After yesterday we received feedback from the Marina Mindelo on São Vicente that taking on water and diesel would not be a problem. So we finally decided to stop in Cabo Verde and to reprovision for the crossing.
The day was very relaxed, as we were able to drift 106 nautical miles with an average of 4.4 knots down wind with the Genoa poled-out in winds of 8-11 knots. In the afternoon Sara‘s bait caught our biggest fish so far (estimated 70cm). Until Cabo Verde, the fishing rods will no longer be thrown out for the time being, because we have enough fish in the fridge to turn it into a delicious dish tomorrow, possibly fish cakes. During the day it is warm, especially in the sun which has a lot of power. It also gets warmer at night. Fortunately, the temperature below deck is still very pleasant. In order to practice for our future free diving dives, we started today to measure how long we can hold our breath with a stopwatch. Then individual minimum times were set as goals that we want to achieve before arriving in Martinique. Where Max and Papa have been without breathing for several minutes, Sara and I have to practice little more. We’ll still have enough time for our breath holding training. Otherwise, the quiet day was spent with lots of reading, music, cooking and watching movies. Most of the night we could still sail, until the morning when the wind was no longer sufficient for the big waves and sails started flapping. After that, most of the last 40 nautical miles were run under engine. We have the mountainous coast of Cape Verde in sight and are accompanied ashore by dolphins, many flying fish and seagulls.
Por Que No Sailing 