NAVIGATING ON THE OCEAN OF LIFE

Chapter 5

The last expedition with "Sheilah CV"

Nice day for sailing!

It was just before Christmas 2010 when the ideas of a small expedition arose. The son of Sheilah and his girlfriend were visiting so a joyride to the island in the south Boa Vista seemed obvious.

On clear days you can easily spot Boa Vista from the beaches in Santa Maria - a distance of about 45km. Boa Vista is the 3rd largest island in the archipelago of Cape Verde covering some 620 square kilometers. It is renowned for the endless stretches of untouched paradise beaches (50+ kilometers). Only 5000 inhabitants make a living in Boa Vista which name by the way means "Good Sight". Legends tell that when Portuguese explores after a rough sailing first spotted the island, boa vista were on everybody’s lips and further baptism of the island unnecessary.

The island is home to a scary number of more than 200 shipwrecks due to the sometimes hard weather conditions, and the fact that a high level of iron in the rocks in the area can provoke crucial deviation in a compass. This obviously is a hazard that has lead many ships with mice and men to run aground.

...and that is where we were going... 

But I guess GPS makes it a bit safer and easier today :)

On the day of the Boa Vista expedition I woke up in the boat at 07.00 and after a little refreshing on the outside of my body the inside received a contribution of cornflakes to start the day of in tiger level. Then I jumped out in my friend the dinghy who happily acknowledged my orders and woke up the 10 horsepowers in the pink flower power painted Yamaha engine.

On the way into the shore I coincidentally "sailed into" the dinghy of my fellow anchoring neighbors from Sweden Stina and Andreas who was visiting Santa Maria on their impressive Atlantic trip with "Nada" their 1968, 31 feed Laurinkoster with two masts (www.nadaland2010.blogspot.com). The days before we had visited each other in the sailing boats enjoying wine, eating the delicious chili con carne at restaurant Tam Tam and indulged ourselves in Super Bock beers and caipirinhas in Chill Out and Cabo Bar - after all nobody had to "drive home".

We said our last goodbyes/till next time as they were heading off towards Mindelo in the island of Sao Vicente (or Mindelao as they liked to call it;)

1968, 31 feed Laurinkoster 

Chill Out time with Andreas, Stina, me and my brothers;)

I continued to shore where a wave pushed me the last meters onto the beach at 08.55.

The four landlubbers were almost ready and Gunnar as always carrying what seemed to be an enormous amount of luggage for our little 2 days journey. I taxied out to the ship twice with the dinghy fully loaded.

Now what the dinghy engine had performed in terms of engine ignition the Volvo engine lacked in the 36 feed Ericson sailing boat. But we managed to get the diesel engine up running, installed the team in the boat and got it ship shape for sailing.

Cholo and I helped each other in getting the 30+ meters of heavy anchor chain up from the 8 meters deep clear water. Then the sails were set and we steered South West.

It was a pretty good day for sailing with some winds and bright sunny sky but we had the dinghy on tow and ended up sailing the 25 nautical miles to the main city of Boa Vista; Sal Rei ("salt king") in 6 hours.

Boa Vista in sight

Gunnar with his two Sheilahs'

Buckle up - here we go!

The dear dinghy brought us ashore and we wandered around in the middle of the cobbled streets of Sal Rei with approximately 4000 inhabitants. Almost no traffic and African "mamas" selling fresh tuna fish and other species on the street witnessed the simple life around here - and we thought we came from a simple no stress village in Santa Maria.

The relaxing atmosphere led us directly to a bar by the sea where the great swells passing by could be observed together with locals jumping in the water from the bridge. At the same time the sun was getting  orange which together with a chilled Super Bock beer made the moment priceless:) On top of it we paid only 100,- CVE (Cape Verdean Escudos) which equals 1,- Euro each beer.

On the way back we did some provisioning - and of course the Chinese had as in the island of Sal several cheap mini grocery stores here as well which I secretly can tell you do not exactly support the culture and image of Cape Verde... but maybe that's what they mean with globalization?

Back in the boat Sheilah prepared Waldorf salad and ham which together with wine made it out for a nice dinner on the sea.

A few nightcaps later we were all in dreamland and I had literally speaking a "tight" sleep in the saloon's sofa.

The Tuna sold on the streets of Sal Rei

Ohh always nice to see a piece of Denmark

Super chilli Bock...

...enjoyed by Felicity, Cholo and me in a bar in Sal Rei

Next day after breakfast in the morning sun we slowly left our anchor space at 09.30 among a few old sailing boats and a half way sunken ship. We headed North West and this time with the dinghy secured on the deck in order to gain more speed. We had approximately 2 nautical miles of current against us and head wind which meant we needed to "zig-zag" our way home. In these wind conditions you are able to reach high speed and the sailing boat will lean down on the side. As it happened it occured to me that not everybody had the "what-a-wonderful-way-to-sail-I-feel-so-safe-and-want-to-do-this-some-more feeling... Now I am not mentioning any names but I thought Australia was a proud sailing nation:)

OK I have to admit though when I took the license for sailing I was pretty much thinking "now I am taking the boat down!" first time the boat healed down on the side. I remember I anxiously looked at my instructor who was a former race sailor - he did not even blink or seem to noticed at all. Sometimes I find it beautiful that you don't need to exchange any words - the comfort in his eyes confirmed to me that I was in "safe waters".
However as drastic as it can feel and look when a boat tips down to the side it is perfectly safe. Sailing boats are build for this and no worries aboout the boat going all the way down on the side - you see the square meters available for the wind to push on the sail reduces the more it heals so it's only pushing down till a certain limit.
...and I guess also on the boat that afternoon everybody got used to it.

For the tour back I think I was the one guessing the longest needed time with 9 hours - however it was not even enough. Gunnar, Cholo and I were taking the 1 hour shifts on the steering wheel and in the late afternoon we realized it was going to get dark before we would enter the bay of Santa Maria so we got some left over dinner while it was still daylight and for dessert we consumed a magical sunset dancing on the water all the way out in the horizon.

Breathtaking... No further comments needed

Then it got dark. We turned on the engine and steered straight for Santa Maria and as easy it is to find a anchoring spot in the bay in daylight as hard it gets in the complete dark with only some lights from the buildings on shore and knowing that there are a lot of small fishermen boats and also sailing ships without any light. We sneaked into the bay keeping close eye on the front and monitored the depth (well we manually threw a plumb in the water and read the depth from marks on the line). Eventually we found a anchoring spot - it was a bit further out than the one we had left the day before about 150 meters from the bay but there had no intention to do a slalom ride between vessels in the dark.       

We got my friend the dinghy down in the water again where she belonged and managed to get everybody on her in one go for the ride ashore. 

It had been a pleasurable tour even though we with the limited time there should have planned an extra day in Boa Vista for exploration. Also I have the feeling that Sheilah would have liked to do some more fishing...

On my way return to the boat after a quick walk in the village a huge three mastered schooner from the Netherlands with a Danish captain on board had anchored with a spectacular light in the night. It had anchored behind me (www.oosterschelde.nl). ...A nostalgic wave hit my salty face as I took myself down in the cabin totally satisfied after a full day 12 hours on the sea. It didn't take the sea many gentle rocking of the boat before I jumped directly into the ocean of dreams. 

Life is a present.   

Sometimes pictures does not tell it all - but it was an impressive sight

...and that's how she looks in daytime. Magnificent attitude - takes you back in time indeed