14th Dec Tarrafal Ilha de Sao Nicolau

Leaving La Gomera

It has been a while since my last post, and I haven’t been ashore here yet to see if they have an internet connection, so I don’t know when I will post this one.

Having decided to leave San Sebastian on Monday  5^th I went up the mast on Sunday for a check, the only problem was the topping lift shackle on its last ¼ thread! Since when I have found a number of shackles starting to work loose, so have been going round seizing them.

On leaving the marina the wind was hopeful but quickly died and then picked up again as we cleared the land, however at this point we caught up with the rowboats, who fortunately all had AIS transponders, as seeing them was not easy in the swell and darkness, and of course they were well spread out by now. By the time we had cleared them the other two sailboats who left at the same time were lost in the darkness never to be seen again.

Since leaving San Sebastian I have used the engine for a total of 5 ½ hours, including leaving the marina, also I have starts using the windvane instead of the autopilot although I was using both to start with, it stll takes a while to set it as the cross swell turns the boat before I can reset the vane.

My first taste of the red dust came when I was stuck in a dust cloud for two days with little wind off Dackar; the first day out we managed 132 Nautical miles, the second nearly 157, the third just over the hundred, the fourth 89, fifth 110.5, sixth 110.4, the swell varied from nothing to about 3m with cross swells usually, if I have a drink I can’t put it down until finished! which takes us to the 12^th Dec when we entered Palmera, Ilha do Sal, Cape Verdes. In the early morning the wind had starts to blow hard so I took all three reefs in on the main and left a scrap of jib, still doing over 4 knots,  and with the dust in the air I did not see land until 1 ½ miles out! Made port at about 10am so timing about right. In the harbour all the boats were anchored close together, so I tried coming in close to an outside boat only to be told to go inside by the port police, having looked around among the boats and being moved off again, they said moor off outside the harbour wall (they are laying a new pipeline) so I anchored off beside a big Dutch three masted schooner, and within an hour was joined by another three boats. Having convinced myself we had a good holding I dug out the Avon dingy and blew it up, heaved it overboard and attached the engine, (refuelled) took about ten minutes to start as I forgot about the fuel shut off switch.

Avian company

First sight of Ilha do Sal

Palmera

Net Fishing

Palmera harbour

Mural and locals

Being outside it was a long and damp ride in to clear customs, the village is small and has the feel of Africa, the police do the formalities and on being asked how long I wanted to stay I said I would leave the next day, I was tired and annoyed, but he would not clear me out saying I had to return at 9am, which actually meant a lie in as they use UT-1, so had a mooch around the streets, allot of tourist shops and not much else, then motored back to the boat to dry out and think about supper. The wind had abated a little in the morning so not quite so damp, clearing out took about two hours and cost 45 euros although I am fairly certain they decided I did not know the exchange rate (quite rightly of course).

Having returned to Snow White, started to make her ready for sea, and on checking the engine found the sump of water, having read and been told of severe fines for not leaving or even returning after checking out, I disconnected the heating system (to radiators and stove) thinking it was probably a head gasket, then refilled the cooling system, removed extra gunge from sump and fired up the engine, which ran sweetly enough, running for less than half an hour while I cleared the other boats and raised sails, leaving by about 1pm for a dark nights sail to Tarrafal Ilha Sao Nicolau, with the dust clouds visibility was not good and again did not see land until about 1 ½ miles out. I tried to sail into the bay but gusts were coming from everywhere and turning us, so again emptied extra gunge from sump and started engine to anchor beside another three masted schooner this time Swiss, which again left soon after I arrived; I now think the water is getting in through the exhaust so have redistributed weight to allow the exhaust a little extra height above sea level. Oh yes I have found something else that sets off the gas alarm, fly spray! It is very hot here we are at about 30°C in the cockpit, the squalls coming off the mountain mean the boats are constantly moving but the holding is good in black sand. 

Tarrafal from ancorage

The top of the town Tarrafal

The bay, yes that is my dingie