Wednesday 26th October 2011  16 53.27N  24 59.48W  Mindelo

Today’s blog by the steering committee

Yesterday afternoon’s rain caused serious flooding ashore with a two feet deep torrents carrying all sorts of debris down into the sea turning the water into a muddy brown soup. 

We went out after it had stopped to complete our shopping but found most places closed, their owners mopping our their floors and seeking to dry their stock. There was consternation everywhere. 

Bob and Richard did overcome the objections of the nearby supermercado owner who was eventually distracted from his cleansing operation when he understood that Bobs proposed purchases would probably exceed the weeks turnover.  In celebration of deliverance he threw in two trolleys and a small boy (errrr, ……  just to push one of them!).  Keith and David’s attempt to replenish the beer store was thwarted by Keith’s inability to remember where they had to go and then a road inches deep in water – they decided to keep their socks dry.

We should say at this point that the further south we have come, and the more thirsty we are, the average can of beer has dropped from 500ml, through 330ml to 250ml in the Cape Verdes – not even enough in which to brush one’s teeth.  At the same time, it has become harder and harder to find cans (we don’t like glass  on board) so we needed to find “The shop that Keith lost”

So this morning, the foragers were out again while David did what he likes best, namely dealing with the officialdom of the Harbour Authorities to get a permit to leave Mindelo, the three amigos set off on the quest for beer of a reasonable strength -  in cans –-  this time guided by Sherpa Bob. However, when they - at last - arrived at the right place, the shop was still closed with the staff attempting to remove  the river of mud that had passed through.  ‘No entrada amigos!’ but the owner who happened to be at the store offered to take the bounty hunters to her other store in her 4x4.

It transpired that, they had no canned beer so once more back to the first store where the staff kindly retrieved their entire stock of just 15 cans and then helped us find our way to a wholesaler “just up the road”.  At this point Keith realised that he had left all our shopping bags and previous purchases (including some much sought after flour)  in the owners car.  Try explaining that in a language you don’t  speak. 

Richard and Bob left Keith to his fate and trudged off to the wholesaler where they finally did manage to purchase 72 33cc cans of fine Dutch lager and at wholesale price  too. Result!  Never let it be said that we do not know our priorities aboard Serendipity.

Keith was having a bad day – again - and arrived back bagless ….. and flourless.

Next on the list was meat and as we set out once more for the town’s only decent butcher another rainstorm raced in again turning to roads to brown cascades, except this time we were in it! 

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Our rain gauge (bucket on the after deck) indicates that something like 10 inches of rain have fallen in the last 24 hours…………. A good time to be on a boat…..!