Gran Canaria/ Las Palmas - São Vicente/ Mindelo(Cape Verde) - Martinique/La Marin
Approximately 800NM (nautical miles) first stage, 2050NM second stage straight line
First stage, departure 13.12.2013, after rough first night with wind anywhere between 25-40 knots and big swells we experienced steady seas, wind speed average of 20 knots, all the way to Mindelo (arrival on afternoon 19.12.). It took us 6 and a half days. Few days spent on São Vicente and last on an anchor near a little village on Santo Antão.
Second stage, departure 24.12.2013, smooth ride all the way more or less stable seas, our average speed around 5.5-6 knots. It took as about 15 days to reach Le Marin (arrival on afternoon 8.1.2014).
Cape Verde; interesting mixture of cultures, long time under the influence of Portuguese. Very nice people once outside the city, though a party in Mindelo proved vibrant(lost my camera(yes, I was just about to start posting some pictures too)) and a local sugar cane spirit called grog provided funky blur and a difficulties to memorise the previous night details. Lots of laugh and dance with charming Caboverdans, accompanied by grog right into a trance!
The islands we visited aren't very green though the locals grow their crops in rather smart way, permaculture style little fields up in a hilly terrain, I saw mainly pulses, squash, tomato, potato and of course sugar cane in places where there is more water available. I suppose the local climate allows more than one season a year. Generally water is very precious but on San Antao we were told that it is plentiful and people manage to collect enough. Tasty local dishes including my favourite Sopa de Peixe(a fish soup) of which I have got a recipe written by chef herself, translation/transcription/test still pending.
Crossing was generally very pleasant, great crew, stable weather(I must say I wished for a storm to have a proper experience; not so much for doldrums which we missed anyway). All crew very dedicated and organised, happy and willing.
Main activities consisted of but where not limited to:
- watch keeping with occasional sails adjusting, watch was required 24 hours a day though sometimes, as an autopilot was on most of the time, it was just keeping an eye on the wind speed and direction. Sails need adjusting when some of these(and more) aspects change or when the course needs mending. Our keen captain Dani showed us how to reef, jib, tack(I don't really know if this is how to spell the words), we trained the "man over board" procedure and successfully retained a lost piece of equipment in under 10 minutes - good fun as it only was a polystyrene body board...
- cooking - very important to maintain the healthy diet and I must say we did very well. Every day we had from 1 up to 3 cooked meals, sometimes I actually wanted to eat raw(and I got my wishes come true in form ocean's gift - fish - which we ate raw in italian, japanese and other ways; very tasty). I happened to be a main cook preparing the dishes with an extra passion and love of course. Veggie stews, potato dishes, risotto, soups, pastas of all sorts(Davo the Italian showed off his precious cooking skills), bread, humous and some sweet cakes and biscuits including my flapjacks. Very bright moments when we got blessed by a fish tricked be our fishing lure. Mahi mahi dominated our dinning repertoar baked, grilled, souped, or simply eaten fresh. It often felt like a cullinary sailing cruise... The Michellin standards met.
- keeping the boat clean, tidy and fixing everything as soon as possible is a good standard. It is important not to procrastinate, make sure everything is cleared right away after the meals, trying not to leave anything loose at any time. Through out the whole crossing we managed to fix most of the things that broke, to Martinique we arrived with only very minor repairs required.
- lazing out, reading books, dancing, fishing, swimming behind the boat(only with harness, a big hook attached to swimming suit and a couple of curious sharks behind;), watching the wonders of the Ocean, Big Blue, colours of nowhere else, mesmerising sets and rises of the Mighty Star, moon blinded flying fish, spectacular spectacles performed by dolphins demonstrating their acrobatics causing us uncontrollable happiness and our dog an urge of nature(poo)...
It is where I meet and experience the power of the ocean I realise I need to respect it even more. The feel of wind, being swept by surfs larger than the boat itself I encounter its immense force...
Great experience and I feel I grow ready for more.
So here I come, Caribbean, perhaps still not quite realising that I made it. My momentary plan is to try to find a work to make some cash before I head further down south. But all open to any sort of madness while chasing my destiny;)
On arrival, the first thing I really felt like doing was making sure there is a rock worth a while and there seem to be enough all around the island. I spent a couple of days in a jungle contemplating with them beauty blocks of rock. My source of nutrition soon became a plentiful forest berries such as mandarins and cocos which I smashed(rather than the hard shell on top of my neck) on the stones; what a flavours.
People here are super nice friendly bunch who love to laugh and talk really loud. They often try to help even if not asked and they often like to take out their loud drums and dance-march the streets celebrating whatever there is to be celebrated.
I'm not in a hurry, here will do me good for a time being.
bonne journée!
Approximately 800NM (nautical miles) first stage, 2050NM second stage straight line
First stage, departure 13.12.2013, after rough first night with wind anywhere between 25-40 knots and big swells we experienced steady seas, wind speed average of 20 knots, all the way to Mindelo (arrival on afternoon 19.12.). It took us 6 and a half days. Few days spent on São Vicente and last on an anchor near a little village on Santo Antão.
Second stage, departure 24.12.2013, smooth ride all the way more or less stable seas, our average speed around 5.5-6 knots. It took as about 15 days to reach Le Marin (arrival on afternoon 8.1.2014).
Cape Verde; interesting mixture of cultures, long time under the influence of Portuguese. Very nice people once outside the city, though a party in Mindelo proved vibrant(lost my camera(yes, I was just about to start posting some pictures too)) and a local sugar cane spirit called grog provided funky blur and a difficulties to memorise the previous night details. Lots of laugh and dance with charming Caboverdans, accompanied by grog right into a trance!
The islands we visited aren't very green though the locals grow their crops in rather smart way, permaculture style little fields up in a hilly terrain, I saw mainly pulses, squash, tomato, potato and of course sugar cane in places where there is more water available. I suppose the local climate allows more than one season a year. Generally water is very precious but on San Antao we were told that it is plentiful and people manage to collect enough. Tasty local dishes including my favourite Sopa de Peixe(a fish soup) of which I have got a recipe written by chef herself, translation/transcription/test still pending.
Crossing was generally very pleasant, great crew, stable weather(I must say I wished for a storm to have a proper experience; not so much for doldrums which we missed anyway). All crew very dedicated and organised, happy and willing.
Main activities consisted of but where not limited to:
- watch keeping with occasional sails adjusting, watch was required 24 hours a day though sometimes, as an autopilot was on most of the time, it was just keeping an eye on the wind speed and direction. Sails need adjusting when some of these(and more) aspects change or when the course needs mending. Our keen captain Dani showed us how to reef, jib, tack(I don't really know if this is how to spell the words), we trained the "man over board" procedure and successfully retained a lost piece of equipment in under 10 minutes - good fun as it only was a polystyrene body board...
- cooking - very important to maintain the healthy diet and I must say we did very well. Every day we had from 1 up to 3 cooked meals, sometimes I actually wanted to eat raw(and I got my wishes come true in form ocean's gift - fish - which we ate raw in italian, japanese and other ways; very tasty). I happened to be a main cook preparing the dishes with an extra passion and love of course. Veggie stews, potato dishes, risotto, soups, pastas of all sorts(Davo the Italian showed off his precious cooking skills), bread, humous and some sweet cakes and biscuits including my flapjacks. Very bright moments when we got blessed by a fish tricked be our fishing lure. Mahi mahi dominated our dinning repertoar baked, grilled, souped, or simply eaten fresh. It often felt like a cullinary sailing cruise... The Michellin standards met.
- keeping the boat clean, tidy and fixing everything as soon as possible is a good standard. It is important not to procrastinate, make sure everything is cleared right away after the meals, trying not to leave anything loose at any time. Through out the whole crossing we managed to fix most of the things that broke, to Martinique we arrived with only very minor repairs required.
- lazing out, reading books, dancing, fishing, swimming behind the boat(only with harness, a big hook attached to swimming suit and a couple of curious sharks behind;), watching the wonders of the Ocean, Big Blue, colours of nowhere else, mesmerising sets and rises of the Mighty Star, moon blinded flying fish, spectacular spectacles performed by dolphins demonstrating their acrobatics causing us uncontrollable happiness and our dog an urge of nature(poo)...
It is where I meet and experience the power of the ocean I realise I need to respect it even more. The feel of wind, being swept by surfs larger than the boat itself I encounter its immense force...
Great experience and I feel I grow ready for more.
So here I come, Caribbean, perhaps still not quite realising that I made it. My momentary plan is to try to find a work to make some cash before I head further down south. But all open to any sort of madness while chasing my destiny;)
On arrival, the first thing I really felt like doing was making sure there is a rock worth a while and there seem to be enough all around the island. I spent a couple of days in a jungle contemplating with them beauty blocks of rock. My source of nutrition soon became a plentiful forest berries such as mandarins and cocos which I smashed(rather than the hard shell on top of my neck) on the stones; what a flavours.
People here are super nice friendly bunch who love to laugh and talk really loud. They often try to help even if not asked and they often like to take out their loud drums and dance-march the streets celebrating whatever there is to be celebrated.
I'm not in a hurry, here will do me good for a time being.
bonne journée!
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