Sailing from Cabo Verde to Suriname – Day 4 (Time Zone at Sea)

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(December 25, 2017) So far, we have seen only three ships on our SHIP tracking device (AIS system) since we started sailing. It looks we are the only boat in this part of the Atlantic Ocean. We have about 70% of the total distance to go to our destination, about 10 more days.

Before we left Cabo Verde, we spoke to a couple from the USA. We first met them in the Canary Islands and then saw them again in the Cabo Verde. They are just about completing the last route of sailing around the world, and are now going home to the USA via the Caribbean.

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Sailing from Cabo Verde to Suriname – Day 3 (Christmas at Sea)

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(December 24, 2017) For the last three days of sailing, we haven’t seen a clear sky, sun, moon, or stars. The planet looks as if it only has two colors; the sky is gray and ocean is dark gray. Days are hazy and nights are pitch dark. I could wish for sunshine, bright moon, or some rain but it’s pointless. Sailing taught me about following nature’s law. Accept the weather and adjust the sails accordingly and sail the best and be the happiest I can be.

For our Christmas celebration, we made a fish fry as John suggested.

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Sailing from Cabo Verde to Suriname – Day 2 (Wahoo Day)

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(December 23, 2017) Waves are still undefined making for uncomfortable sailing. I took extreme care when boiling water to make coffee not to get hot water spilled on me. This is the first time we have used the stove during this trip. At least the wind speed has been more or less steady keeping sails from crashing. We have been using a spinnaker pole (with Jib Sail) for wing-and-wing sailing after our jib-pole got folded in half yesterday.

We don’t normally drink alcoholic beverages when sailing. Because of high waves constantly beating the boat, I have hardly slept for the last two nights.

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Sailing from Cabo Verde to Suriname – Day 1

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(December 22, 2017) It was hazy and dusty when we left Cabo Verde this morning. The visibility was not good. The harbor was crowded with new arrival of boats and ships. There was definitely Christmas air blowing on the island but it is time for us to sail.

We started with great sailing; wing-and-wing for four hours, making 7 to 10 knots/hour. Things were going well. However, right after a shift change (watch), I heard a big BANG. The heavy aluminum Jib Pole (expandable) got folded in half like a pretzel. We managed to remove the pole (now two broken pieces) and tied it down on the deck.

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Set Sail from Cabo Verde to Suriname, South America

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America

We are about to set sail today for Suriname (Caribbean Island). It will be the longest sailing for us, about 1900 nautical miles. We estimate it will take about two weeks.

Sending you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wish us fair winds and following seas.

A Lyric of Cesaria Evora’s Song Translated in English in the Maritime Museum

Mar Azul (Blue Sea)

O… Sea, quietly lie down and let me go
Let me go and visit my homeland
Let me go greet my mother… O sea
Blue Sea,

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Fish Market in Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island, Cabo Verde

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Fish price here is excellent. Price is set by supply and demand. If the weather is bad for fishing, the price goes up. If fishermen bring lots of fish, the price goes down. We bought Sushi Grade Yellowfin Tuna yesterday for 3500 Escudos (USD4) for one kilogram. It is about two USD for a pound. It is cheaper than eggs or canned tuna.

Our next stop will be Suriname. Sailing from Cabo Verde to Suriname is downwind sailing with the trade winds.

After monitoring the weather forecast, we postponed sailing to Friday. The wind forecast looks good throughout the days.

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Internet Access in the Cabo Verde Islands – Unitel Prepaid SIM Card

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(December 2017) There are many stores selling Unitel SIM Cards in the Cabo Verde Islands. I purchased a Prepaid Unitel SIM Card from a small local electronic store in Espagos Town in Sal Island. It cost 100 local money ‘Escudos’ (about USD1.1) and it came with a balance of 50 Escudos (about 55 cents/USD). I put 1,250 Escudos (about USD14) to purchase 5GB data (Good for 31 days). After the store person activated the 5GB plan, I tried to access to the Internet but I was not able to connect. They didn’t know about the need of the APN setup and told me where the Unitel store is.

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Internet Access in the Canary Islands – Movistar Prepaid SIM Card

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(October to November 2017) In the Canary Islands, I purchased a Prepaid SIM Card from a Movistar store in downtown Arrecife in Lanzarote Island. It cost 15 Euros (about USD18) for a SIM Card. It came with a balance of 15 Euros so the physical SIM Card didn’t cost anything.

I activated the 2GB data plan by deducting 15 Euros from my balance in my account. 5GB data plan was not available for a prepaid SIM Card. After consuming all of the 2GB data, I went to a supermarket to put more money on my account. I was told from Movistar that 2GB data renewal is not an option for a Prepaid SIM Card.

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Seeing a Lonesome Small Local Sailing Boat in a Heavy Sea

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Sailing from Nicolau Island to Vicente Island was rough and tough because of big waves. Autopilot, our favorite crew worked hard! We let it drive the boat and stayed inside of the boat keeping us dry. Periodically, John went to outside to check the sea and the surroundings.

A couple of hours into the trip, John asked me to come out to see a small local boat with a homemade sail (smaller than the size of the waves) sailing alone in the heavy weather, far away. At first, I thought it was a sailfish. OMG! I was uneasy seeing such a small boat sailing alone in the big waves,

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Living on the Water and Dinghy Parking in Cabo Verde

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On Boa Vista Island, we experienced big swells at the beautiful sandy bottom anchorage (Sal-Rei Anchorage). Wanting to see the island, we went to shore carrying up our HEAVY HOMEMADE HARD dinghy to the beach.

Departing from the beach back to the boat, lots of children voluntarily came to push the dinghy into the water. Once the dinghy was close to the water, a couple of kids were already on the dinghy for fun.

With waves and the motor running, John was worried that someone would get hurt. A local swimmer/fisherman helped the situation telling the kids get off from the dinghy and towed the dinghy to waist depth water.

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