Cracking Cape Verde

The Cape Verde Islands are an archipelago of ten islands lying in the Atlantic Ocean, 570 miles off the coast of West Africa.  Borealis berthed at the Island of Saint Vincent in the northern port of Mindelo.  St Vincent is one of the driest islands receiving less than five inches of rain per year – and all of that during a short period of three months.  92% of the islands population of 80,000 people live in the town of Mindelo. 

A guided tour of the Island’s highlights gave us a good insight into the history and culture of the area.  Founded by the Portuguese in 1462 and later in 1838 used as a coal depot by the British to supply their ships on the Atlantic routes, the islands boast a mixture of influences – Portuguese, Brazilian, English, African and Spanish being the main ones. 

Water on this small island of only 87.5 square miles area, is produced through desalination units.  Many houses are only half built – the families live on the lower floors until they can afford to pay the higher taxes charged for more area of living space.

The main road surfaces are very good (no frost to ruin them!).  The road to the top of Mount Verde (744m) was very impressive – strongly built, well maintained and topped with slates.  Built by locals over a number of years, it now provides stunning views for we tourists!

Catfish Bay, a holiday area for the locals, provided a stopping place on our tour, where we were given local food and drinks and treated to some local music and dancing – some passengers were invited to dance!!

The coastline near Catfish Bay afforded us a good view of huge sand dunes created purely from sand blown in by the continual cyclonic winds from the Sahara Desert – which then settles along with the black volcanic lava sand. 

Mindelo itself had several pretty little squares with brightly coloured buildings, and a plethora of street markets. 

The gorgeous white sandy beach right next to the port was too good to miss.  We enjoyed a walk in the evening sunshine to a friendly café where we watched the sunset, before beating it back to the ship ready to sail after a short ten hour visit to a ‘cracking’ place!

Only one stop left before we reach Southampton  – where have those three months gone?