August 2023 – Sailing Yacht Coriander

Christmas and New Year in Barbados 2022

Barbados was first discovered and settled by the Troumassoid people from the mainland of South America in around 350 to 650 AD.

There was a second wave of settlers, the Arawaks, in around 800 AD and a third in the mid-13th century, the Amerindian settlement. This settlement came to an end in the early 16th century.

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover the island in 1536 on a voyage to Brazil. The Portuguese navigator Pedro A. Campos named it Os Barbados meaning “bearded ones” after the fig trees which had a beard like vines dropping from their branches.

We discovered Barbados at 14:12 on the 23rd of December 2022 after our Atlantic Crossing from the Cape Verde. We made landfall at Port Saint Charles and had a celebratory G&T and a bite to eat before putting the outboard on the dinghy and heading ashore to check in. Customs and immigration have an office next to Pier One restaurant and we were able to use their dinghy dock while we completed formalities.

I mentioned our experience on arrival in my blog on our crossing but I’ll repeat some of it here for anyone who hasn’t read that post yet.

I’d tried to dress relatively smartly in a collared shirt and new khaki shorts. We entered the office, only for the customs officer telling me I’d broken Barbadian law as any type of attire that could be construed as military was strictly forbidden. Like a chastened schoolboy I was sent back to the yacht to change.

By the time I returned Gill had completed most of the paperwork and I only had to sign the forms.

Health, customs and immigration are in the same room with 3 desks but only one chair so you had to carry the chair from desk to desk which we found amusing.

After my faux pas the officers were extremely friendly and helpful. They directed us to the ATM so that we could get some Barbadian dollars to have that Caribbean rum that it’s famous for. On the walk into town past the beach and through the palm trees I had a grin from ear to ear – we’d arrived!

We returned to Coriander after cocktails and the locally brewed Banks beer which were delicious. We spent the rest of the afternoon putting the sails away and changing Coriander back to a cruising boat from a voyaging boat.

We had an early night in our cabin for the first time in almost 16 days and slept well without any rolling or boat and wave noises.

We’d chosen Barbados for our landfall because it is the closest to the Cape Verde islands and it is 50 miles to windward of the main island chain and to go out to it would involve a 50 mile beat to windward which could be pretty unpleasant and which we probably wouldn’t do.

Early on Christmas Eve we moved down to Carlisle Bay at Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados. We anchored off the beach near the entrance to the Careenage.

The Careenage is the natural harbor that runs from the Caribbean Sea the short distance to the center of Bridgetown.

It has been transformed from a place where schooners were once turned on their sides for scraping (i.e. careened) to a small marina.

According to our charts there is a convenient place to tie up dinghies just beyond the first bridge.

We tied to the steps next to the motorboat

We decided to head into town and padlocked our dinghy to the steps where our chart suggested and headed in to town.

It being Christmas Eve the town was heaving. It was strange in a way to be walking around in shorts and t-shirt in hot sunny weather with Christmas music blasting out and crowds of people wearing Santa hats.

The atmosphere was amazing. Everyone was having a good time doing last minute Christmas shopping and we did the same, buying presents and food and drink for the Christmas Day meal. Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures that day but this is a typical street scene in Bridgetown.

We had another early night and when we got up on Christmas Day, Owl and Pussycat were coming into the anchorage to anchor next to us. They’d slowed down overnight so that they would arrive in daylight.

We dinghy’d across to Owl and Pussycat to help Mike and Claire put their sails away and launch their dinghy and fit the outboard. We sat down for a celebratory drink but after a couple of drinks Mike felt faint. Claire put Mike to bed and we returned to Coriander having finished our drinks with Claire. We’d half prepared Christmas Dinner but it was no problem to postpone it until the 26th by which time Mike had made a full recovery – see below 👇

Christmas lunch on Boxing Day on Coriander

After lunch we all dinghy’d into town to see what was going on. We found out that in the Caribbean, nothing was open over Christmas. The bustling town that Gill and I had witnessed on Christmas Eve had become a ghost town.

While Gill and I had been exploring on Christmas Eve we’d come across a dominoes tournament, sponsored by the local brewery, Banks. We’d had drinks and ham cutters for lunch while watching some very passionate domino playing which seemed to involve slamming the dominoes down with as much force as possible.

We recalled that the tournament was over several days and with hopes high we set off for Freedom Park where the tournament was being held. The sound of voices and music confirmed that we’d be able to get drinks and relax watching the action.

Freedom Park was opened in November 2021 on the eve of Barbados becoming a replublic.

The site was chosen because it was the location where the national hero, Clement Payne, held public meetings encouraging the poor and disadvantaged to demand better working and living conditions.

The colonial government saw him as a security threat and deported him from the island in July 1937. This was the final straw and four days of rioting followed, in which 14 people died and 47 were wounded.

The riots led the colonial authorities to act, thoroughly investigating the conditions in Barbados and other British Caribbean colonies. Many of Payne’s suggested reforms were subsequently implemented. July 26th – the day of the riots – is observed in Barbados as a day of National Significance.

Barbados has a history of slavery like many of the islands of the Caribbean and plaques detailing some of what happened are all around the town.

It’s was pretty harrowing walking around town reflecting upon the history of the islands and what had transpired to create the cultural diversity we see now.

With Christmas Day being on a Sunday, the holiday extended and extra day so Tuesday saw us at the dominoes yet again. This time for the finals. I never thought I’d be grateful for a domino’s tournament, and especially not at Christmas.

It had been a pretty emotional few days, we’d achieved a major ambition of crossing the Atlantic, had a hectic few days in a new country and of course missed family back in the UK having a completely different Christmas to us and having to catch up and wish happy Christmas over the phone.

It was quite surreal being in summer holiday mode with Christmas images suggesting cold and snow all around.

Each tree is dedicated to a member of the commonwealth

By Wednesday everything opened so we again ventured into town. When Mike and Claire had last visited Barbados they had discovered a rum shack in the town centre. Gill and I had passed it on Christmas Eve and it had been rammed. To be honest it was pretty busy every time we went there. It consists of a shed with a couple of fridges in it and some pretty rough benches and music blaring out of a couple of speakers.

You don’t order individual drinks, unless it’s beer, but instead buy a bottle of rum and a bottle of cola and a dish of ice. The rum comes in half and full bottles. We fully approve of this system and it was very cheap.

Not all ours, at least not that I remember

The locals got to know us, and us them, striking up interesting conversations about life on the island. It was great to be part of the non tourist scene and see life as it really is. We drank and danced with them on several occasions. We’d arrive and they’d make room for us, buying drinks and we’d buy drinks in return.

We’d been told about a Caribbean delicacy called a roti. It’s effectively a curry wrap / pancake which I had to try. We seemed to descend on the perfect place…

The rotis are potato and curried protein with a choice of chicken, beef, lamb, goat, shrimp or fish with other islands offering conch or other fillings. It’s extra if you don’t want potato or you prefer your meat without bones! They are delicious and huge with one roti doing 2 meals. They often ask if you want pepper – warning, they mean very hot pepper sauce 🌶️🌶️

The second of January is race day at The Garrison race course in Bridgetown. It’s a well attended event with the local community. We paid the general entrance fee which let us in to all areas except the paddock and grandstand.

Our shaded seats in the stand next to the grandstand

The racing is taken pretty seriously with lots of betting in the different horses. We had friendly bets on each race for drinks and although I started strongly I faded badly towards the end.

We decided to take a trip into the centre of the island, to Welchman Hall Gully. It’s named after its first owner, a former soldier from Wales called General William Asygell Williams, Welchman being a corruption of Welshman.

We took a local bus up into the hills through magnificent countryside, passing magnificent mansions and run down shacks showing the huge contrast in wealth on the island.

The gully is in the remnants of a collapsed coral limestone cave. The deep sides and narrowness makes it impractical to grow crops here and it is the last remaining place to see many of the original plants of the island.

From the entrance it’s around a mile along a path and then back again on the same route. The technique is to look left on the way down and back with the exhibits being labelled in that order.

The path through the forest

The walk ended with a climb to a lookout point with fantastic views of the island.

And a handy sign reminding us of our previous home.

We left the gully and walked down the road to find a bus stop. The bus was waiting but the driver was in the bar next to it. He indicated that the bus wasn’t going for a while so of course we joined him in having a drink. We started chatting to the locals who told us that there would be a party the next night and would we like to come along, they’d even arrange transport. Tempting as it was, we declined their kind offer as it was a long way from Bridgetown and we’d other plans.

Our final Friday in Bridgetown saw us heading to Oistins for the famous and not to be missed “fish fry”. The guide book said to take a bus from the central bus station so off we went. We joined the queue and the locals said a bus would be coming soon. When it hadn’t arrived 20 minutes later, Mike and Claire made the sensible decision to head to the road out of town and flag a ‘Venga bus’. These are similar to the ones I described in the Cape Verde post, just louder and faster. We decided to wait on the bus under a sign reminding me of home.

After an hour the bus eventually arrived. By that time it was rush hour and the bus moved at a snail’s pace. We’d arrived at the bust station at 4pm, it was now 5pm and the fish fry was due to start at 6pm. It’s only 4 miles from Bridgetown to Oistins but the bus still hadn’t got there at 7pm. It would be an understatement to say I was pretty fed up. We gave up on the bus with a mile to go and walked the last mile.

Amazingly we found Mike and Claire seated at a restaurant on the edge of the fish fry. They’d got a venga bus and were there in 20 minutes. While our bus had to follow the main road which was its’ route, their bus had used the back streets to avoid the traffic.

I’d calmed down after a couple of beers and we had terrific jerk pork and ribs with fries and coleslaw. It was delicious. The fish fry has dozens of stalls to choose from, all competing for your custom. There are organised tours from the cruise ships and large hotels with their guests given vouchers for a particular stall. These are easily recognised by the huge queue and best avoided. We went to ‘Annies’ and highly recommend it.

After the food we took a walk around the stages and other stalls. I should say that this event has expanded from just a few stalls selling fried fish to the second largest tourist attraction in Barbados. There are multiple drinks stalls, 2 stages for acts and bands with everything from steel bands to Michael Jackson impersonators.

Several of the stands were grilling huge lobster.

We went on Friday when it is the busiest but it now takes place every day of the week.

Gill met a giant.

We decided on the 7th of January to move back up the island but first Claire and I wanted to snorkel in the marine park where there were several wrecks that had been sunk to make an artificial reef. Mike dinghy’d us over and tied to a mooring buoy, unfortunately in the rain, while Claire and I jumped in. We got to see turtles feeding on the sea grass and swam over the wrecks which were teeming with sea life. The visibility wasn’t great and the pictures I managed to take were out of focus due to the light reflecting off the suspended particles and the camera focusing on the particles.camera f

We upped anchor at 1pm and anchored off the beach at Reeds Bay, Lower Carlton at 3pm. It was a great swimming beach with plenty of beach bars to chose from. We could have anchored at pretty much any of the bays along the coast but were happy with where we were.

Gill and I went ashore for something to eat and a couple of drinks. We decided to go to Simones as her menu seemed to have more of what we like. Unfortunately she was just shutting up because a coach party had taken most of the food she had. We were about to turn away when she offered to cook us burger and fries and give us a couple of beers while we waited. She even set up a table for us next to the sea. With service like that we couldn’t really refuse and the food was excellent.

After a couple of days here we decided to move back up to Port Saint Charles easy to check out and sail up to Martinique. We had a couple of days and walked to Speightstown, the nearest town to the anchorage. It had decent supermarkets and nice restaurants along the front. It’s possible to take your dinghy along or anchor off but the walk isn’t far.

We cleared out with customs and immigration in the morning as you have to pay port dues while the office is open and take the receipt to customs. You then have 24 hours to leave.

We had a meal at Pier One, a huge pizza, as we needed to spend our remaining money because you are not allowed to take Barbadian currency out of the country. The pizza was superb and enough to take half each back for a snack on the overnight sail to Martinique.

We had a great final afternoon around the pool and beach before raising anchor at 5pm on the 11th of January 2023 for the 90 mile sail to St Anne, Martinique.

We’d had 3 wonderful weeks on Barbados, our first Caribbean island. It had rained more than I expected but that didn’t really matter because they didn’t last long and everything dried within minutes. The island was very green and lush, maybe the rain had something to do with that. Everyone we met was incredibly friendly and helpful. The bus rides were unforgettable, everyone greeted everyone when getting on and off the buses, the music was loud and the drivers were in a hurry – we loved them. We were completely relaxed after our crossing and looking forward to experiencing the other islands

No Stress in the Cape Verde islands

On the 10th November 2022, after a passage of 5 days, 6 hours we approached the island of Sal in the Cape Verdes.

The Cape Verdes are a group of ten islands. They have a rich and diverse history that spans centuries, encompassing a blend of cultures, influences, and struggles. From their volcanic origins to their pivotal role in transatlantic trade, the Cape Verde Islands have a captivating history that has shaped their identity and cultural heritage.

Formed through intense geological volcanic activity, the islands emerged from the depths of the ocean, creating a rugged landscape. The earliest settlers of the islands were seafaring peoples who navigated the challenging waters to establish communities.

In the 15th century marked Portuguese explorers established a strategic presence on the islands, using them as a crucial stopping point for transatlantic voyages. Unfortunately, Cape Verde became a hub for the slave trade, serving as a transit point for enslaved Africans en route to the Americas. The islands’ strategic location also made them a vital refueling station for ships traveling between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

As the islands played a central role in the transatlantic slave trade, they became a melting pot of cultures. European, African, and indigenous influences converged, giving rise to a unique Creole identity. This cultural fusion is evident in the islands’ music, language, cuisine, and architecture. The Cape Verdean Creole language, Kriolu, evolved as a means of communication among the diverse population and is still spoken today.

The 20th century brought about significant political and social changes to Cape Verde. The islands were considered an overseas province of Portugal until 1951, when they were granted the status of an autonomous region. The quest for independence gained momentum, leading to a protracted struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. In 1975, Cape Verde finally achieved independence, with the islands’ first president, Aristides Pereira, leading the way.

Following independence, Cape Verde embarked on a journey of nation-building and development. The islands faced various challenges, including economic hardships, limited natural resources, and a reliance on foreign aid. Despite these obstacles, Cape Verde managed to achieve remarkable progress in areas such as education, healthcare, and gender equality. The tourism sector has became one of the most significant contributors to the islands’ economy.

The islands motto is ‘No Stress’, you’ll see and hear it all of the time.

Anyway, back to our voyage. It had been a great downwind sail under poled out genoa.

Our route through the Cape Verde islands

The swell as we sailed towards the anchorage at the port of Palmeira was quite large and slightly towards the anchorage which led us to wonder how sheltered it would be.

As we approached the harbour we could see lots of yachts anchored, with the outer yachts rolling quite alarmingly. We resigned ourselves to having to join them as the anchorage sheltered by the breakwater looked rammed.

We heard a call of ‘English boat, English boat’ over the VHF and, being the only ‘English boat’ that we could see moving, answered. It was Jai, the local, go to, boat boy and having answered him he led us to a great anchoring spot in 3m right at the front of the anchorage and completely sheltered, for the princely sum of €10. A bargain in my opinion.

Anchorage with Coriander the 6th yacht from the left

Jai was able to supply water and diesel, take your garbage and arrange pretty much anything you might need. He patrolled the boats, looking after the ones who’d paid for his services. He is honest and hard working.

The origins of Sal’s history stretch back to ancient times when North African and West African settlers first inhabited the island. Evidences of their presence, including artifacts and remains, tell stories of their simple yet enduring way of life. The island’s renowned salt pans became a defining feature, leading to its name “Sal,” derived from the Portuguese word for salt. In the mid-15th century, Portuguese explorers such as Diogo Gomes discovered Sal during their voyages.

Gill and I went ashore to check in with customs and immigration. As we approached the steps at the end of the fish dock where all of the other dinghies were, young lads came forward to help us out and offer to watch our dinghy for €1. This turns out to be a great service as the room by the steps is very restricted and really only 2 dinghies could tie up there. The young lads help you out of the dinghy and the move it along the dock where it is too high for us to get out. They watch out for you returning and have your dinghy back to the steps ready for you. I don’t know how they remember which dinghy belongs to which sailors but they never got it wrong. We were happy to leave the dinghy ashore with them for full days and evenings ashore without having to worry about thefts.

Steps clear of dinghies at the fish dock

The immigration officer wasn’t there when we first went to the office but the policeman we asked phoned him and we were asked to come back in an hour. Gill and I went for a wander around Palmeira. We’d holidayed on Sal in November 2008 and visited Palmeira on a tour of the island and it hadn’t changed much.

The shack on the fish dock was new but the ‘no stress’ donkey was still there.

We returned to the port office and the both the customs and immigration officers were there and we checked in without any problems in about 10 minutes. The policeman remembered us and he made a point of greeting us with fist bumps any time he saw us in the 12 days we were there.

Along with Mike and Claire from Owl and Pussycat, we decided to see a little more of the island, travelling on the frequent and very cheap mini buses. The drivers tour the town looking for custom until the bus is full and he’ll then set off to the destination at breakneck speeds as he is also in competition with the other bus drivers. We never had to wait more than a few minutes and found it very entertaining.

Our first outing was to the capital of Sal, Espargos. We wandered around the small town, had drinks in the town square and then decided to have lunch in a restaurant called Esplanada Bom Día. Gill and I couldn’t believe it was the same restaurant that we’d stopped at on our tour of the island years ago and it hadn’t changed at all.

We’d come to sample the capucha, a stew with potato, beans and a protein, usually chicken, pork or fish. I’m not particularly fond of fish stew and was relieved to hear that today’s stew was meat. It looked delicious on arrival but it wasn’t for me. Although it was a meat dish, it had been cooked in a fish stock. Still, I’d tried it.

The afternoon got better when a band set up and we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours listening to the music and dancing along with the locals.

Our next bus trip was to Santa Maria, the resort Gill and I had stayed at in 2008. A lot of it looked familiar but it had been built up and modernised. What was once a small fishing village is now a tourist town complete with a promenade and restaurants that were out of character with the original town

There is still a small fishing industry and it was interesting to go to the pier and see the locals landing their catch with sun bathing tourists on the beach to either side.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Palmiera but it was time to move on. We checked out of Sal with the intention of spending a night anchored off Santa Maria and then proceeding to Boa Vista.

Unfortunately the weather gods didn’t play ball with the wind and swell making the anchorage untenable. We had a fast sail to the Boa Vista anchorage instead along with Owl and Pussycat

We dropped anchor at Sal Rei on Boa Vista on the 7th of November. The anchorage behind Ilheu de Sal Rei was sheltered from the swell with lots of room. We anchored pretty much where the anchor symbol is in 3.5m. We then had to dinghy ashore to check in.

The town of Sal Rei had a lot of money spent on it in the early 2000s in order to attract holiday makers. The roads were all cobbled and fountains were erected on pretty much every corner. Unfortunately the tourists went to the all inclusive resorts built to the south of the huge bay and now the roads are falling into disrepair and the fountains are clogged with blown sand.

That isn’t to say the town isn’t pleasant, it’s just a bit run down. There was building work going on so perhaps they’re trying to repair things.

Boa Vista became a hub for the transatlantic slave trade. The island’s natural harbor and convenient location made it a center for slave auctions and the shipment of enslaved Africans to the Americas. Traces of this dark period can still be seen in the historical sites and structures that dot the island’s landscape.

The four of us headed to the police and customs building to be told none of them were present, you had to make an appointment. The police on the desk offered to call them and we were told to take a seat and they’d be there in 20 mins. 20 mins later they appeared and we checked in very quickly. We were given their personal phone numbers to call them when we wanted to check out.

Boa Vista is a fabulous spot for all wind sports and there are kitesurfing, foiling and wing foil centres all along the beach. 20 years ago I’d done a lot of kitesurfing so I signed up for a 2 hour session. In my day I’d kite surf all day and think nothing of it.

The wind was blowing in excess of 20kts and I was a little surprised when the instructor started inflating a 14 sq m kite. For reference, back in the UK I’d probably have chosen an 8 or 10m kite for those winds. He said not to worry as modern kites de-power very well.

Suitably kitted up we got into the rib and headed to the next bay where the wind comes over the low lying land and over the flat sea. I clipped the kite to my harness and did a bit of body dragging and kite control at the instructors request to show I’d done it before and he passed over the board.

I was up straight away, pleased that I’d remembered how to do it. I like quite a lot of pressure on my kite bar and pulled it towards me as I hit a wave and was immediately launched, followed by a crash.

There are 4 lines to the kite, the 2 attached to the front of the kite go through the control bar and to the harness, providing the pull, the 2 lines to the rear are attached to the ends of the control bar for steering.

Modern kites have no bar pressure at all, instead powering up when you pull the bar towards you and de-powering when you push it towards the kite. This went completely against my instincts from years of kiting. I’m used to pulling the bar for more control and whenever I did this I ended up crashing.

After an hour I was wiped out. I made my way back to shore to where Gill was waiting, so much out if breath I couldn’t speak. I’d really enjoyed myself and I’m going to practice while in the Caribbean.

There is a fort on Ilheu de Sal Rei which we decided to visit, along with Mike and Claire, followed by sundowners on the beach. The fort was complete with canons and great views over the anchorage. It was pretty obvious why it was there.

On the 26th of November we decided we’d leave Boa Vista and head for Mindelo on Sao Vincente. The port we’d leave from for our crossing to Barbados. I called the port police to arrange for Mike and I to meet them to check out, with the intention of heading off the next morning and sailing overnight.

Mike picked me up in his dinghy as our outboard was playing up and we landed on the beach next to a beach bar. The police were at their office and checking out went smoothly. ‘Unfortunately’ the tide had gone out on our return to the dinghy and the way to the water was over some pretty rough rocks. Hoping that it would start coming in again we decided to make use of the beach bar. A few beers later, the tide had come in sufficiently to head back to the boats. I’d been able to message Gill and Claire to appraise them of the situation but I’m not sure we weren’t suspected of planning it all along.

We left the anchorage at 11:00 for the overnight 140nm sail to Mindelo on Sao Vincente. It was a faster sail than we’d anticipated and we put 2 reefs in the main and 3 in the genoa to reduce speed so we didn’t arrive in the dark. We turned into the anchorage and dropped the main at 8:00 on the 28th.

The anchorage was pretty busy and we ended up anchoring at the back of the pack. Mindelo is a very sheltered anchorage so it wasn’t a problem, just a long dinghy ride into town.

The small marina has a floating bar with a dinghy dock. After Owl and Pussycat had arrived and anchored the 4 of us went ashore to check in and enjoy a well earned drink. The customs officers were very friendly and helpful but the immigration police must have had a bad day and were very officious and offhand. All of our papers etc were in order, I’d hate to have to confront them if anything was out of order.

The marina is at the end of a pier where the local version of boat boys hang out offering their services for everything from taxi rides, tours of the island or promises to procure pretty much anything you may want. We’d learned by now that it was best to choose one, agree a small service and promise to go back to him if anything else is needed. The other boat boys then leave you alone when you mention the name of the guy helping you.

Mindelo has a number of supermarkets stocking most of the things you may need to top up provisions prior to the Atlantic crossing. It also has an indoor and outdoor fish, fruit and veg markets which are open every day except Sunday. We found the markets to be very expensive compared with the supermarkets. I suspect there is a tourist price and a locals price.

The indoor market has a very good butcher and it’s better to get there early because he has a tendency to sell out of the best meat quite quickly. You also can’t be sure what meat he will have on any given day.

The town is a mix of grand mansions from the Portuguese colonial times and rougher shacks and run down buildings.

We arranged a tour of the island with the boat boy we’d seen. It started with a trip to the highest point on the island, Monte Verde at a height of 750m, where we were treated to some stunning views.

The plants are kept watered through a water catching mesh. There are often clouds capping the hill and a network of mesh causes dew to form and run down the mesh to be captured and used for irrigation.

An enterprising chap has created the Cabana de Cha at the top where he sells a number of drinks including grog that he’s distilled himself.

From Monte Verde we descended to sea level at the beach at Salamansa. It was pretty quiet apart from a few children selling shells and one person kite foiling. The children go to school for half a day each weekday with half attending in the morning and the rest in the afternoon.

Our next stop was Baia das Gatas. There is a huge music festival held over several days here but obviously not while we were there.

There is a swim platform at the end of the pier so naturally Claire and I took the opportunity to cool down while Gill and Mike took photographs.

Our next stop was Pria Grande where sand blown from the Sahara is forming sand dunes. The road has to be cleared on a regular basis and the dunes are gradually covering more of the rock.

Our next stop was for a late lunch followed by a visit to a turtle rescue facility. The tank was being cleaned and the turtles looked pretty distraught.

We made our way back to Mindelo through the central valley where most of the islands fruit and vegetables are grown.

We’d been waiting for a weather window to cross the Atlantic for a couple of weeks and the time was fast approaching when we’d have to renew our visa having been in the Cape Verdes for almost 30 days. It was also into December and if we didn’t leave soon we wouldn’t be across the Atlantic before Christmas. The weather a couple of weeks earlier had been perfect but a serious of storms in the North Atlantic had stalled the trade winds.

On around the 6th of December the weather routing software we use suggested that we could leave and head 250nm south and be in decent trade winds to take us over if we left on the 8th December.

With a target date set, we topped up with fuel and fresh produce and set off on the biggest adventure so far.

While in the Canaries there had been a lot of negative chat about how safe the Cape Verde’s are, how welcoming or friendly the locals are and how pushy the boat boys are. All I can say is the we never felt threatened in any way, even out at night. The locals are very friendly and helpful. There are plenty of secure anchorages. There are plenty of options to provision.

You have to remember that most folk here are pretty poor but they are hard working and want to earn a living. I’m pleased we visited and maybe helped in a limited way.

NO STRESS!