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OWNER REPORT<br />
Chris with his 25kg tuna<br />
24 www.oystermarine.com<br />
local ‘aluguiers’ (pick-up truck taxis) universal<br />
in these islands for public transport. The<br />
islands have a poor reputation for excessive<br />
officialdom, but we found little to complain<br />
about. Arrival and departure from the three<br />
major ports (the third being Praia on<br />
Santiago) required visits to the port captain<br />
and to the police (plus immigration on first<br />
entry and final departure from the islands) but<br />
in each case we were able to process arrival<br />
and departure simultaneously. At all other<br />
islands and harbours the local port captain,<br />
where there was one, appreciated a courtesy<br />
visit and the payment of miniscule harbour<br />
dues of $2 - $3, but there was little other<br />
presence of officialdom.<br />
Like many cruisers, we decided to miss<br />
out the rather bleak, hot and dusty<br />
eastern islands of Boavista and Maio.<br />
After a brief visit to Santa Maria on the<br />
south end of Sal to sample the worldfamous<br />
wind-surfing beach there we<br />
headed west on an overnight passage<br />
to Tarrafal on Sao Nicolau then, after<br />
several days, across to Mindelo on Sao<br />
Vicente via a lunchtime stop at Santa<br />
Luzia. After sampling the delights of the<br />
‘big city’ for a few more days we<br />
headed SE overnight once more to Tarrafal (a<br />
different one) on Santiago, pausing only to<br />
drag a 25kg tuna on board (after an hour-long<br />
battle) soon after leaving Mindelo. Our<br />
destination was then Praia, at the southern<br />
end of Santiago where we formally checked<br />
out here before heading to Brava, the most<br />
southwesterly island, and our point of<br />
departure for Brazil. We were sad to miss<br />
making a visit to Fogo, an island consisting<br />
of a single spectacular volcanic cone, but the<br />
only anchorage offered poor shelter in the<br />
prevailing swell.<br />
Swell is a constant factor around these islands<br />
and choice of anchorage is often dictated<br />
more by the need to find shelter from the<br />
prevailing swell than from the wind. During the<br />
normal ‘winter’ sailing season, the trade winds<br />
blow consistently across the islands at a<br />
steady 15-20 kts and most anchorages are<br />
simply shallow, though entirely adequate, bays<br />
on the leeward side of the islands. Sailing<br />
around the islands, one needs to be conscious<br />
Village house - Sao Nicolau<br />
Palmeiro harbour, Sal
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