December 2016 part 1.

In which we continue around the Cape Verde Islands and prepare for our Atlantic crossing.

We started December at anchor off Porto de Sal Rei, Boavista, Cape Verde Islands. It was our intention to spend another few weeks going round the islands and set off across the Altantic around the end of December. The next leg of our island hopping was about 90 miles, to Sao Nicolau, just too far to make it in one daylight so we decided to make it a night voyage. Having failed to test our wind steering since re-fitting it in Santa Cruz, we felt that we should do so now to check that it was now secure and that we could plan to use it on the crossing. So we got out Hattie’s rudder and fitted it.

We lifted anchor at 1700 and, with one reef in main and Genoa, set off on a beam reach with a NNE’ly F4 making a steady 7 knots. Hattie, at first, performed immaculately but, after an hour or so, the clacking sound returned. The lower bracket was still moving, so we had to lock the wind steering and revert to George. This was a big disappointment as we had little idea of how to proceed with it other than a complete re-fit – a dockyard job. The voyage, otherwise, went very well and at dawn we were rounding the SW’ly point of Sao Nicolau. As we did so, we came into wind shadow and had to motor the last 5 miles up to anchor off Tarrafal. There were only 3 other (active) yachts here, but 2 that sat at anchor without masts with every appearance of decay. We wondered what the stories were.

Sad yacht.

A leisurely breakfast and dinghy ashore to seek port officials. For once, the pilot book gave good directions but, when we got there, we were told that they had no interest in us and we should go to the national police. Here, we filled in the usual papers and handed over our ship’s registration document which is routinely held until departure. A wander around the well kept town showed the usual selection of mini-markets. These, as in Boavista, seemed to be owned and run by eastern Asians. Since my experience of West Africans is that they are very enterprising I cannot understand this.

Boavista from anchorage.

We spent a further 3 days here, mostly relaxing in the sun but we did make one foray into the interior to visit the island’s capital, Ribiera Brava. This was about an hour away and we could have taken a taxi, at a cost of about 25 Euros. Instead we found an aluguer (public transport) minibus who was happy to take us for 5 Euros. This did mean waiting 20 minutes while he drove around picking up sufficient trade to make his journey worthwhile but we were in no great hurry. Unlike the previous islands, the road was tarmac all the way, though very windy through the hills. Our driver stopped several times for other passengers, including a lady with severely disabled young boy. They both seemed to bear this affliction with good grace and Elsie got a smile from both in return for a gentle stroke of his arm but one does wonder what his future will hold when he is too big to be carried, in such a poor country. R. B. was, once again, very well kept but with no better selection of shops than Tarrafal. We did manage to find some flaky internet in a square and admired the decoration in the cathedral before returning in the same aluguer. Our driver mistimed his departure, following two others who picked up the majority of trade, including a large group from just outside the town. We managed to get in the lead to get the next passenger, but she took so long to board that the others overtook and managed to clear the route of further trade. Back in Tarrafal we tried again for internet (I still had my data SIM but some things are just so much easier on a lap-top than on a phone) but, having bought our beers at the one place that offered free WiFi, we were told that only the owner knew the key and he was absent. We needed a refill for a camping gas cylinder and found a supplier. The price for this service seems to get cheaper the further south one is. The most we have paid is £30 in Shetland (£10 per kilo!). In the Canaries, it was anything from 15 – 25 Euros. Here it was less than 3 Euros.

Ceiling picture, Ribiera Brava cathedral.

We witnessed a variation on ring net fishing one morning. One boat laid the net round an anchored yacht which was sheltering a shoal of fish. ‘Divers’ in snorkeling gear maneuvered the ends round the yacht and prevented escapees. The net was drawn tight and the meager catch was emptied into a huge floating basket brought by a second boat. Another crew, using a more conventional approach of laying a horseshoe of net from a beach at slack tide and pulling it in got a far better catch, the downside being that everyone in the area lent a hand at the recovery and wanted some payment in kind.

Fishing, Boavista style.

On the 6^th, we heaved up and proceeded the 26 miles to Santa Luzia to anchor off a beautiful deserted beach in crystal clear waters. Here we, once again, indulged ourselves by lazing in the sun, the only downside being the constant strong wind and the moderate swell which prevented our landing.

As stated, our intention was to spend another couple of weeks in the area, but we started to get itchy feet. We could see that the ARC and Odyssey rallies had, after a slow start, made good progress and were nearing the Caribbean. Another group of our friends, Dana de Mer, Mary Lou and Emerald Bay, were in Mindelo about to depart and the Trade Winds seemed to have settled into the classic NE’ly F4-5. Always flexible, we decided that we wanted to join the fun and decided that Mindelo, instead of just being a staging post back to the South East group of the C.V.s would be our point of departure. No rush, as we had missed our friends anyway, but head over, top up provisions, water, batteries and fuel and head off. Ruby’s bottom was getting a bit slimy so I took the opportunity of my daily dip to have a good scrub. This would have been easier without the 25 knot wind with consequent chop and surface current but I probably needed the exercise.

Bottom scrubbing at Santa Luzia

We heaved up at 0900 on the 8^th and proceeded to Mindelo. At first, in the shadow of Sao Nicolau, we got a SW’ly F3 but after 5 miles we cleared that island and had a NNE’ly F4-5. To go round the top of Sao Vicente we were close hauled, making 6-7 knots with 2 reefs. We arrived at Mindelo at 1330 and moored at the marina, our first in over 3 weeks. The marina has been very cleverly planned with the pontoons lying across the, almost constant, prevailing wind and different arrangements for mooring lines depending on whether you are up- or down-wind of the pontoon. Usual formalities with Marina (cheaper than expected) and port authorities (who held on to our ship’s papers again) and ashore to check out the provisioning prospects. Given that the town is very cosmopolitan, by area standards, this was a bit of a disappointment. Basic and dry stores were available, though much more expensive than in the Canaries, but luxuries such as charcuterie, cheese and ‘fine pieces’ were unobtainable and the fruit and veg. were not of the same quality (and very expensive). The water, however, was good and the internet from the local cafe was strong enough to be be picked up by our amplifier, meaning that we could catch upon 3 weeks worth of I.T. and store some BBC podcasts for the crossing.

We had a plan of minor maintenance, stores etc. and all was going to going well until Friday afternoon when we looked at the weather forecast for the crossing. This had changed and it now looked as though our planned Tuesday departure would take us out into a forecast F6. As our experience shows that reality is usually 5-10 knots more than the forecast, from our current source, this meant that we could be committing ourselves to a week of gale force winds. If we hurried up with our preparations and left the following day, we could beat the weather but, guess what? The port offices had just closed for the weekend. Oh Bu**£r! A sleepless night while we pondered what plan ‘C’ should be.

We were woken on Saturday by sounds of drums which, on investigation, came from a parade of schoolchildren to celebrate United Nations human rights day. This led us to a part of town which I hadn’t visited but which, unfortunately, didn’t reveal a Waitrose, Tesco or even Pingu Doce. Back to the boat, a check of the weather and hurrah! The forecast wind had dropped sufficiently to make a Tuesday departure a reasonable plan again. So on with gentle preparations while another group of yachts, including an Israeli rally, departed.

Sunday was spent relaxing and Monday on final provisioning.  Unfortunately, fruit and veg are not as well stocked as on departure from Tenerife but we will survive.

Tuesday morning brought a few last minute butterflies but it was time to go.

To be continued...