The passage to Mindelo
Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Thu 17 Nov 2011 19:02
We have had all sorts of weather during our passage from La Gomera to Cape Verde, three days and two nights of flat calm, with an oily sea and no wind. We motored through the night, had the cruising chute up for a couple of hours and then on Saturday evening it rained and the wind arrived. We had 24 hours of weather more commonly associated with Ushant than this latitude, everything was damp and cold. The seas picked up and the current and the wind were fighting each other - we are both amazed at Marita's forbearance, she sailed downwind through the waves with no more than a shuddering as the waves hit the hull!
The rest of the trip continued in this fashion until last night, when the wind finally listened to the weather forecast! We have seen little wildlife apart from a few dolphins, but I was hit on the head by a flying fish - not sure who was the most surprised! He went back into the sea to continue his flying lessons. We sailed slowly for the last 50 miles in order to reach Mindelo in daylight - so unlike Europe, with wrecks in the harbour and scruffy buildings. The marina however is great, good showers and Internet access, with all nationalities about to cross the Atlantic.
Technical report! 830 miles and 169 hours at sea. We used the engine in the calms and for leaving and entering harbour for a total of 56.7 hours ie 33.5 %. The generator, which we use for the water maker and recharging the batteries, failed -----we think it was dirty fuel so we are going to tackle that repair tomorrow with a lot of help from Wolfgang who is sailing In company with us and who loves engines---- phew! Our last day at sea was exhausting because we were not going to arrive in time to be in the harbour by darkness so we had to slow down and wait out at sea for first daylight. Having seen the harbour full of wrecks, some submerged and some partially submerged so we think it was a good call but a night bouncing about in 25 knots of wind with a three metre swell and cross waves caused by wind and current was not conducive for a restful night especially as we had already had five nights of it and the other two boats were tucked up In the marina-------we need to sail faster!
Cape Verde is UTC time minus one hour so at six o'clock this evening it is getting dark. It is however nearly 30 degrees centigrade with a sea temperature of 26 degrees. First drink for 7 days seems in order.