position N14 53 270 W 24 40 750
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Thu 23 Apr 2015 09:14
Last preps this morning then ready for the off heading for Paramibo. If we run out of wind due to lack of north we may think about re-routing to Tobago.
William stayed on board yesterday and did a good job topping up the water- managed to get it from someones house. Dominic & I had a great trip to Fogo. Dominic looked out the window at 6.30 and said the ferry is loading. Rushed out of bed and grabbed warm clothes that Don Street recommended for the Volcano and william rowed us over. Lack of ticket seemed a problem at 1st but then the lady phoned her boss and let us on board for cash (not bribe -just ticket price). Ferry left at 7am so perfect timing.
At Fogo we minibussed to the main town- Sau Philipe- and found coffee and omelette for breakfast. Then walked through the back of the cafe and saw it had an internet room attached so quick look at google maps to get our bearings. Nice lady in office then found us a young french speaking guide to take us up to the Volcano in his pickup.
Don Streets guide recomended at trip to the village in the Volcano -Cha de Calderos- he spent a night there and hence the warm clothes. With our broken french we gradually realised that the guide was telling us there had been an eruption in 2014 which had completely destroyed the village. So our visit became a fasinating tour of a disaster area. A village of 1300 population had become a site with about 100 former residents trying to restore their half lava filled ruins, chipping away with crow bars and hammers. Our guide was actually a resident and had moved down the valley to some government provided social housing. He wanted to move back but was earning money guiding to save up for a new house. His mother was in the process of re-building a traditional round stone house and other members of his family were selling lava based trinkets.
Exraordinary landscape -I will try and put up pics when I next have wifi. Enjoeyed a late lunch of indeterminate fish back in town at the Colonial -rather grand, and some further provisioning before walk back to port and long wait with no cafe for the ferry.