Let’s Take the Ferry, Please

Sao Antao, Cape Verde Islands

Not in Charge but still watching the Nav...

Once bitten.  You know the rest…  The channel between Sao Vicente and Santo Antao is notorious for its WAZ – those strong gusty winds and dramatic swells.  Ferry passengers are warned to take plastic bags with them.  "Here we go again", sighed GS.  Our Kiwi friends (Ross & Jo, Soujourn) and the friendly marina staff recommended a tour of Santo Antao.  We had the contact details for Jonas, a young guide with an aluguer (van or ute), and absolutely no idea of what we were going to see for our day trip over this neighbouring island.  At least the weather was relatively clear and we had a fine morning view over to Santo Antao.  It looked like our tour was going to take us up some pretty steep gradients.

The moonscape above Porto Novo

After a brisk walk to the huge ferry terminal at Mindelo, we boarded and found a nicely protected cubby hole out of the wind and on the protected (leeward) side of the ferry.  The ferry is the only access to this island, so it offers a combination of foot and vehicle space.  Finally dock lines were released and the Cap’n started counting flying fish (not sheep).  Then, after some dramatic crashing and splashing as we crossed (this was a good day apparently), we arrived in Porto Novo to be met by our friendly tour guide, Jonas. 

Peering into the clouds for the deep trench of Paul's Valley.. Don't push, GS!!

Cova Krater at 1170m with a patchwork of farms below

Spectacular scenery continues

Jonas has a keen interest in his island home and has researched it thoroughly.  With a map in hand, he detailed his plan for the day; essentially a drive up and over the mountains, a stop for lunch at a coastal village, a chance to explore Santo Antao’s most productive and beautiful valley and then a fast drive back to the ferry terminal on the new coastal highway.

The road we followed initially was a legacy of Portuguese craftsmanship – a beautiful and superbly crafted cobbled road.  It was well maintained and planted, reflecting the pride of its inhabitants.  Views back over Porto Novo highlighted a barren landscape dotted with scrub and desert vegetation.  As we approached the top (only of the ridge we were on), the landscape began to change dramatically.  Farmers worked a patchwork of terraced fields and behind the village, pine trees sat perfectly at home in this cooler climate.  We passed a farmer with donkeys carrying water.  Jonas explained that many in rural areaslived without water to their homes.  Young people were seeking work off-island rather than continue traditional village life.  He also pointed out a number of new housing settlements which the local (& very progressive) government had designated for the poor. 

Look at the terracing.  Are we in Nepal?

Views down the Paul Valley to the Portuguese settlement of Ribeira Grande

On we drove to a viewpoint, high and treacherously narrow, over the Valé do Paul (Valley of Paul).  It suddenly became quite chilly as clouds swirled and danced around us, obliterating any view.  We ducked for cover under a tree only to find that it was dripping water.  A weeping tree...  They say mountain air does funny things to you!  Further on, we watched an artistic cloud dance over the vast ancient volcanic crater, the heart of Santo Antao.  The heights were dizzying and the views spectacular.  At every turn, the scenery of deep valleys, dramatic steep slopes, forests of pine and eucalypt and tiny terraced fields reminded us of Nepal.  Walking trails litter the slopes; French and Germans revelling in steep downhill trekking, fresh air and lack of crowds.

Cobbled road along a high altitude village

On the narrow road that promised breathtakingly sheer drops, sometimes on both sides, we climbed down to the thriving Portuguese town of Ribeira Grande, in the midst of preparing for a festival; a horse race run over a track on the river bed.  From there we took the coastal road north to Ponta do Sol, a pretty pastel seaside village proud of its newly constructed hotel.  We ate lunch of freshly grilled fish looking out over the local fishing harbour – a minute and exceptionally choppy hole-in-the-wall suitable only for local boats.  We figured that fishermen must surely deserve a prize for the most dangerous job on the islands. 

It's rather steep on this side of our very narrow road ..

GS & our Guide, Jonas.  Yes, and it's really steep on this side too!

We turned our attention to Ribeira do Paul, a narrow but productive jumble of farms and terraces spread under huge breadfruit trees lining the valley that led from the crater above.  A fresh water spring fed well-maintained gardens and optimum use was made of every space.  Sugar cane was a popular crop and we learned why after stopping at a grogue shop (local distillery, local spelling) to sample various concoctions of white rum.  Inventive use had been made of local fruits, creating a headache-inducing punch.  With a bottle or two, and a spicy mango “marmalade” tucked under our arms, we declared our touring day a huge success and Santo Antao spectacular. 

Coast Road scenery

Fishing Boats at the minute harbour of Ponto do Sol

So, it was reluctantly back to the ferry at Porto Novo on the new asphalt coastal road via Sinagoga (a small Jewish settlement) and Janela; back to cross the moonscape we’d left earlier.  Afternoon winds had set in, conditions in the channel had not improved since the morning, so it was a race for the leeward decks.  Luckily, we still had a few plastic bags left.

Of Course, It’s Africa!

X-ing File #3_ Canaries to Cape Verdes

Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands

Mindelo, Sao Vicente.  Taken from the Ferry Wharf

Before we start, we'd like to note that the end of 2017, celebrated (not) at sea on the way to Mindelo, marks Ten Years of sailing Miss WJ3.  We now find ourselves on the edge of a precipice, ready to complete a circumnavigation of the Atlantic.  I doubt If either of us would had ever thought this possible back in our early sailing days in Aus.  So here we are - in Africa and ten years into a still exciting voyage with our sturdy Windjammer.  She's still looking after us, very well indeed!  Now, on with the story so far:

After all the downhill momentum, and of course the thrilling, butt-clenching ride through the channel into Mindelo Harbour, it was a relief to see the marina.  Somehow, the swell never left us though and made its presence known even whilst tied at the dock.  Getting on or off WJ3 required coordination, balance and a little nerve - not always the GS’s strong points.  Wobbling & lurching to the floating bar (for coffee & wi-fi – sure!!) gave the impression that most of us were already above respectable limits, even at 10am.  To add to the milieu, nightly pummeling by wicked katabatics kept us on our toes, fenders working overtime to prevent other yachts from getting too cosy.  Long-termers had stainless springs (that squeaked) to dampen movement whilst the inventive Frenchies next to us used motorbike tyres.  Even after a few days our mooring lines had stretch beyond belief.  Judging by the number and size of the wrecks in the harbour, island life is still pretty harsh.  That said, it was a great place to break our journey.  Mindelo is lively with song and dance; the fish market, located beside that architectural giggle (the old Customs House and parody of Belem Tower in Lisbon) is well supplied with a variety of seafoods and stalls at the Market Square offer a surprising range of fresh produce.  In all, it’s a character town with lots of charm. 

Mindelo's own Belem Tower, now a Museum

View back over Face Mountain at dusk

The Cape Verdes are made up a group of 14 islands of volcanic origin along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. (Google Earth is quite useful here to see the extent of that ridge.)  They sit well off the African coast (325nm) and given the harmattan (a hot, dry & dusty wind) and proximity to hurricane breeding grounds, are relatively desolate and poor; lack of water being the most critical issue.  Charles Darwin (in 1832) described them as “utterly sterile”.  That said, Mindelo is now regarded as the “Riviera” of Cape Verdes and colourful modern concrete constructions sit perfectly in tune with Portuguese colonial architecture.  De-salination plants and international airports help sustain a growing tourist industry (including the ARC and many more migrating yachties like us) and thus valuable income and employment for islanders. 

Mindelo Marina in a deceptively calm-looking bay

Just to prove that We were There

Despite their barren appearance, Prince Henry the Navigator, with a strong business sense, saw their long-term value and so settled these uninhabited islands in the mid 1400’s.  Columbus visited on his third voyage, launching this as the perfect Trade Wind passage.  Eventually the Cape Verdes established itself as a successful merchant trading base for goods from both Africa and the West Indies.  Its history is then, the usual Atlantic island story of plunder, pilfering, pirates (Think of Drake in 1585. That man was never home!) and slavery.  In later years, the islands served as ports of call for whaling ships and trans-Atlantic steamships.  It’s not difficult to conjure up images of the tough men and women who risked their lives in these remote and rough islands to eke out a living and yet still sustain a welcome stop for sailors on this watery superhighway.  We certainly appreciated the opportunity to stretch our land legs, stock the larder, enjoy (slightly) warmer weather and get out and about a bit to learn a little more about an outlying post of Africa. 

Downhill to Flying Fish Country

X-ing File #3_ Canaries to Cape Verdes

The Kiwi’s near us on the same dock were leaving Saturday (30th December 2017).  We decided to take the plunge too.  The first day was a fine trip (read – we initially motored as the wind was slight!).  As they say, all good things must end – and so it did!  Had we just enjoyed downwind sailing conditions offered by constant trade winds, things might have been ok.  However, nature did what nature does best, so we had an accompanying swell from recent (and probably far away) Atlantic storms on one quarter and to even the odds, more swell from the east.  When all three met, we rocked and rolled in variable 25+ knot winds, making life rather unpleasant.  At least we moved with some speed, even maxing out at 8kn as we surfed the swell.  Just as well the Cap’n had earned his surfing stripes in the Faro canal earlier this year.

Somehow, we punched on through, winds abated and we settled into more manageable conditions.  That’s not to say that the rocking and rolling stopped.  Still, we were kept amused.  A pod of dolphins, numbering in the hundreds, visited over two days, showing off with an impressive and daring display of acrobatics and speed surfing.  They can spin on a dime…  We also saw, rather closely, a pilot whale and later, a turtle who looked as if he was planning to swim to the Canaries overarm.  On the seventh and final day of this leg, we were escorted into Mindelo Harbour (and wonderful, calm waters, woohoo!) by a family of birds.  It seems our wake disrupts their favourite snack - tasty flying fish; we certainly had accumulated quite the collection on WJ3's deck over the week.

So, just what do sailors do over these days at sea.  The Cap’n tells me he thinks of maintaining Windjammer’s forward momentum, weather and food.  Obviously, safety is an issue as is sleep.  We normally do 2 hour “shifts” at night (from dusk to dawn) and doze during the day to recover any lost sleep.  Shifts are filled in with checking the horizon for shipping (at 10 minute intervals), there’s sails to adjust, routes to plot & record (write our log), books to read, music to listen to and if conditions allow, a little deck dancing for exercise.  Meals are simple and very plain (mostly prepared by the Cap’n if it’s rough).  Bert Hydrovane (our self-steering gear) does an outstanding job as the third “man” and best of all, he’s cheap to keep and doesn’t complain.

The best thing on passage is seeing land, hopefully, our destination.  We still remember the sweet smell of mother earth wafting off Flores (Azores, 2011) after 20 days at sea…. 

(We're about to head off and take the long plunge across to Barbados, leaving any internet connections behind - for now at least!  It should take about 20 days or so, and as we will not be posting on route, the best place to follow our track is from the "map & tracker" tab above.  Don't worry if you see us drop to the latitudes of Brazil, it's probably GS entering numbers into our satellite coms system in the wrong order - again! Once in the Caribbean, it will be back to catch-as-catch-can cafe internet connections, so things could slow down for a while.  Wish us luck!!)  

Chasing Columbus

Las Palmas, Canary Islands

After a rather layzee Christmas Day, and with a plan to head off in a few days (the weather looked promising), we needed to pedal off those few pounds gained so took to an extensive network of bike paths.  We followed the foreshore route behind the marina down to Veguela, the historic precinct and site of the original settlement in 1478. 

Canary Yellow used in profusion in Old Veguela

A walk past the markets roused our appetite, so we continued roaming narrow cobbled streets looking for something tempting.  We found a hole-in-the-wall eatery just around the corner from the Columbus museum where we feasted on a delightful selection of homemade tapas, GS hurriedly writing notes as our host detailed his creations.  Thus energised, we set off to explore Casa de Colon (House of Columbus).

Tapas for Lunch.  With coffee as only local's can drink it
 & that's all you get in a cup!

Don’t you just love those old-style villas (after the Roman model) where solid walls present to the street shielding occupants from noise and presumably attackers.  Rooms line these walls and from balconies, fine views can be had over a central courtyard garden, a well or water feature.  This was not, of course, Columbus’s house but rather one owned by an official who was sufficient in rank to be entertaining (and accommodating) The Admiral of the Ocean Sea.  The building itself has been beautifully restored, including deep cellars and a tunnel network.  Rooms now hold various displays giving insight into those historic and world-changing four voyages.  Detail is added with descriptions of life on board, a collection of seriously old maps (including Piri Reis*), souvenired Central American pottery & statues and fascinating terrain models, one of thin layers of cork, detailing Veguela’s layout in the late 15^th c.

One of the rather impressive doorways into Casa de Colon

Birds with style & attitude

A replica of Columbus's Cabin
befitting the Admiral of the Ocean Seas at the Museum

From Casa de Colon, we circled the Cathedral hoping to see inside.  It was not our day but at least we had two other options; one a lift to the bell tower and the second, a gallery of sacred art.  The Cap’n rolled his eyes at the thought of yet another art collection, so we took in the stunning views over the port and busy city-scape of Las Palmas.  Back down to earth, we sat in the Cathedral square, decorated with dog statues and palms, listening to a chattering green parrot.  No canaries made themselves obvious in the canary island date palms fronds, so we made for the nearest supermarket to begin provisioning for the trip ahead.

Las Palmas Cathedral 

(*The Admiral Piri Reis Map created in Constantinople in 1513 is said to challenge conventional understanding of world history.  Notions of a vanished civilization are explored in Graham Hancock’s book, “Fingerprints of the Gods” and whether you subscribe to his theories or not, the read and the ride back in history really does make you think.  And no, its not related to that other best-selling nonsense (but a fun read), “Chariots of the Gods”.)

Gone to the Dogs

Las Palmas, Canary Islands

Crazy things happen at Street Corners
in Las Palmas

Welcome to Spain!  The Canaries are made up of seven larger islands with a few smaller ones thrown in for good measure.  Largely volcanic, they’re steep sided and subject to interesting wind conditions, known locally as WAZ (wind acceleration zones) that can, in the blink of an eye, obliterate a sail or spinnaker.  So, if the volcanoes don’t get you, the katabatics just might!  Being located in the path of the north-east trades, the islands are regularly visited by sailboats heading for the Caribbean – as once they were by galleons needing to resupply before heading off for the New World.  Galleons or caravels have been replaced by the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), a mammoth annual rally to cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean, this year hosting some 255 boats.  Yes, Las Palmas Marina is huge (1250 berths).  The marinero who assisted our docking told us that even now, a further 80 boats were waiting to cross directly.  An anchorage outside the marina holds, at last count, a further 37 punters biding time too.  A busy little sailboat super-highway…

As you can see, skies were grey so it is hard to see
the forest of masts in just our corner of the Marina

These islands were initially called “Fortunate” and appear to have a history dating back to 200 BC.  Phoenicians (in search of murex shellfish for valuable Tyrian dye), Egyptians, Europeans, Arabs and Berbers visited leaving their indelible mark on islands that later became known as Insulae Canium, The Island of Dogs.  Whilst it’s understood this was due to the numbers and size of dogs roaming the islands, it is also speculated that it was home to a north African tribe, the Canarii.  The islands are positively bursting with maritime history and favourite names such as Columbus (1492), Drake (1595) and Nelson (who lost his arm in a battle of Tenerife, 1797) converged on this vital conduit for valuable cargoes, including slaves, brought back by trading ships from Africa, the Orient or the Americas. 

Now it’s cruise ships that ply this popular route.  At one stage we counted 6 monoliths, including the famous dark blue hull of the Queen Elizabeth.  In Elizabethan times, sailors found their own special attraction here in the form of canary-sack or malmsey (fortified) wines.  We did wonder just what exactly it is that attracts current visitors; that said, the economy appears to be booming.  Masses of modern high-rise apartment blocks cling to steep-sided landscapes, traffic speeds with intent along motorways, resorts are in high demand and planes land with hardly any interval as northern Europeans escape to a warmer, balmier climate of this undoubtedly Spanish enclave. 

Living the High Life for Christmas Lunch 2017

To be fair, we really did not do justice to this (almost) tropical island, nor did we have time (or will to beat against the trades) to visit the others.  However, we found enough to keep us amused.  The Cap’n sourced some chandlery bargains and Las Palmas’ busy shopping precinct provided us with duty free Moet Champagne and fresh lobster (live and cooked by the Cap’n) for our Christmas Lunch.  The butcher’s display in El Corte Inglés (a David Jones equivalent) was equally as impressive; the Spanish sure know how to celebrate!  So, we don’t always have it so tough.

Never Leave on a Friday

X-ing File #2_Madeira to Canaries

For the second time this season we’d gone against nautical favour and deep superstition by leaving port on a Friday.  We wondered if Captain Cook, who also visited Madeira but in 1770 & 1801, would roll in his grave at our audacity!  Weather reports looked favourable, so we set sail after a somewhat challenging refuelling.  Katabatic gusts blew directly onto the marina fuel dock.  Thankfully, our bowthruster earned its keep, yet again.

Once away from the island, the seas were mild and winds light.  Our path took us past the dark and mysterious Ilhas Desertas, now home to endangered monk seals and a warden.  Deserted and desolate, we could only speculate on a lonely life.  On dusk we were joined by a convivial pod of dolphins ready for a little bow chasing.  After mum called them home, a pair of sea birds chased our wake combing the twinkling phosphorescence for tasty morsels.  We discovered a baby cuttlefish on deck the next morning…

How can you read at a time like this?

Finally, decent winds set in and the Cap’n poled out the genny; even so we kept the engine on as swells were confused and unruly.  Conditions degenerated from there.  We sped past the Ilhas Selvagens (Savage Islands) rocketing along with both headsails wing on-wing (challenging on a B&R rig & set up by Cap’n Smarty Pants), rather pleased that we had not arranged for a permit to visit them.  There was no way we were stopping.  Winds changed again and the swell increased, so even if we had decided to head for the eastern group of Canary Islands (rather than a direct drop to Gran Canaria), it would not have been a pleasant bash.  It was not pleasant now.

Goose Wings

Life at Sea: with "James" (really it's Bert), steering,
only Tahiti's off course this time

Finally, our third crew member, the auto pilot, decided enough was enough and left the Cap’n no option but to helm.  For 5 hours.  Dodging cruise ships and freighters off Tenerife in the dark added to exhausting conditions.  Finally, day broke and we had plenty of light to negotiate Gran Canaria’s vast man-made port complex, Las Palmas.  Luckily it was Sunday too, so traffic was minimal and we safely made it across the paths of monster ships into the one & only vacant, very snug berth in this vast marina.  It’s taken us two days to recover from the 2 ½ days at sea and we’re only just beginning to eat real food again.  GS can at last sleep without having a bucket within reach.

So, here we wait, at the mercy of the weather yet again, dreaming of idyllic conditions awaiting us in the Caribbean and wondering if a couple of tattoos (each at least, as they're supposedly talismans) might help get us there!  Or maybe I could just find a suitable ship’s cat?

A complete rainbow arc.  Some things are nice at sea...

Ongoing Risky Business

Funchal, Madeira

After 3 long days of lockdown on board due to yet more passing storms, the Motley Crew decided it was time to shake out the land-legs with a day out.  So here then are a few more of our “touristico” undertakings in pleasant downtown Funchal:

#6.  Eat Unusual Things

During our wanderings we stopped to breakfast with Prince Charles (actually a café serving local snacks and that shot of strong coffee we so badly needed).  We also tried scabbard fish, crumbed then served on a sweet potato bread roll with a hit of chilli.  (We instantly thought of Galata Bridge fish sandwiches, Istanbul.  Not quite the same!)  Never having eaten roasted chestnuts, they were on our list too.  And off it immediately – they must be an acquired taste! 

Roasted Chestnuts. Not for everyone....

A stroll through the Mercado dos Lavradores (market) perked us up however as we watched fishmongers chop huge tuna steaks and came eye to eye with the razor-toothed grin of black-skinned, scabbard fish.  Further in, colourful displays of tropical fruits (tamarillos, custard apples, gooseberries and philodendron fruits) set amidst curtains of drying chillies competed with buckets of showy flowers, handcrafted embroidery and Camacha wickerwork.

Cherries for HOW much?

Adding traditional colour & song to Christmas Market festivities

The Christmas Market was another matter entirely.  It became our favourite last stop of the day.  Tasting four varieties of Madeira wine was essential, washed down with a local beer.  The best sedative for the bus ride back proved to be the much-loved poncho.  A shot of this lethal brew, made from distilled cane sugar juice (white rum?) mixed with honey and a healthy shot of fruit juice, burned our throats and chilled us out rather nicely, thank you. 

#7.  Look to the Past

Funchal offers museums a-plenty, so finally GS settled on visiting one, enchantingly titled “The Universe of Memories”.  Full of nostalgia and memorabilia, this well cared for and very elegant 19^th C townhouse, was once home for Joao Carlos Abreu and his family.  It now houses the many and rather eclectic collections amassed by Abreu on his world travels.  Collections are sensitively displayed through-out the house, keeping each room’s basic function in mind.  Ties almost overpower you in Abreu’s dressing room, ancient Chinese pottery or Indonesian carvings offset modernist paintings in the sitting room and horses, a definite passion, monopolise space in a cluster of small upstairs rooms.  (No photos allowed inside, hence the long-winded description. Photos on this local Madeira blog though.)

Garden Fountain

Cobbled Entrance to Abreu's Townhouse

After a quick pot of tea and a scone (served in cute, vintage crockery) beside the fountain in the Tea Lounge, it was off to walk the historic core of Funchal.  After a brief stop at the old City Gates, we crossed into the 15^th C Old Town with its narrow, cobbled streets and ancient buildings.  Many doors down on Dom Carlos & Santa Maria, are painted (some rather better than others) adding to the quirky ambiance of the area and uplifting the rather extraordinary, yellow painted, Sao Tiago (Saint James) Fort.  The fort, on its rocky foreshore, starkly reminded us of Madeira’s remoteness.  The area now, is packed to the hilt with restaurants.  Running the gauntlet of staff, well accustomed to soliciting attentions to their finest dishes, made us appreciate our quiet marina even more. 

Sao Tiago Fort

Happy Snappers

#8.  Dance with the Devil

Funchal’s Cathedral dates from 1514 and is one of the few buildings remaining from Madeira’s early colonisation.  Inside this Gothic delight, a dark and gloomy interior allows the carved and gilded figures of saints above the choir stalls to shine like stars.  Again, this chunky building speaks volumes of Madeira’s remoteness and survival during those heady days of the Portuguese Age of Discovery.  (Wealth from the spice trade in later years allowed development of a more exotic Manueline style; a showy architecture, Eastern influenced and very Portuguese version of the Renaissance and more readily found in Lisbon.) 

Fresco outside the Madeira Cathedral_another way of hiking perhaps?

#9. Take a Hike

In an effort to cultivate the island’s steep slopes, early settlers had to construct terraced gardens and levadas, irrigation channels, to ensure adequate water supplies.  In all, the levada system runs some 1400km over an island barely 57 x 22km.  Paths beside them provide ready-made hiking trails and if you’re keen, a good day’s workout.  Having suffered the Cinque Terre in Italy, the Cap’n baulked at the thought.  So did GS when she realised this was hiking for the serious.  Of the four recommended walks, only one was described as easy; the greater challenge was having to travel to the remote upper island by bus, a feat in itself.  Another offered a path “very narrow in places and not recommended for those susceptible to vertigo”.  Stories of cows rolling down hills in Flores during high winds (Azores) came to mind and the risk seemed just too high.

#10.  Christmas Lights & Delights

Now, do I really need to explain why this is risky??

Merry Christmas to family, friends and those brave souls who check in on our boating life & adventures.  We wish you all the best for the festive season and only ask that you save us some left-overs from that fabulous Christmas feast you have planned.  Baby Dexter has timed it just right to hang up a Christmas stocking and Santa’s on his way, Miss Phoenix!  We’ll miss you all.