We arrived in Cape Verde pretty excited about its name. Turns out, whoever decided to call it "Green Cape" must have either shared a naming philosophy with Iceland and Greenland, or possessed a truly brilliant sense of humor. Because let's be honest, "Gray Lump Covered in Orange Dust" might be a more accurate, if less inspiring, moniker. In just the short time we were in Cape Verde, the boat got a healthy coating of orange dust. It wasn't the most glamorous makeover.
One thing that did surprise us was the number of yachts in the harbor that looked a bit worse for wear. Sails flapping, masts were broken, and a general air of abandonment hung over some vessels. It was a stark reminder that the Atlantic crossing can turn dreams into nightmares in a hurry. I can only imagine the challenges a serious onboard failure would present here. Spare parts would likely be scarce, and shipping anything in would be a time-consuming and expensive ordeal. Factor in the potential for missing the sailing season entirely, and you could end up stuck in Cape Verde with a boat in need of repair and limited options for moving forward. You might need to return home to work for a few months to pay for repairs – months that can easily turn into years. A sick dog, a job relocation – any number of things can pop up and derail your plans. Suddenly, you're back in a position to return to your boat, only to find that everything that wasn't broken before is now a victim of time and the orange dust. Seized parts, worn-out equipment – the boat becomes a monument to a dream, as John Lennon so aptly phrased it: 'Life is what happens while you're making other plans.' This, unfortunately, is a classic example.
Completely out of the blue, we found someone who could actually modify our oversized sail. We also topped up the fuel tanks and even managed to squeeze some extra fuel into those 4 trusty water barrels. With previously only 70 liters each, they're now sporting a much more reassuring 100 liters each, significantly extending our motoring range.
We left Cape Verde yesterday morning with a fantastic 20-25 knots of beam wind pushing us merrily along in the right direction. We're averaging a steady 7 knots, and the forecast suggests this favorable wind pattern will hold for a few days. Music to our ears – this is a great way to rack up some serious miles!
Huge props to Craig for excelling himself during our Cape Verde stay. He was bu syin the galley making vegetable curries, combined with the remaining cottage pie, have transformed us into a pair of very happy (and well-fed) sailors. Looks like we're prepped for thousands of nautical miles of culinary contentment!
We now have a newfound appreciation for the questionable logic behind geographical naming conventions.