The mysterious 10th island of the Archipelago

We all know (or come to learn) that the Azores Archipelago has 9 islands, of which the most beautiful is São Miguel, and that Kima is better than Brisa. But when you make friends with a Micaelense, they might just reveal a secret to you: there is a 10th island in the archipelago.
It’s a story we like to share with those who visit us to show that, deep down, the Atlantic is who really rules over here. 

It all happened in the summer of 1811. Off the coast of Ponta da Ferraria, the sea began to boil and a violent volcanic eruption gave birth to a new piece of land where before there was only a vast blue. Coincidentally, the British ship HMS Sabrina was passing nearby, and its captain, James Tillard, wasted no time: he docked, planted the British flag in the ashes, and claimed the new “Sabrina Island” as the property of his king. 

The news reached land and a minor diplomatic crisis quickly ensued between Portugal and England over a piece of rock lost in the middle of the ocean. But the Azorean nature has a very unique sense of humor. While the diplomats argued, the sea took care of the matter. Because it was made solely of loose volcanic ash and pumice, Sabrina Island was swallowed and washed away by the waves in just a few months. Of the imposing British flag and our so-called 10th island, only sea foam remained. And a great anecdote to tell. 

Today, we joke that it was just a mirage. But the truth is that the concept of a tenth island remained very much alive among us, taking on a much deeper meaning. 

We always say that our 10th island is not made of rock, but of those who give it life. On the day your journey here ends and you head home with the taste of our salt on your skin, you will notice a curious thing: the Azores have stopped being just coordinates on a map. 

It will be a new home, far away, in the middle of the endless green landscapes, of the fresh air and that sea that stretches as far as the eye can see. 

A place that waits patiently for all those who were born here and left, and for all those who accept the challenge of being an islander for a while.