Nov 19th to 24th

As quickly as we have arrived, it seems our departure from Porto Grande, (Mindelo) was quicker. Last 5 days has flown by, mostly meeting and talking with friends we have been seeing on and off since our first landing in La Coruna, Spain and ensuring all is good for our trip across the pond. There were 100 or so boats at the Marina or at anchor here all making the trip across, some to Brazil and other S A ports and the remainder to the Carrib's Over the next three months I"ve heard figures of over 500 boat will make this crossing. Most will head to the southern Islands then island hop their way North before heading up the eastern seaboard or Panama Canal. We are the only ones we know heading to Antigua making it unlikely we will cross tracks again before we lay the boat up in Cuba. I suppose maybe on the delievery trip bring the boat back to Saint John in the spring we may meet some that are heading back to Europe for the summer.


We were also going to be missing our Gambia dutch partners who would have been alot of fun to be with in Mindelo. These thoughts combined with the confirmation we rec'd that work awaits come this Feb were all very sobering.... We did however get to see a bit of Mindelo, which again was much more like Europe than Africa it is buildings roads and other infastructure. The Harbour has one small shipyard with two rail ways and a larger one with a working syncro lift good for vessels upto 300 foot, both busy with fishing vessels. The skyline around our anchorage was very impressive with high jagged volcanic cliffs to the North and South, hopefully some of those pictures turned out. Food and beer were good, I think the local beer was called Estrella (portuguese roots) a little stronger than most at almost 6%, always refreshing. Day time tempertures here are a pleasent 30 during the day and 25 at night with water temps almost the same.

We departed Tuesday afternoon (24th) with the routine of Vicky singing that Trews song "i"m not ready to go" .
That's a going to be the name for our next boat "Not Ready to go".... however as it will probably be a dingy for the kids and I, it may not have the same affect, however in Memory of.....
The GPS states we have 2130nm to English Harbour in Antigua, and the forecast is the same... NE 15 to 20. If the trades hold, (which they may not as it's still early) we should be there in two weeks, a few days longer than our last crossing.
We'll keep the same watch schedule with Vicky doing one night watch from 12-3, there won't be much traffic and non of the usual coastal activity, thus anticipating peaceful evening with lots of time for star and navel gazing...until the little loud ones awake. A few years older and we could have Nyah doing her own watch! In the mean time I'm estatic that Rogan is on now one week without diapers!