ACROSS THE ATLANTIC!

WHERE IS THAT SURINAME???:)

​​In one day it will be exactly one month since we arrived to Cape Verde.  Also it will be THAT DAY...because TOMORROW we will start our Atlantic Crossing!!!....We will be sailing to SURINAME!!!!!

Finally we will leave Macaronesia and enter new waters.
​After Volcanic Canary islands and dry Cape Verde we are looking foward to see some green and to get some tears of rain...
Is funny how the humans are...never content:) When you live in the north...where it rains every two days,  sun and dry weather is the one you desire....and here in south, where 
the rain visits just the top of the mountain water is the one only thing you are missing...

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SUNSET IN MINDELO ...

So after the Sal we sailed to Mindelo (where we are now),  but on the way for one night we stopped in a wild  Santa Luzia island. Amazing place!. Believe...the bay where you anchor is spcectacular.....Long white sand beach with high volcanic mountains behind and tourquies water around. Really very nice place! Anchoring is easy because there is plenty of space and you can drop the anchor at 5-7 meters deep. Bottom is sand and some rocks so need to choose good spot. But as there are so much space, no problem. 
And although winds from the mountains use to blow very very strong (when we were there in calm weather we had 30 knots on pics,!)  there is no swell at all. So lots of chain and enjoy the wild!!! Dinghy landing can be complicated because of breaking waves close to the shore, but is possible to drop little anchor and swim to the beach:)

WILD WILD WILD

AND SO WILD IN SANTA LUZIA

We spend a night there and next day sailed to San Vicente, Mindelo. First night on anchor in the bay in front of the town and than to Marina Mindelo . Sand and salt on 
Grain de Sable and our bodies as well were asking some fresh water:)  So we decided to spend few days tied on pantoons.
 
How the time goes!!! 7 years ago it was a small marina with just two pantoons , no shower and reduced service and now we were surprised to see all twice bigger.  Just the amount of the sailboats didnt grow. Maybe in November and December when the Arc regata take place it gets busier, but now there were a lot empty space. 

Anyway, who cares.:) Important are the shower, water, electricity and good mooring ropes to tie the boat. And all that we got. It continue beeing not a cheap place and with little bit bigger boat than RagaineII you feel it immediately. Price for the night for 11.7 meters boat - 27 euros. Water and electricity need to pay apart. Also use of the water in showers- pay per liter. . One liter around 2 euro cents.  Strange in beginning, but after realizing how dry are the islands and here in San Vicente it almost never rains all start having sence. Its the only marina in all Cape Verde islands so its  easy to put any price you want . 

Anyway we were happy  to have our boat there. Needed to make lots of shopping, fill the water,fix our dinghy, climb the mast to check if all ok  and visit town of Mindelo of course .

GRAIN DE SABLE IN MARINA MINDELO

CONNECTING ALL WE HAVE:)

STREETS OF MINDELO

COLORS...

CACHUPA! TYPICAL DISH OF CAPE VERDE

VIVA LITHUANIA!

LOCAL MARKET

Also for one day trip we took a ferry to the next island Santo Antao and drived to the mountains and beautiful green valleys to see some vegetation and green!!!!! 

There is no safe anchor place, but there are one hour ferries twice a day from Mindelo . 3 euros  one way and you are in a totally other world.. Very very worth to see! Most of the vegetable and fruits come from this island, also the local rum- grogue- is made there (from sugar cans)...Mountains are impressive...roads, vilages as well.. and people friendly and so relaxed.. Wish we could learn from them  to be more relaxed as well....) Everytime we touch the land we are so busy with preparations, shopping..fixing ,cleaning and  visiting every new place that at the end of the day we feel totally exhausted......But its In our blood suppose....what can we do?:) One day one day ....

SAN ANTAO. FONTAINHAS VILLAGE

RIVER IN SAN ANTAO

AND ALL IN RIVER- SHOWER...

AND LOUNDRY

ENJOYING SAN ANTAO

PAUL VILLAGE.SAN ANTAO

BOB MARLEY IS ALSO HERE:)

A REAL SUGAR CAN BITE!

And so now we are still finishing last preparation jobs and looking foward to start our journey to the other side. All provisions are bought...and the boat is full till the top. 

Fresh veggies and fruits here are cheaper and better than in Sal and the variety is bigger. So kilos and kilos of potatoes, onions, garlic, cabbage , carrots, yuca, oranges, 
bananas, apples and papayas....Life is much better now!!!!
ALso more wine and beer for the hot days at sea and plenty of cans and other stuff for days when we will not catch a fish. (  WE NEED TO FISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Shopping and organizing inside the boat. Thats what finally the preparation for sailing long distances means:)  At least later in open Sea an efort gives results:)

Our destination-Suriname- is around 1900NM away.  If all Ok and we have wind hope in less that 20 days we reach the land. Generaly we calculate 100 miles per day...like 
that if we do more, thats great! We do not push our boat. First safety. Always.  Important is to arrive without any bad suprises on the way... better slowly,  but surely.
Sounds borring...but believe...Ocean is not a joke. Doesnt matter how calm it looks.
Now we are three of us so watch keepings will be more relaxed. Day and nights will become warmer and warmer( I HOPE!!!) so all much easier. Yesterday we got rid of our  winter feather blancet which i  dreamed to throw out already in Canary islands but it was still too cold. Now it was just the  right moment. We are getting closer to tropics!!!!Yessssssss
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Some days we will send our position so you will be able to see where we are in FIND US HERE....and lets hope Neptune will be friendly with us!

BIMBACHE IS BECOMING A BIG CAT!...AND HIS STOMACH TOO...

And for the end... Today is birthday of MANU!!! ZORIONAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sweet cakes for the breakfast and nice lunch in Mindelo!!!!!!!
Next is comming Egoi!. 15 of March! Home made cake and maybe a big Dorado for present?????

ZORIONAK MANU!