Porto Grande - Mindelo, San Vincent

Kingfisher 2013
Peter Smith
Tue 3 Dec 2013 17:27
With strong sunshine but still no wind, we raised the Cape Verdes just after 0600 on the morning of 2nd December (yesterday) and motored into Porto Grande in San Vincent on schedule just before midday. They found us a berth on one of the pontoons and we have been busy exploring Mindelo and resting ourselves ever since. Most of the ARC boats seem to have put in here, many of them have now left again but quite a few remain. There is a good atmosphere in the marina with so many trans-Atlantic crews hanging around and making various repairs and preparations for departure. We are very happy with our decision to come here and will be refuelling tomorrow morning before getting under way again. Mindelo is a pretty town, very poor but trying hard to deal with the influx of rich and mad yachts asking for things they have never heard of before. The marina is well run and well organised which was a bit of a pleasant surprise.

We all went out for a meal ashore yesterday and found an excellent restaurant hidden away in the back streets above the main town followed by a very good bar afterwards. This morning was a bit like Hangover 4 for some members of the crew - I am sure more details will emerge over time but, for now, this story is staying on tour…..! Suffice it to say that we are all good now (13 hours later)

This hopefully gives you some idea of the place

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The before…..

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…and after

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