Machico (cove, harbour and quay)
Original title: Machico (Enseada, Porto e Cais de)
Describes the bay, harbour and landing quays of Machico, one of the widest and most picturesque bays of the Madeira archipelago, with the history of its successive quays (1870–1873, 1905, 1907) and harbour lights (1931).
Apart from the bays of Funchal, Porto Santo and Abra, the cove of Machico is the widest and most picturesque in the archipelago. It is fringed by a fine stretch of beach and overlooked by two roads, and it opens directly onto a most beautiful valley that extends for several kilometres along the green banks of the stream. The centre of the town (vila) is linked to the landing quay by a handsome tree-lined road, which makes the most pleasant of walks on calm summer evenings. Many years ago a landing place was built near the southern end of the cove, beside the chapel of St Roch (São Roque), but it was later entirely abandoned. On the other side of the bay a quay was planned, making use of a reef (restinga) there, together with a road connecting it to the interior of the town; these works were carried out between 1870 and 1873. As that landing place was considered inadequate, a new and larger quay was built in 1905, and it was altered and improved in 1907. At the end of 1931 three harbour lights were placed at the three points marking the entrance to this bay, and they are giving excellent service to the many fishing boats that make for this cove at night. The harbour is fairly large but shallow, so vessels of large tonnage cannot enter it. Above the site of the quay stood an old fort, known as the Desembarcadouro (‘landing place’) fort or the Fort of São João Baptista (St John the Baptist), now dismantled. On its esplanade a hospital was improvised in 1910, during the cholera epidemic that ravaged Madeira at that time.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 05-
A quay and a connecting road to the town were built at Machico using a natural spit.
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A new, larger quay was built at Machico.
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The new quay at Machico was modified and improved.
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A cholera epidemic struck Madeira, causing about 550 deaths; Dr Carlos França was sent to direct sanitary services, and the lazaretto and a makeshift hospital at the Machico fort treated patients.
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Three harbour lights were installed at the entrance of Machico bay for fishing boats.
Place
Places mentioned · 08- Cove, harbour and quay of Machico · Subject
Machico
The bay of Machico is one of the widest and most picturesque bays of the Madeira archipelago. The Elucidário describes its harbour and landing quays, recording successive quays built in 1870–1873, 1905 and 1907 and harbour lights installed in 1931.
- Baía da Abra
Machico. Named as one of the few bays larger than Machico's.
The Baía da Abra is a large bay in the parish of Caniçal, the largest cove of Madeira, rich in fish and larger than Machico's. It has a quay and good fodder lands, and was once studied for a harbour and naval arsenal.
- Bay of Funchal
Funchal. Named as one of the few bays larger than Machico's.
The Bay of Funchal, between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz, is the widest bay in the archipelago and the island's main anchorage, whose exposure to southerly gales caused many wrecks. The Elucidário notes it was surveyed by Vidal in 1843, that the Surprise was torpedoed there, and that it had never been studied oceanographically.
- Bay of Machico
Machico. The bay that is the subject of the entry.
Bay at Machico, Madeira, recorded as the site of the first landing of the discoverers. Cadamosto anchored there three days after reaching Porto Santo, and the chapel of São Roque and the Forte de São João Baptista stand by it.
- Chapel of St Roch
Machico. Chapel at the south end of the bay beside an old, abandoned landing place.
Old chapel of São Roque standing above the bay of Machico, overlooking the ocean, with the São Roque spring at its foot and an old, abandoned landing place beside it. Its confraternity rebuilt it on its present site in 1739, and it is known for its fine azulejo tiles depicting the life of the saint.
- Fort of São João Baptista
Machico. Dismantled fort above the quay whose esplanade housed a cholera hospital in 1910.
Dismantled fort above the quay whose esplanade housed a cholera hospital in 1910.
- Porto Santo
Its bay is named as larger than Machico's.
An island of the archipelago, settled alongside Madeira and forming one of the three captaincies. It has always constituted a single parish, dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Piedade, whose church was repeatedly sacked. The Elucidário records the Moorish pirate raid of 1617, its own Misericórdia and a rainwater channel built on this drought-prone island.
- Ribeira de Machico
Machico. Stream whose green valley opens onto the bay.
Stream rising at Lamaceiros and the Portela do Porto da Cruz, flowing through a green valley and dividing the town of Machico into two quarters before reaching the bay. Its coastal lands were among the earliest irrigated, and it was the seat of Pedro Vieira's entailed estate.