18:01.70N 23:57.80W
It was another day of steady motoring as we looked to
arrive in Cape Verdes early the next day. Though we
weren’t too sure how many boats from the ARC would also be stopping to
refuel, we knew that we wouldn’t be the only ones. As mentioned
previously, the wind has not been in our favour. So stopping off at this Portuguese
ex-colony seems to be appealing for many.
Knowing that we have found ourselves in this
predicament, it was a good opportunity for us to learn a bit about this
Archipelago off the coast of West Africa
As a nation of 10 main islands, Cape Verde established its independence from Portugal in
1975. Throughout its history, it has experienced recurrent hardship –
characterized by recurrent droughts that stifled attempts of agricultural
development. Given this, its current economy is heavily dependent on foreign
aid. Cape Verde’s
status as a nation, nevertheless, is highly touted in comparison to its
continental neighbours. Most notably, it has been cited consistently by the
United Nations quality of life index as having the highest among its African
neighbours. So, given the hardships characterizing their history, there is much
to be optimistic about Cape
Verde.
So, now that you know what we do about these islands,
you are probably wondering less about the destination and more about the crew
on its way!
Though we all felt more up to speed with the history
of these islands, we realised that our boat needed two things: a good scrub and
a Cape Verdean flag! The boys tended to both. A
thorough clean of the deck was undergone with scrub and hose – and Enigma
looked as good as she did when leaving Lisbon.
As for the flag, Manel was up to the task. All the crew’s artist needed
was a plastic folder, some paint, markers and tape in order to conjure up a
very respectable imitation (see photo).
Furthermore, our efforts of courtesy were rewarded
shortly before dinner, as we finally caught and ate our first fish of the
journey! It seems as though our dolphin visitors (mentioned in previous entry)
listened to our request and beckoned their Mahi Mahi friends to pay us a visit.
We took the opportunity to quickly prepare our catch on the new grill –
and it was delicious.
So, with these precautions being dealt with, the
Enigma crew were set to make its entrance into S. Vicente!
Check out the next entry for our brief stay on this
intriguing new place.
Till next time,
The Enigma Crew