Date: Tuesday 25th December 2012

Time: 11:00

So it’s Christmas, and we are kind of stuck in Tarrafal. We had strong winds in the anchorage last night, gusting up to 35 knots, and they continue to blow this morning.  We think that the winds away from the island are lighter, with just the local winds around the bay we are in being strong.  We would like to leave soon and sail down to another island, but Cape Verde bureaucracy states that we can’t leave until we go ashore, find the local policeman, pay our harbour dues and get documented permission to go to another island.  However the key words there are ‘go ashore’. Finding the local copper on Christmas day may take some doing as well. The outboard engine does not work and rowing ashore against 30 knot winds is not an enjoyable thought.