In Pico, the whaling heritage is still significatively present as a very vivid memory, extending far beyond the material testimonies.
Along the route in the parish of Ribeiras in Pico, we'll be able to discover old traditions associated with whaling culture: we start in the Hauling Ramp, which was one of the most active and productive sites in the whaling history of Pico until 1946, the year when part of its structure was destroyed by a cyclone.
Right next to it, we find the Companhia Americana Boathouse where we take a trip back in time… inside, four whaling boats are still kept, which nowadays belong to the Clube Náutico de Santa Cruz das Ribeiras, only going out to sea for regattas. This space is also a meeting spot for former whalers, where they still gather as if waiting for another whale hunt. We suggest you to sit with them and let yourself be carried away by their fascinating stories.
We end the day in the Mestre João Silveira Tavares' Workshop, the most famous master builder of whaling boats, both in the Azores and internationally. He has devoted his entire life to repairing, conserving and restoring vessels on several islands of the archipelago. In 1998, he started building azorean whaling boats, having, in fact, built his first whaling boat after the end of the whaling period in the Azores. Come visit Mestre João Silveira Tavares, learn all about the construction techniques and witness his passion for whaling boats.
