We finally left Pasito Blanco on Gran Canaria on Monday November 8 for the crossing to Cape Verde and arrive at Sal on Sunday evening November 14 after a crossing of 6 and a half days. It is already dark from about 6 o’clock, so we slowly approach the anchorage for the village of Palmeira and see many boats at anchor. Always difficult to estimate the distances in the dark, but there is a voice: “Captain, come” and again: “Captain, come”. We see a man in a small rowboat who leads us between other boats to a place where we can anchor. We give each other a high five “We did it” and drink a welcome beer. There is quite loud music from the shore, but we cannot see where it is coming from.
Land in sight? 
Land in sight!
When we wake up the next morning after a good night’s sleep and look around us, we see a lot of commotion of people in the distance near the village. Around us are many French boats with families. Next to us a boat with parents and 4 children, the youngest of which is really a puppy! We call her “Little Princess” because of her cute French voice and the cute dresses she wears.
It’s a whole different world here on Cabo Verde. Truly African and here in Palmeira on Sal also really shabby with little pavement, dusty, stray dogs, ‘knotted’ houses. All a bit makeshift and unfinished. The villagers leave us alone; when we ask something they are friendly and sometimes speak a little bit of French. When we use the public shower of the village at the end of the afternoon (for which we pay 1 euro per person), the shower is lukewarm (no problem with the heat!) and super clean. Customs clearance and immigration go fairly smoothly and cost us only 5 euros. We buy a local SIM card and have contact with the home front again.
The next day we sail to Boa Vista, the island south of Sal and familiar territory for us from previous vacations. Unfortunately, the square in the center of Sal Rei is under renovation, so we can’t sit down at the restaurant on the square with WiFi where we were looking forward to the ‘catch of the day’ (always tuna). And a nice beach bar that we know from before did not survive the Covid. It is quiet at the windsurfing center. But the ocean is still a beautiful blue with a beautiful sandy beach along it. Nice to now look at our own boat further on the water from the beach!
A few days later we move in one day and one night to Sao Vicente with the town of Mindelo. Here we are in the busy harbor where everyone seems to be preparing for the crossing to the Caribbean. When a large bunch of bananas appear on the boat, it is the sign that the boat is about to leave.
The town has more allure with traditional colonial Portuguese houses on the quay in a variety of colors and a larger-than-life painting of the portrait of Cesária Evora (click for “Sodade”), the famous singer of Cape Verde, known as the ‘barefoot diva’. But also more beggars rubbing their stomachs as a sign of hunger.
With the family visit we make a day trip to Santo Antão, an island 1 hour away by ferry from Sao Vicente. Just relaxing in good company to do the preparations for the big crossing next week (stocking up on groceries, necessary jobs on the boat, checking for a good weather window) and then at the beginning of December: off we go, towards Suriname!
With our Swedish and Dutch neighbors (of the Emma and the Janjorem) in the harbor we keep track of the wind and the height of the waves and wait for slightly calmer weather and especially less high waves. We now expect to start the big crossing on December 3 or 4. Because of the waiting and resupply that also happens on many boats around us, we gradually feel like: “Bring on that crossing!!”
The next blog will therefore come from the other side of the ocean. Salut!