Bay of Angra

Bay of Angra is a natural bay within the coastal extent of the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on the Portuguese island of Terceira in the archipelago of the Azores. Within an average depth of 40m, the bay has been of historical importance to the island; since the 15th century, it was a port-of-call for returning merchant shipping from the East Indies and Brazil, laden with gold, silver, porcelain, spices, rare woods, and other goods. These ships would anchor in the Bay of Angra until supported by armed escorts, which would accompany the ships on the rest of their voyage to Portugal. The Bay at Angra provided shelter from northern and northwestern winds; only storms originating to the south or southeast, posed a threat. Nonetheless, the Bay is the final resting-place of several ships affected by the adverse winds: local archives and a rich oral tradition supports the foundering of many ships against the leeward shore.HistoryGiven the immense value of the cargo transiting the Azores and the prevalence of pirates in the north Atlantic, the need to defend the city and the bay of Angra was recognized very early. During a period when trade from the Indies was active, the Portuguese built and maintained a defensive corridor around the island of Terceira, and in particular near the Bay of Angra. This was accomplished by setting up a series of forts, batteries and redoubts to provide a crossfire; the redoubts of Monte Brasil and cannon batteries from the Fort of São Sebastião effectively impeded assaults by pirates and invaders.