Once again it’s time for another departure. Alec has been hoisted to the top of the mast to check the rigging. We hoisted some buckets of water up to him to wash some of the Sahara dust away. All halyards and sheets have been double checked for chafing. He has dived underneath and checked rudders, props and the hull in general. He has even given the hull a clean. Weather has been downloaded and supplies stored. As it is Friday, and we hope to leave at 0800 Monday morning, we have even been able to do our check out formalities.
Lloyd on DEJAVU – his Seawind 1000 – is also ready. Together we spend the last evening ashore enjoying a lovely steak dinner at one of the local restaurants. Markus, Lloyds young crew member, is off with some friends watching the local bands getting ready for Carnival time in a few weeks.
The winds are still blowing a good 25kts here in the bay at Mindelo. It has got to the stage if they drop to 10kts we now think it is calm sitting out here. While we have been in the bay there is one small yacht anchored in front of us that lost its mast on the run down from the Canaries, a second yacht arrived with a broken boom, and a third put out a Mayday only 18nm out into the Atlantic with a broken rudder !!!
As Monday morning dawns we see the Island of Santo Antao, only eight miles across the channel, for the second time since we have been here. This morning it is lovely and clear. DEJAVU has upped her anchor and leaves the bay 30 minutes before us – 0730. We follow her out into a rather lumpy channel with winds gusting 33kts and a 4mt. sea running. We have third reef in the main and a reefed jib. As we pass the southern tip of Santo Antao it reminds us so much of Oman – high mountainous, dry and rocky, but quite spectacular. The visibility really is great. Ahead of us is the BIG blue Atlantic!