Tuesday 25th October 2011  16 53.27N  24 59.48W

Yesterday, having “done maintenance stuff” on the boat most of the day (unusually, all these tasks appear to have been successful) it was time to venture out from Mindelo. Our next victims were due to land at San Pedro Airport at 18.10 and so we thought we would go see the flesh pots of San Pedro and go on out to the airport to meet them.

San Pedro can best be described as a very primitive version of Palmeira, Sal.   The same breeze block construction abounds but it is more colourful

Now, the airport was a couple of miles from the town. As soon as the taxi door closed we realised we could not see a taxi rank.  Here is the main square during the rush hour:

In which the male population seem to be engaged in playing cards -  what appears to be a national pastime:

No taxi - indeed not even a car although there was some industry in the place.

So we needed to readjust our schedule.  We decided to walk along the beach back towards the main road. This decision was not in the least influenced by any other occupants of the beach

It was a nice lighthouse, don’t you think?

The Cape Verdes are volcanic. The beaches comprise black lava but there is also some sand which is said to have been blown here (sic) from Africa. Wherever it came from it made fascinating patterns in the sand

Having traversed the beach we found the road and wended our way to the airport to meet with Keith & Richard. We were early and thought we might be able to fit in a sharpener before the plane arrived but to our dismay their plane had left Sal 15 minute early and we had to make full speed to get there to meet them. 

Back to the marina, ashore for a meal and thence to bed.

We spent this morning scouting round town for provisioning and this afternoon, rain stopped play. We have had the next four year’s rainfall in the last 3 hours.