Position 17.10.265N 028.13.907W
We enjoyed our few days in Mindelo to recharge and reprovisions which involved visits to the local supermarkets and there open vegetable market. Great produce and very friendly people. We ate out at various local restaurants each night and the food was excellent and very well priced. Most of the restaurants we went to had entertainment by a local band playing, one night followed by a very good band playing in a street blocked off for the occasion to a large crowd including us.
There were also ARC+ entertainment events. A BBQ sounded promising in the local fish market and we had emailed ahead en route, had our email confirmed and replied to ARC+ told us - and then confirmed again with ARC+ people when they visited us on arrival to take our passports and the original of our boat registration papers. We duly arrived at the BBQ entrance to be told we were not on the list - and if your name’s not on the list you’re not coming in. Seizing the opportunity we found a very nice local restaurant with a band playing and had a splendid lobster meal with drinks and deserts for €15 per head!
We assumed our names would not be on the list for anything else either so organised our own entertainment and tours. First we took the No. 3 local bus and did a circular tour right around Mindelo seeing all there was to see along with the locals on the bus going about their daily business. Donald and Glen then led the way hiring a taxi and doing an exploratory trip - the rest of us getting in the same taxi after for another ride right to the very top of Monte Verde with amazing stop offs on the way to take in the incredible views around the island down to the sandy beaches and coves. The road was amazing - it snaked right up the mountain and was made of flat cobbles of volcanic rock. It must have taken years to build blasting through rock and then laying the stones. A real feat of Mindelo engineering.
Unfortunately ARC+ lost our passports temporarily - together with our original boat papers - and we were very worried. Our passports were eventually located in ARC+ filing system but still no boat paper - or explanation. Then someone from another boat turned up at our stern - on the morning of departure - with our boat papers as they had been put into their envelope. Phew.
The marina at Mindelo is very good with recently installed pontoons with water and electricity. Both were slightly variable in supply but overall it is very good there and a great stopover.
We had drummers and dancing girls one night and then drummers and dancing girls and boys (fully clothed!) for the drinks event before the ARC+ prize giving. The drink was more of the 50:1 local hooch we had on the earlier night and some were seen with bottles of sprite carefully diluting this time!
The preparations for setting off complete - all bills paid and farewells said - saw us head for the start line after some careful manoeuvering out of the marina on a windy day. The Cats set off at 12.45 and the monohulls at 13.00. We were one of the first over the start line and had set our course arrow straight for St Lucia between the Cape Verde islands. There was good wind and with our sail size we were frontrunners with one or two other boats.
The wind was good and driving us along well but we had been told of an acceleration zone around the adjoining island and to be careful.
We were ready for that - but not for the massive seas that started and the swirling winds changing direction and speed by the minute. We all got completely soaked on the flybridge by a massive wave that engulfed the boat. It reminded me of my trip across the english channel in the boat back in April just after handover.
We were called on the radio by boats behind asking us what lay ahead for them and we relayed the details to help them prepare.
Our Gennaker halyard broke the second time we used it on the last leg as we have been supplied with the wrong type of line, we were lucky the sail did not get tangled in the rudder or keel and rip. We have been unable to source the right line in Mindelo. So we are at a big disadvantage to all the boats who are able to use their Gennaker / Spinnaker for this downwind sail with the tradewinds to St Lucia.
Some boats now with 35kts of wind blowing just after the start however we were amazed to see fly their Spinnakers. Shortly after sadly we saw one rip in half on a boat to our port side and we watched them battle to get it in with our binoculars. The wind was just too strong and gusting. Others took heed and were more cautious. It’s a marathon not a sprint.
As you can see we have covered a good distance in the last 24hrs - the most we have covered in any 24hr period so far. There are big seas but the frequency is low so we are riding along OK with the occasional thump. We saw 2 large commercial ships in the night and we have several other ARC+ boats around us in the distance we can see on our AIS system.
There are lost of flying fish about demonstrating various levels of skill from beginner - to Eddie the Eagle - to expert.
Weather is warm, no rain, about 20kts of wind although slightly in the wrong direction so we are having to head off our ideal course to keep sailing but we will be able to come back down on there other tac in due course.
Everyone on board is fine and enjoying out passage to St Lucia.
PS Sally Wallwork we hope you are OK. X