comfort: 10/10 (if this is not first time on boat) 8/10 (for begginers) Space on board is always limited, but Irró has been well organised and thought out, so apart from the corner of the ceiling above the galley, everywhere is easy to move around. None of us got a bump or hurt anything. Hygiene: 10/10 (for sailors) 8/10 (for begginers) The ship has a 2 toilets and shower and uses organic detergents. Safety: 10/10 I would rate it even higher because the crew always keeps one eye on how you feel and always helps. Also, Andre's safety briefing deserves a special mention. Weather: 8/10, but it's the Azores and this year July was cooler. All the locals said they couldn't remember such a year. But in this case Adnre, knowing how much my wife loves the sun, was always trying to sail in sunshine.