Waking to a warm breeze, and the sun streaming through the hatch, I listened to the kettle come to the boil. Christmas Eve had been busy, like England, everybody was out doing that last minute shop. The party atmosphere spilled into the streets, and the bars were lively - some well into the small hours.
A lazy day, sitting in the sun, telephone calls home. American cruising friends, John and Shirlee came to dinner, Fizz and nibbles in the cockpit was followed by John cooking the mahi-mahi he had caught the day before. I made a fresh fruit salad, and Roy produced real Madeira cake. It was party time on Avocette!
John Shaw,from Southsea Marina, is flying out today, 27th, and we will hopefully sign out tomorrow, and sail for Grenada in the Caribbean. You can follow our actual progress by logging on to 'yotreps'. I shall try to update our position daily.
Happy New Year
Monday 27 December 2010
Wednesday 22 December 2010
An Archipelago with red bananas
Whilst one or two of the boat-boys were a bit in-your-face, the people are friendly, welcoming, and cheerful. Shopping is a novel experience. There is little to buy. It’s difficult to buy anything in these islands, except red bananas. Postcards don’t exist, meat scarce (fresh non-existent), even bread is difficult to find. Worse still, the local beer comes in 20cl bottles!!!!!
In contrast, I watch in horror, at the lifestyle of the tourist, flown into their “All Inclusive” then driven around in the hotels dessert-camouflaged land rovers, like going to the zoo, to see the “natives”. A perverse twist on the islands past history, and forced involvement in, the slave trade!
It was good to leave behind the lunar landscape of Ilha do Sal (the airfield is actually a designated divert for the space shuttle; should it ever be used the astronauts would be justifiably confused), and the Island of Boa Vista, described as a little bit of the Sahara adrift in the Atlantic.
Arriving in Tarrafal, on the Island of Sao Nicolau, we were met with the same beaming smiles, warm welcome, and empty shelves. A trip to the barbers gave the locals a laugh too.
But this island is different. Near vertical cliffs, ripped open by the wind and, because of its height, rain, reveal a dramatic landscape. Trees and shrubs compete with sugar cane and maize on the steep slopes. Falcons, and swifts, soar around the summits. Huge butterflies, as big as saucers, decorate the flowers. Other inhabitants though, are less appealing. The spiders, wasps, and bee-like insects are just as big!
It was a rough, bouncy trip in the Aluguer, a pick-up truck that does the job of taxi/bus/delivery van, to Monte Gordo and a long hard climb to the summit, but the view was worth it. The lsles of Sao Anton, Sao Vincete, Luzia, Branco, and Razo lay spread across the ocean.
We are now in Mindelo, on the Ilha da Sao Vincente, where we will spend Xmas, and prepare the boat for the crossing. Listening to the almost constant heavy beat of African rhythms echoing from the houses, sitting under the hot sun, it’s strange to see Christmas trees (plastic), and tinsel on the balconies. As for carols sung in Creole…..still, I guess someone has to do it.
It will be strange without family and friends. Have a good one, and a Happy New Year.
In contrast, I watch in horror, at the lifestyle of the tourist, flown into their “All Inclusive” then driven around in the hotels dessert-camouflaged land rovers, like going to the zoo, to see the “natives”. A perverse twist on the islands past history, and forced involvement in, the slave trade!
It was good to leave behind the lunar landscape of Ilha do Sal (the airfield is actually a designated divert for the space shuttle; should it ever be used the astronauts would be justifiably confused), and the Island of Boa Vista, described as a little bit of the Sahara adrift in the Atlantic.
Arriving in Tarrafal, on the Island of Sao Nicolau, we were met with the same beaming smiles, warm welcome, and empty shelves. A trip to the barbers gave the locals a laugh too.
But this island is different. Near vertical cliffs, ripped open by the wind and, because of its height, rain, reveal a dramatic landscape. Trees and shrubs compete with sugar cane and maize on the steep slopes. Falcons, and swifts, soar around the summits. Huge butterflies, as big as saucers, decorate the flowers. Other inhabitants though, are less appealing. The spiders, wasps, and bee-like insects are just as big!
It was a rough, bouncy trip in the Aluguer, a pick-up truck that does the job of taxi/bus/delivery van, to Monte Gordo and a long hard climb to the summit, but the view was worth it. The lsles of Sao Anton, Sao Vincete, Luzia, Branco, and Razo lay spread across the ocean.
We are now in Mindelo, on the Ilha da Sao Vincente, where we will spend Xmas, and prepare the boat for the crossing. Listening to the almost constant heavy beat of African rhythms echoing from the houses, sitting under the hot sun, it’s strange to see Christmas trees (plastic), and tinsel on the balconies. As for carols sung in Creole…..still, I guess someone has to do it.
It will be strange without family and friends. Have a good one, and a Happy New Year.
Saturday 18 December 2010
Saturday 11 December 2010
It´s Chilly Here....
It was our second night out from the Canaries, heading for the Cape Verde Islands, in the Tropics. Great handfuls of Neptune’s diamonds (bioluminescence) sparkled in the foam and inky-black water as we surfed down 3m waves in 20kts of easterly breeze. Above us, Orion watched our progress as he silently marched westwards across the heavens. The first day’s run had been a rolling and noisy 100miles, but now we are making 150miles a day. It’s chilly today – I had to wear a t-shirt!
Life settles into a routine very quickly on an ocean passage. 3hrs on, 6hrs off, maintenance, cleaning, cooking, all have their place. The SSB radio is invaluable. Each day I download a synoptic chart, and a grib file, of the weather for our area of the North Atlantic Ocean. I also send a position report (To see it, Google: yotreps and search for avocette).
Then the wind dropped, the temperature soared, and the engine went on. Light NE winds returned and we sailed into Palmeira, on the Ilha do Sal.
The anchorage was much busier than we had expected with some twenty French, German, Swiss, and Belgium boats already at anchor. Entry formalities were simple, and the place delightful. Friendly locals smiled and waved as they queued to collect water from the “Fontana” – a tap in a blue building that is unlocked each morning if the water tanker has delivered the water! The houses have no piped water, few have electricity. Roads in the village are either cobbled, a legacy of the islands earlier Portuguese ownership, or dirt tracks. Only the main road to the capital is tarmac.
In the capital, Espargos, bare footed women carry their loads in great baskets balanced on their heads, whilst children play in the streets.
Watching the men return from fishing always creates a buzz. The fishing is good. Sailfish, marlin, dorado, tuna…… So far I have hooked, and lost, two big fish, but landed only one smallish tuna – but it was delicious.
Big money is moving into the islands. The all-inclusive holiday is starting to dominate the beautiful beaches on southern parts of the islands – I bet they have running water!
We moved south to Boa Vista, the next island in the chain. Very similar. The supermarkets have little to sell. No bread. There is a small bakery for the tourists. No fresh or UHT milk. Only powdered is available for sale.
Sorry there are no photos at the moment. I cant get them to load.
We head back to Sal tomorrow as John has to fly home.
Life settles into a routine very quickly on an ocean passage. 3hrs on, 6hrs off, maintenance, cleaning, cooking, all have their place. The SSB radio is invaluable. Each day I download a synoptic chart, and a grib file, of the weather for our area of the North Atlantic Ocean. I also send a position report (To see it, Google: yotreps and search for avocette).
Then the wind dropped, the temperature soared, and the engine went on. Light NE winds returned and we sailed into Palmeira, on the Ilha do Sal.
The anchorage was much busier than we had expected with some twenty French, German, Swiss, and Belgium boats already at anchor. Entry formalities were simple, and the place delightful. Friendly locals smiled and waved as they queued to collect water from the “Fontana” – a tap in a blue building that is unlocked each morning if the water tanker has delivered the water! The houses have no piped water, few have electricity. Roads in the village are either cobbled, a legacy of the islands earlier Portuguese ownership, or dirt tracks. Only the main road to the capital is tarmac.
In the capital, Espargos, bare footed women carry their loads in great baskets balanced on their heads, whilst children play in the streets.
Watching the men return from fishing always creates a buzz. The fishing is good. Sailfish, marlin, dorado, tuna…… So far I have hooked, and lost, two big fish, but landed only one smallish tuna – but it was delicious.
Big money is moving into the islands. The all-inclusive holiday is starting to dominate the beautiful beaches on southern parts of the islands – I bet they have running water!
We moved south to Boa Vista, the next island in the chain. Very similar. The supermarkets have little to sell. No bread. There is a small bakery for the tourists. No fresh or UHT milk. Only powdered is available for sale.
Sorry there are no photos at the moment. I cant get them to load.
We head back to Sal tomorrow as John has to fly home.
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