Webster - Log 11 - Arrival Mindelo, Verdes

Sunday 1st December: It Exists!!! That orange yellowey thing in the sky that we had been expecting from day one was here. As day broke this morning the skies had cleared and not a cloud to be seen let alone any rain, thankfully. A perfect breeze ENE 20 knots greeted us and we were creaming across on a beam reach - Ken managed to achieve 10.4 knts before he screwed up into the wind - time for a reef methinks! The smile on his face said it all......... a perfect sailing day. Sw hundreds of flying fish around, one of which committed suicide on deck but it was far too small to eat.

Everything on board is either wet or damp due to condensation or rain, other than our spirits which remain remarkably robust despite the fact that we are about to make an unscheduled stop in Mindelo, Sao Vincent on Cape Verdes. The boat resembles a wash house with gear hung up to dry in the sun but we are doing 8/9 knts towards our destination. Happy Days again!

1730: Land ahoy! Jeremy gets the Blue Peter badge for spotting land first with the peak of Sao Antonia appearing above the haze on the horizon, and he's got the worst eyesight so we cant have been looking too hard. The wind was dropping off and by dark we were motoring with 30nm to go.

We had spag bog for tea which Ken had made and I was left to warm it through and cook the spaghetti. Managed to burn the spaghetti! The pan looked a bit of a disaster area so condemned it to the deep. Lets hope we can get another one in Mindelo.

We arrived at the marina at 2330 in no wind at all, which for a night time land fall is no bad thing as it was a little tricky identifying where we needed to go.

We have come all this way south to find wind and there is nothing at all! Better float around in here I suppose than out there with limited resource.

Loads of ARC boats here plus a number awaiting wind - our neighbour reckons Wednesday before he chances the crossing to Barbados. We wait and see........ but in the meantime::

'There was a small yacht called Web-ster
whose speed through the waves was a blur,
The crew said with glee
As they planed through the sea,
At this rate we'll reach St Lucia by Easter!

Oh dear, it gets worse.....

Charlie