Navigating on the ocean of life.

Chapter 1

I have a friend in you – and what a patient and calm one. Just breathing in and out with the pulse of the waves – what life basically is all about...

The sailing boat had been all mine since we arrived in the bay of Santa Maria with the beautiful turquoise water. After all the troubled times with torn sails and giant waves we had to go through in the 9 days and 6 hours from Canary Islands to Cape Verde the boat had somehow become something like an old friend that you have shared a lot of good and bad experiences with. Now resting here in what seemed to be paradise in this little village with a petit number of tourists and plenty of sun, clean water and amazing stretches of beaches I definitely liked the life of a sailor even though I was not sailing anywhere. 

The boat was anchored up about 150 meters from shore and only when I needed power for my notebook or food I went on shore.

There was three ways of transportation to land; swim, paddle on a board or take a ride in the dinghy with the fancy pink 10 horsepower engine and land it on the beach. Either way I would at some level get wet and in the end even in the dinghy bad timing on the waves could roll you and the rubber boat over going out – however it only happened once which luckily was just after I had bought a brand new water resistant bag which I could carry on my back either of the three transportation methods. It was pure luck I found it in this village with limited goods. But if it wasn’t for that magic bag my phone and notebook would have been killed by that pleasant 25 degree warm turquoise seawater.

Me and my yellow board on bay watch mode;)

Sheilah and Gunnar had after a few days of reacclimatized on the anchor space went into their 2 bedroom apartment placed on the beach with a magnificent sea view. They invested in the apartment in May 2010 after visiting the island of Sal a few months before - guess it was love at first sight.

Their apartment with what you call clear sea view!

There was just one formality we had to solve going on shore – stamps in the passport for officially being landed in Cape Verde, so one early morning we joined up with a local guy, Alex and headed 1/2 hour north to another little town called Palmeira where the main harbor of Sal and the harbor master/ police are situated. When we arrived the harbor master had been there but left again. Later we found the Police station… well it was just a house under construction where he, THE policeman was sitting in a naked room with one table and a TV running with bad signal. We knew that tourists pay €25,- when arriving in the airport so it was a nice surprise that we only had to pay the symbolic amount of €1,- each! Hey after what we went through I think it was a nice welcome.

Alex, Gunnar and Sheilah on our hunt for becoming legally ground walkers

Then we went for a beer – and not just any beer – no here like in Portugal they consume the brilliant named beer: Super Bock – for me this is pure respect. The advertisements were everywhere and it made me smile. Not only is this my name they even added in “Super” and I couldn’t agree more… maybe it was actually good in that sense that I needed to retire to the boat before I got too self-seeking about it;)

I even found a high valued boat - maybe not the fastest in the bay but full of admiration for that name: Springbock:)

 

The first thing you meet when entering Santa Maria from the sea side is the Danish flag. Wow it blew me away first time I saw it. The flag was planted in the ground like Neil Armstrong did it with the American flag on the moon more than 30 years ago.. or that’s how I at least saw it. However this was the little kingdom of Denmark showing off in Cape Verde, with almost 6000 kilometers in distance. Not many actually remember to acknowledge that Denmark used to be one a huge country in the good old Viking times and later on, where the borders were extended to the Baltic countries in the east Sweden, Norway and Iceland to the north, Germany in the south and UK to the west. Actually Denmark possessed the exotic Virgin Islands till 1917 where they were sold to US for cheap $25 million. Also Denmark were the first to discover America long before Columbus made his voyage towards India. It was named Vineland then but I guess nothing of interest were found – or we were just too humble or drunk to announce and claim the discover (guess they were not seeing the marketing values then:) OK fair enough the above borders were never at the same time but I see it as a paradox that we once were a huge country but ended up as such a tiny little piece of land – anyway it’s not a matter of size right?:)
At least Greenland and Faeroe Islands are still under the official protection and support of Denmark – the last pieces of a once upon conquer hungry country. 

Somebody had been on the "moon" before me - and at that time at had no idea that the real estate business behind was my future workplace...

Whenever I travel and see the Danish flag or just a Danish products being far away from home it lightens my national feeling and makes me feel a little closer to home.
The reason for this flag being positioned here would be found in an article in the building behind. A Dane named Claus was selling properties here – so I was not the only lonesome Dane in this island. Actually two Danes have business here – more about this later… Stay around.

Till then ENJOY LIFE!!!

oh if you ever buy a tasty bottle like this make sure to hide it from Swedes - they will not let it go before its empty!:)