Please just ignore this if it is a repeat.  The gremlins obviously came aboard at Mindelo and I appear to be creating messages that disappear into the ether.

A sullen Caesar completed his repair so we settled up, battened down and released what was left of the frazzled mooring ropes and left Mindelo at 1430 with dignity.  The wind was quite strong but the waves polite and controlled as we set off between Sao Vincente and Santa Antao.  Santa Antao is very volcanic and acned with the cones of ancient volcanoes large and small and great gulleys scored into the sides.  In the afternoon sunshine it was an artists dream.

We turned slight right at the end of the channel and waddled along in the lea of Santa Antao with barely a puff of wind.  We gave up and motored for some time but switched it off at the start of night watches.  The sails flapped flaccidly and we made very slow wallowy progress with the gybe preventer stopping the boom from penduluming wildly.  Haley came on watch at midnight by which time a breeze had established.  She single handedly sorted out the sails and we began to make progress in the right direction.  We all had a really good nights sleep soothed by the sea.

The morning brought fabulous sunshine and real warmth for the first time.  We put up the cruising chute (the very garish one) which immediately upped our speed to 6 knots and have pottered along very happily. Fleur is now pegged on the deck catching some rays and Bob has taken off his shirt, revealing his farmers tan. It is bliss and absolutely fantastic to be on our way.