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Santiago & Fogo - Islas Sotovento
Explore Cape Verde Leeward Isles - Santiago & Fogo
2011-2012 Cape Verde Voyage Dates & Prices
Sal to Santiago - Off the tourist track
The first sail usually starts with100 miles downwind with a day and night passage to from the fishing port of Palmeira on Sal to Tarafal on Santiago. This gives people plenty of time to find their sea legs and the adventure has begun.
Sal has amazing white beaches and turquiose seas and the cross shore winds on the beach at Santa Maria is fast becoming a world mecca for kite surfers. However the main tourism island is fairly barren and to see the best of Cape Verde in style you need a beautiful ocean going schhoner to explore the other more remote islands.
Santiago in the leeward islands (Sotoventos) is 100 miles away from Sal and a total contrast with high mountains and cobbled mountain roads.
Over half of Cape Verde's population live on this big island, mostly in Praia yet at Christmas 2010 Oosterschelde's crew were the only tourists we saw ashore.In theory this southern group of islands experience lighter winds. Tarrafal is a village beside a bay on NW side of the island with a crumbling stone quay and an impressive surf beach. You might spend a day ashore independantly walking past mango trees, visiting a banana plantation and an old grog factory where the sugar cane was ground by a cattle powered mill stone.
A full day exploring the interior by jeep and mountain walking on foot can be arranged (jeep excursion costs on each island were very worthwhile and split amongst the guest crew - approx £8-10 a head)
Slaves ran for the hills - We use a jeep
The jeep or minibus safari goes high up into the mountains on impossibly steep cobbled roads. Tree swathed red rock hills and sharp peaks swirling in trade wind cloud mist dominate the scenery. Looking down many villages are tucked in high up the valleys (to avoid raiding pirates, or a result of escaping slaves heading for the hills) amongst mango, papaya trees and crops.From the peaks you can often see the distinctive dome of Fogo. Depending the the strength of the trade winds - the skipper may risk heading further West to Fogo. This makes the wind angle harder to work to windward to explore the windward islands later in the week.
African Influence & Music
Santiago was the first island to be settled by Europeans and thousands of African slaves. They have not forgotten their ancestry and the music tells many tales. Oosterschelde crew enjoyed a local womens singing group with drums and a lot of angry or sad slave songs during a lunch.
Fogo - Active Volcano & Colonial past
The landscape of Fogo is dominated by the volcano with its summit reaching 2829m (9280ft). Those feeling energetic can go ashore early morning to climb to the two craters. This is still an active volcano and last erupted in 1995 but 40 000 people still live on the island. Alternatively stroll to local coffee and fruit plantations and vineyards. Sao Filipe has a faded grandeur. Its squares and wide avenues are lined with colonial mansions with beautiful courtyards, but the history is darker. In 1582 100 Europeans controlled a workforce of 13 700 slaves who toiled in the coffee and cotton plantations. Many were skilled weavers and their cloth was highly prized in Africa and Brazil.
Local Guide on Board
A major asset to the voyage is a local Cape Verde guide.
In 2011 the ship was joined by Ario who enjoyed pulling ropes with the guests as well as enthusiastically telling us about island life. At every anchorage he had put together either a great full day jeep safari or several independent options. He found us wild rock pools to swim in, opportunities to eat a typical meal in a Cape Verdean home, staggeringly beautiful mountain walks from crater rim to terraced fields of coffee and bananas...coastal drives through villages un touched by tourism and live music venues.
All itineraries are subject to weather, swell, and the usual unusual factors that create change !
Direct Flights from the UK
Thomson fly cheap weekly charter flights from London Gatwick or Manchester direct to Sal, but you may need to find holiday accommodation in Santa Maria for a few days either side of your voyage (plenty of cheap B&B or hotels you can book on the internet). Alternatively TAP airline flys scheduled flights to Sal daily. A Cape Verde visa for UK citizens can be bought on arrival but check current regulations.
Download PDF - Cape Verde Voyage Notes for 2011-2012
Download PDF - Photo diary of a Christmas in Cape Verde on Oosterschelde
Call us on 01872 580022 or drop us an e mail on skippers@classic-sailing.co.uk if you are particularly interested in the 2011-2012 Cape Verde Voyages
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Classic Sailing
Parton Vrane, Portscatho, Cornwall, TR2 5ET
Tel 0044 (0) 1872 580022
skippers@classic-sailing.co.uk