Sy-Resolute's blog

The next morning Barbara and I went to the hospital and by noon she was comfortly treated. The left foot is slightly broken. She got a gypsum plaster and at the 11th of January we have to show up in the hospital again.This article was written in the cockpit of our boat. The Temperatur is 33°C and if there are any mistakes in writing I hereby apologize.

At the 31st early we went ashore with our dinghy. We went to the house of the trans-ocean represesentative, the crew of the German yacht LISBETH II and the open 4 wheelcars where already waiting for us and off we went. First we went along the se coast - no vegetation at all - desert. Suddenly the cars went off road and after 2 kilometers close to the beach we left the cars and climed down th the beach where we found a huge rockwall which was washed out by the seain such a way that very nice skulptures arose. After this little excursion we went back and picked up Henny Kusters, who wanted to show us the island.
The island of São Nicolau is divided in 2 parts. The SW part is a complete dresert, but the NE part which is facing the tradewinds is very green abd fertile. We drove through a huge vulcano when suddenly everthing became green. We drove through large banana plantations, also mais, beans, potatoes and other vegetables are grown. People on the fields where waving friendly. When suddenly the cars went left and we climed up a ver steep mountain. The cars stopped and we where climbing up to the Monte Gordo a nature reserve. Suddenly Barbara slipt and was unable to go further.She went back to the car and the rest of the party went up the mountain.On top the view was breathtaking!!!!
Later in the evening we had our dinner in the house of Henny Kusters when a boy came and reported that a yacht is drifting towards the Atlantic. We where running down to the beach and fortunately it was not our boat so we went back and continued wth our meal. At 22:00 hours we where back on board. At 24:00 hours we had our PROST NEUJAHR and watched the little fireworks ashore.

At the 22nd of Dec. at 11:20 hours we anchored behind the breakwater of the little fishingvillage of Palmeira. Sal is a hilly country with a few high vulcanos. The land without any vegetation, everything is dusty and brown/grey temperature about 30°C. Who is living in this country? We rigged our dinghy and went ashore. At the little pier man and women where cleaning fish and it was very slippery and the smell of the fish.... but people where very friendly and helpful. Soon we found the little bar where all the yachtsailors met.Whenever we had time we went to the cabledrums. A glass of wine servede out of a tetrapak cost only 1,5€. Young girls are selling little very good tasting fishcakes.  They use 2 old big cabledrums as tables. The left drum was for the french, the rght for the Germans and sometimes in the evening everthing was mixed.
Soon we where told that drinkingwater could be taken only at the little waterhouse in the middle of the village. You had to bring your own cans and water is only availible between 09:00 hours and 16:00 hours. The water is of very good quality and is made from seawater.
At the 24th of Dec. 2010 we had a small christmas party on board and later on we went ashore and had our christmasdinner in a restaurant. The next 2 days we where unable to go ashore because very high swell was entering the port and all yachts where fighting with the anchorgear.
 At the 27th we went by bus over the island. At the south coast lies the little town of Santa Maria, the main attraction is a few kilometer long, snowwhite beach and here we saw a lot of tourists and a few very nice small hotels.
At the 28th of Dec. 2010 our anchor was up and with a fresh tradewind we where heading towards the island of São Nicolau, where we anchored in front of the little town of Tarrafal at the 29th of Dec. 2010 at 10:45 hours.