Sao Nicolau
W2N 'Where to Next?'
Rob 'Bee' Clark
Fri 28 Nov 2008 17:56
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16:34.14N 24:21.6W
Just minutes ago, I anchored off of Porto do
Tarrafal on the Island of Sao Nicolau in the Cape Verde archipelago. The dice
chose this island out of the ten but unfortunately, local immigration policy
dictates that it is necessary to clear customs at one of only three specific
islands. I chose Sao Vicente and it was having just arrived there five days ago
that I posted my last very brief blog.
Yes, I know, it doesn't take five days to clear
customs! Five hours maybe but not five days. The problem was that I had intended
to stay only long enough to make use of a local 'Fixer' called Kai who is
mentioned in the pilot book as someone who can assist with chandlery or
provisioning. I hadn't planned on meeting so many friendly people in the
surprisingly large marina! Well, you know how it is - once I'd moved from the
outrageously overpriced marina to an anchorage, I was in no hurry to leave. I
did start writing a newsletter though and I'll email it as soon as I can get a
good internet connection (the 'text-only' blogs are sent using sat phone but I
can't afford to use it for the newsletter which will have loads of photographs).
The truth is that there is just so much to write about and I wasn't even
supposed to be in Sao Vicente! As such, I'll spend a couple of days (provided I
don't get friendly with the crew of a 4.5M Superyacht again but that's another
story!) in Sao Nicolau and write about that in the newsletter that'll be
submitted to the blog as well.
So, look out for that. I was also able to make some
decisions about the general route to Cape Town as my research revealed areas of
West Africa that really should be avoided at all costs. I'll go into it in more
detail in the newsletter but it looks like I'll probably have only Senegal or
the Gambia as realistic 'odds/evens' dice choices after clearing
immigration at Santiago. From there, I have to think very carefully about the
Ivory Coast or perhaps taking an arduous westerly route through the doldrums to
Ascension and St Helena islands before turning back towards Namibia. Whichever
way you look at it though, although I will continue to use the dice, the
selection is likely to be quite restricted until I get past this rather volatile
area. I'm just being sensible and from a few emails I've received, I
know that there are at least a couple of people that will be pleased to hear
it!
Well, I'm really starting to feel like the
adventure has begun now. Canasta is in great shape and the
weather's hot (sorry, those of you in the UK won't really want to hear that!).
There are only a few other visitors boats
anchored here and I can see that it's even more primitive than Sao Vicente
although it shares the extraordinary treeless volcanic landscape. I'll go ashore
into the tiny village before it gets dark and see if the natives are
friendly!
More later,
Bee
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