Marina Mindelo, Sao Vincente, Cape Verdes

Monday was another quiet day onboard, but Kevin was feeling much better. Tim popped by in the afternoon to check on the invalid and we invited him to dinner. He mentioned that a group from the UK Armed forces were joining the On Deck crews that evening. The BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Servicemens Association) have chartered one of the On Deck Farr 65ft racing yachts to cross the Atlantic with an all disabled crew of 15. As Charlie one of the group leaders was explaining to me in the bar that night, the name is now rather out of date with the society being formed in the 1920’s, the society now includes servicemen and women, many of whom are still serving and encompasses a number of different injuries. More information about their trip can be found in the following report:
http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=144106

After a bit of shopping in the afternoon and a bit more hull scrubbing (it’s amazing how quickly the weed grows in marinas, we will definitely be renewing the antifouling in the Caribbean). I came out covered in little shrimp lava which was most unpleasant, still it was a good job done and Kevin enjoyed hosing me down on the pontoon before I was allowed back onboard as they seemed less attracted to him!

Tim came over about 6pm and we had a pleasant dinner in the cockpit, although the weather was little cooler this evening and we were in long sleeves for the first time in a long time. Talk was now geared towards weather and departure checks, with Tim leaving on Wednesday and us on Thursday.

Later we headed over to Club Nautico where Tim and Kevin decided to sample the local Grogue (firewater) and Poncho (stronger firewater) favoured by the locals – Kevin now clearly feeling much better! There was live music again and we had a great evening talking to Max, a French merchant captain who spends his off duty time in Mindelo and his girlfriend Dolce plus Adide who works as a boat boy. Sarah the On Deck support leader also joined us later. Then the BLESMA guys arrived about 11.30pm having departed the UK that morning at 05:30. However, they were all very pleased to be there and determined to celebrate the achievement… which apparently took until 05:30am on Tuesday morning to accomplish fully! We wimped out at 01:30am having to be let out from the lock – in.