The port of Topo village came to grow as an important strategic point for establishing maritime connections between the islands of São Jorge, Terceira and Pico, with the construction of the first whaling station of the island in this location.
The bustling activity once seen in the town’s harbor depended on signals of “whale sightings,” relayed from the Outeirão Lookout, a surveillance post that covered the sea all the way to the southern coast of Terceira and the southwestern entrance to the São Jorge-Pico Channel. This lookout was owned by the fishing fleet of José Cristiano de Sousa, a local shipowner, who moored his vessels at Topo. Our visit begins precisely at this spot, to take in the view and this small structure, now restored by the Association for the Preservation of the Heritage of Vila do Topo.
We continued on to the Topo Wharf , a place where passengers and cargo were loaded and unloaded, but also where sperm whales were butchered. The blubber was transported to the cauldrons on site with the help of a crane. This pier, greatly transformed by time and renovation work, is a must-see to understand the history of whaling in São Jorge.
The steep boat ramp ends at a platform built of boulders. There used to be several caves here that served as shelters for boats; today, only two of them remain and are still used for that purpose.
Although the existence of a Boathouse on the top of this ramp is questionable, a small structure was built here, similar to the old Boathouses used to keep whaling boats and boat-gear.
In this port, with a breathtaking view over the sea, it is still possible to find former whalers, who come here in their spare time, reminiscing on the incredible stories of the whaling days.