Sao Vincente & Sao Antao - Cabo Verde

Explore Cape Verde Windward Isles - Sao Vincente & Sao Antao

2011-2012 Cape Verde Voyage Dates & Prices

Sailing Schooner Expeditions in Cape Verde

Read More about the Ilhas de Barlavento (Windward Isles)

Departing from either Fogo or Santiago, everybody will be back on board in the evening to prepare the ship for its longest crossing to Santo Antao or Sao Vincente which both lie at the NW extreme of the Baroventos group.

A close reach or close hauled 140 mile passage where Oosterschelde will set as much fore and aft sails as she can – sailing at least a day and night to reach Santo Antao or Sao Vincente - if conditions permit. Like all windward destinations, the ones you work hardest for are often the best. As in most destinations the ship will anchor and run boats ashore. Probably arriving in the night you will have to wait with anticipation for the sunrise to see your new location.

Sao Vincente & Mindelo Port

Mindelo is the largest harbour of the Cape Verde, and the town has restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. Some of the anchorages around Sao Vincente have strong currents swell but Mindelo has a good beach for swimming.

A jeep trip to the other side of the island revealled 'tumbleweed' type towns, rocky reefs and the wild windward coastline and fairly sleepy seafood restuarants.

A run ashore in the evening would not be complete without a visit to the Club Nautico. A roofless old stone wharehouse on the waterfront with huge gates and big bench tables - ideal for ships crew.  Local Cape Verdean musicans and singers play fairly mellow music to around the world yachtsmen and travellers.

The Big Trek on Sao Antao

A 7 mile strait seperates the two islands and it can get pretty windy crossing the gap between Mindelo Port and Porto Novo on Sao Antao. Santo Antao is the greenest and maybe the most beautiful island of the archipelago. A perfect island to explore on foot but it helped to head to for the dormant volcanic crater by jeep convoy for a full day walk. Not for the faint hearted, you can climb from the fertile 'lost world' of the crater up to the rim - spying farmers and goats on route. The path then takes an impossibly steep decent - no wider than a donkey track, with stone walls and hairpin bends all the way down until the land is flat enough for terracing. It is hard to think of yourseld on an oceanic island. The banana palms, coffee, rice paddy fields and sugar cane patchwork of fields and terracing look like a scene from the Phillipines.

Local Food & Grog 

It is a bit of a shock to the legs going downhill for several hours after a few days at sea, but you may be lucky enough to sit down in one of the villages and enjoy a local stew called caputcha in a private Cape Verdean home if your ships guide can arrange it.  We also tasted some home made grog, made from the sugar cane which helped our legs recover.

Read more about Santiago & Fogo >>

Read more about Sao Nicholau & uninhabited islands >>

Read more about Sal and Boa Vista >>

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.

photo: Our guide Ario and deckhand Thijs discuss logistics and the next jeep safari.

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 -Debbie's photo diary of her Christmas 2011 Cape Verde Voyage

Download PDF Cape Verde - Voyage Notes & Itinerary 2011-2012 

 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