Wednesday 14th November, at Porto do Tarrafal, Sao Nicolau island, Cape Verdes

Spellbinder
Wed 14 Nov 2007 20:06
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.