Tarrafal - Sao Nicolau

Amoret
Sat 21 Mar 2009 18:41
We left Santa Maria on Sal; the anchorage there was pretty in a sand-and-pink-tourists sort of way but heavy rolling in the swell curling round the island made sleep difficult. Sailing at 1700 yesterday (Friday), we headed west-ish in a fresh NE breeze, reaching the port of Tarrafal on the west coast of Sao Nicolau at 1115 this morning.
 
We are anchored off the beach near the harbour entrance and, to date, the conditions are much more comfortable. The town is in a spectacularly rocky and pretty barren setting, but the island is high and has some crops so we'll probably catch an aluguer (a minibus or van that fills up with people all going the same way) to the main town, Ribiera Brava, which is apparently very different. This will have to be on Monday as I can't clear in with the port authorities until then (it being the weekend).