Las Palmas to Mindelo, High Winds, Broken Gear and Dolphins

Well, we finally got organized and after the final briefing, we left Las Palmas in Gran Canaria for Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands.

Nearly all the Viking Explorer group left together. Sadly one yacht got a positive covid test and all aboard had to isolate. A second yacht had a medical issue and needed to postpone for another year. Two further boats delayed their departure to wait for lower winds.

We departed expecting 25-30kts from NE and we got 30G40. Seas 2-3m. The ride was a rough but exhilarating roller coaster for the first day. Max wind was 40.6kts and max boats speed 20.2kts – the fastest we have ever gone and that was with 2 reefs on main and similar on the Genoa. Over several hours we were regularly getting 16-18kts down the swells.

All was good until we needed to gybe and, unfortunately, it was a bad one. We did not know how bad until dawn the next day when Hew was looking at the boom under the mainsail cover and saw the dent/ bend.

We reduced to a third reef and then after further consideration dropped the main and continued hull winged on Genoa and storm jib. A good combination and a good ride downhill.

Later in the day, we were visited by a large pod of dolphins who had a great time jumping and during in the waves. About 50-50 individuals with babies but the pod did not hang around close to the bows but rather darted in and out across the bows and down the waves.

The following is rather long and unfortunately no music yet but the video shows some of the antics of the dolphins in the later afternoon. https://youtu.be/c1HXg6gdcUU

Day three and the wind was decreasing to we ran the spinnaker all day and night. Very pleasant.

No sailing incidents but Hew decided to be the cook for the night and during the preparation managed to fire the Pyrex dish out of his hands and down the stairs ensuring a spectacular explosion of glass pieces everywhere!! So much for a quiet night!!

On day four the wind dropped slowly all day. We had to drop the spinnaker and motor-sailed half the day with the Genoa and then with the dying wind dropped the Genoa as well.

It was a lovely day and all were relaxing and doing the washing and tidying up. I had sent an update email to the yacht Copepod to say all the water sampling was going well and we must catch up at the next stop.

The next minute Mark comes in with a very sheepish look on his face to say he had just thrown the sampling tube overboard!!!!! Adding to the plastic waste in the ocean. It has a hook to attach it while you are collecting the water but he decided not to do that grrrr. No more sampling until we can get a new one. His new nickname “Dr. Dolittle”!!!

Next, another pod of dolphins turned up – as soon as some got here others rushed in from as far as you could see. This time they all hung close under the bows of the boat and jostled for the price positions. Very unlike the behaviour of the other lot two days earlier.

They departed after about 30 min and it was lunch. The fisherman has been very quiet but he has had three lines out every day and only one nibble. Anyway out he goes after lunch to find he had lost a lure and never even heard it!!! Problem with bungee cords on nylon and no steel trace. … No more fish seen that day 🙁

That night we decided with one day to go we should all watch a film with dinner so sit down to Bohemian Rhapsody!!

The next day we were all relaxing and suddenly Mark yelled “fish”!! Pete lept up to make sure it was true, Nev came rushing up out of bed, cameras came out – in case it jumped off. It was a beautiful blue Mahi-mahi or Dorado as they call it here. It is so beautiful in the water it is sad to see it caught.

Anyway, it was lovely to have sashimi for entré and fried fish for dinner, then poisson cru the next day.

Tuesday morning we were within sight of land. Petrels were the first bird we saw then the 3 local gannets kept us enthralled watching them catch fish in front of the yacht, including one flying fish.

We arrived in the harbour just after 1230 – it is littered with wrecks and some derelicts. We berthed at 1239 with marina assistance and met the local representative Stev, plus the marina staff. Next were the health authorities to look at our vaccination certificates and PCR test results. Followed closely by the rigger to look at the boom.

We sat down to lunch while waiting for the office to open. Then later we removed the mainsail and boom.

Next, I went to sort out the marina. The staff were all lovely, smiley faces, very friendly and helpful. The whole atmosphere of the marina is very casual snd reminds us of Fiji and the Pacific.

Followed by a meet-up at the bar.

We all needed local SIM cards so that was handled in the marina office by a phone lady

The riggers returned to pick up the boom which required a lot of manouvering around the office.

Finally, we could relax with beers and a Mojito!!

The next Viking yacht did not get in until about 8 pm. They were also looking at repairs as they had blown their Genoa apart!!