Wednesday 14th November, at Porto do Tarrafal, Sao Nicolau island, Cape Verdes
Spellbinder
Wed 14 Nov 2007 20:06
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We made our approach to Sal on Saturday morning.
The visibility proved to be very poor, with a yellowish dust haze, and land was
only visible from about 3 or 4 miles. GPS helps on these occasions. In to anchor
at Palmeira at 1340. Out with the dinghy, and Henry went ashore with the ships
papers to register with the authorities, accompanied by Mike and Ros.
Officialdom proved friendly, and gave local advice, including a guide to show a
recommended place to eat. Back for a quiet evening onboard, early supper and
catch up with sleep.
On Sunday morning Henry, Mike and Ros set off to
the larger town of Espargos, near the airport, to look for food shops and
internet. Bunny and Martin remained onboard to overhaul the heads pump, which
had been giving trouble. Not the best way to spend a Sunday morning, but a very
satisfactory result. During the morning, a harbour official appeared and asked
us to move a little closer inshore, to give room for a ship due to come in
alongside the harbour wall. We had already watched with interest as one old
tramping ship had departed and a second arrived, so we had no hesitation in
agreeing to move. Ashore to meet up with the shopping party, who had
ascertained that eveything was shut on a Sunday, back with Henry to shift
anchor and then off to Residencial Marin, the recommended restaurant.
Lack of menu, and language, ended up with Mike in the kitchen inspecting all the
pans and an eventual choice of 3 tuna and 2 fruits de mer. Served up with chips,
salad, rice and bread, and followed by "pudin", a sort of creme caramel with
coconut. All very pleased with the result. In trying to pay the bill with euros
instead of the local escudos, the help of another diner was enlisted. Jose
proved to be a musician who had lived 10 years in the USA, and was performing
locally in the resort hotels in the south of the island. He enthused about the
island, and offered to show us round with the aid of a friend with a van.
Decided it was a bit late in the day for setting off, so agreed to meet in the
morning.
All ashore Monday morning, to find Residencial
Marin shut up and all apparently abed. Mike Ros and Henry set off for Espargos
again, Martin and Bunny roamed around Palmeira. Shoppers back at 1, with tales
of very limited produce available, but sufficient to carry us on to Mindelo.Then
managed to rouse Jose from his slumbers, and Mike Ros and Henry set off on the
promised tour, while Bunny and Martin settled for a quiet afternoon onboard. The
tourists returned wth stories of mass development in the south of the island,
but otherwise a barren and empty landscape apart from some impressive, now
disused, salt pans within a volcanic crater and the promise of a new marina and
golf course at Pedro do Lume. The hordings promised said marina
and golf course in 2007 but there was no sign except for a very nice
restaurant! It was difficult to visualise such in what was a very
barren, arid landscape. After a reviving cup of tea, it was up anchor and off
for the 80 miles or so to Sao Nicolau, an overnight passage being the most
convenient. Light north easterly winds sapped our confidence in the trade winds
being properly established, and we had a slow trip, eventually anchoring at the
port of Tarrafal at 1350. Very hot! Henry ashore to find the port authority, and
a quick look round with Ros. Quiet evening onboard.
Wednesday morning, Bunny ran the other 4 of us
ashore in the dinghy, having volunteered to be boatkeeper for the day. A quick
negotiation and we had secured the services of Eduardo and his mini bus to take
us on the 26 km trip across the island to the capital, Ribeira Brava. Off we set
up the steep climb across the barren volcanic landscape, on a dusty graded road,
well constructed and obviously quite new. As we climbed higher some green began
to appear, but once over the crest the scene changed completely. In addition to
the spectacular volcanic peaks and deep ravines, the north facing side
of the island benefits from the trade winds(when they blow), and is
green and fertile, intensely terraced, and covered with maize, bananas and other
still to be identified crops.The road also changed to an older cobbled surface,
and so progress was slow, taking 1 1/2 hours to reach our
destination.
We enjoyed the rest of the morning wandering
around the very pretty and relaxed little town, everyone friendly, and many,
including the children, able to speak good French. Then to a roof top restaurant
at the Pensao Jardim, where we enjoyed a good lunch of fish, local vegetables
including manioc, green banana and sweet potato, and finishing with beautiful
locally grown papaya. All took two hours, why hurry? Plenty of time to enjoy the
view and chat to the lady in charge, in French. Back to Eduardo for the 1 1/2
hours return, and back on board for tea. Dark by 6.30. Light supper
tonight.
Tomorrow it is 26 miles to Santa Luzia, and
another night at anchor.
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