Mindelo
08/01/08 20:56 Filed in: Ilha de Sao Vicente
| Cape Verdes
There is
not a lot in the way of visitor attractions on Sao Vicente.
Mindelo is a sleepy little place where it easy easy to pass a few relaxing days without doing anything very much. This is what we did.
We found the people here very friendly and helpful and apart from the odd beggar there was a total absence of hustlers. The streets were clean and with a bit of searching we found most things we needed. The hardware stores, of which there were several, were particularly useful.
Most evenings it was possible to eat in a bar or restaurant featuring live music.
We removed the main halyard and both sets of foresail sheets for cleaning. They were heavily encrusted with salt and reddish dust. We found that soaking in seawater for a while followed by several seawater rinses removed most of the dirt. There was no fresh water available today but when it is everything will get a final fresh water rinse.
Mindelo Marina is quite a large new complex with the pontoons anchored with chains rather than piles. Movement on the marina is quite uncomfortable with lines snatching and jerking the boat about. The motion of boats in the marina is much more pronounced than with those at anchor. It is however very secure and the dinghy park for boats at anchor is well used.
Several yachties I spoke to thought that when filled with boats one or more of the pontoons would have a good chance of breaking away. During our stay there was often 15-20 knots of wind blowing off the hills down over the marina.
Mindelo Marina reception area with the town centre beyond.
A new leisure complex under construction just west of the marina.
Looking east across new unoccupied pontoons.
A view south towards the pontoons for larger boats.
Our pontoon with bow to moorings on one side and stern to on the other.
Two views of the anchorage.
Mindelo is a sleepy little place where it easy easy to pass a few relaxing days without doing anything very much. This is what we did.
We found the people here very friendly and helpful and apart from the odd beggar there was a total absence of hustlers. The streets were clean and with a bit of searching we found most things we needed. The hardware stores, of which there were several, were particularly useful.
Most evenings it was possible to eat in a bar or restaurant featuring live music.
We removed the main halyard and both sets of foresail sheets for cleaning. They were heavily encrusted with salt and reddish dust. We found that soaking in seawater for a while followed by several seawater rinses removed most of the dirt. There was no fresh water available today but when it is everything will get a final fresh water rinse.
Mindelo Marina is quite a large new complex with the pontoons anchored with chains rather than piles. Movement on the marina is quite uncomfortable with lines snatching and jerking the boat about. The motion of boats in the marina is much more pronounced than with those at anchor. It is however very secure and the dinghy park for boats at anchor is well used.
Several yachties I spoke to thought that when filled with boats one or more of the pontoons would have a good chance of breaking away. During our stay there was often 15-20 knots of wind blowing off the hills down over the marina.
Mindelo Marina reception area with the town centre beyond.
A new leisure complex under construction just west of the marina.
Looking east across new unoccupied pontoons.
A view south towards the pontoons for larger boats.
Our pontoon with bow to moorings on one side and stern to on the other.
Two views of the anchorage.