4th !!!!!!

After early morning rain, the day continued to be overcast and clammy. Our mission for the day was to obtain the necessary pipework and fittings to effect a re-working of the watermaker connections. After some time spent in trawling the various shops trying to make ourselves understood (our Portuguese and Creole is not up to much) we found a chap in a very poorly stocked chandlers who went away with a list and drawings promising to deliver all to Hejira at midday. We gave him the benefit of the doubt not really expecting him to ‘come up trumps’ and waited aboard at the allotted time. With him not appearing (what a surprise) we adjourned to the floating bar where we could observe the comings and goings and all but the essential pipe, arrived in dribs and drabs.

Picking up on crew gossip and ‘tittle tattle’ we also observed yachts ‘shipping’ quantities of diesel in cans lashed to the guard rails. Now we carry 500 litres in two tanks which is more than most but we heard stories of yachts running out in dead calms and not being able to motor into Rodney Bay Marina so we had a ‘pow wow’ and decided to secrete two 25 litre containers in our anchor locker ‘just in case’ so we can now run our tanks dry to extract the last drop in the knowledge that we have a spare 50 litres in reserve.

We are currently experiencing  ‘a bit of a blow’ in Mindelo harbour and the accompanying surge is making all the yachts move back and forth, tugging on their lines in a cacophony of creeks and groans. On top of this, the passerelle (gang plank) which had been suspended well clear, crashed down onto the pontoon repeatedly last night right by my sleeping head, it did not make for the best nights kip.

We are just back from the ‘ Cultural reception prize giving evening’ and we are CHUFFED to be told that we are fourth in class !!!!! What a result for a fat old yacht and crew!

Stephen writes:-

A quiet day just doing `stuff`, preparing for the Wednesday off, buying extra diesel and water so that we are covered for most eventualities. The pontoon has become a little village but it only has a lifetime of 48 hours more before we become the ARC+ diaspora. Fortunately  the  lady `what does’ returned all our laundry today so we might have enough clean clothes to last us across. We were astonished to be placed 4th in class so far, and that will inspired us to greater efforts for the final push (I expect the Skipper will have the stopwatch out for the sail changes). Despite Bob and I pounding the streets of Mindelo for hours we are yet to find a fishing tackle shop for some more tuna lures, but Des an ebullient South African has promised to lead us to one tomorrow. The  ‘Master’  has been in a mellow mood today and spared us the daily beating for which we are most grateful. As he has been delighted with our placing we may escape the lash tomorrow as well which might allow time for the wounds to heal. On Tuesday we will be going on an island tour and will report back on the experience. Tonight the wind is picking up to 35 knots but will settle a bit by the Wednesday start so no doubt we will be flying the Parasailor as we head out west and as one C. Columbus once said “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”. I will of course be taking plenty of pictures of the shore.

Crew morale  sky high.

 Bob writes:-

My thoughts are focussed on two things: the boat/land interface and the structural integrity of buildings in Mindelo.

I have to advise our dear reader that even two days after tying up in Mindelo, I have still not acquired the ability to get off the boat and walk normally up the pontoon! Following seven days and six nights at sea, I find myself jauntily descending the passerelle only to then weave my way up the pontoon possessing what I can only believe must look like the gait of a ratted pigeon! I feel that I must get over this soon or risk a permanent life at sea.

The other topic that I feel bound to expound upon is the structural integrity of buildings in Mindelo. When mooching around the town the other day, we came across a splendid looking hotel (it is rumoured that the ARC personnel are enjoying this particular hostelry!) adjacent to a half completed structure, clearly an extension of the original hotel. As a civil engineer, I could only stand in awe of the erected edifice. I would suggest that pictures of this structure should be included in a ‘how not to’ manual! There are so many structural inconsistencies (column lines not matching above and below beams), so many instances of honeycombed concrete, so many cases of reinforcing steel being exposed and in some cases on the wrong face of cantilever slabs and multiple examples of blockwork infill being incorrectly linked or tied to the structure that it is amazing that the structure is still standing! I can only believe that the local factors of safety are generous!

I should not wish our reader to dwell on these issues, however, in case it leaves a poor impression of Mindelo. It is clear to us that the town and the island have made a sincere effort to entertain us and put their best foot forward and for this we must be grateful. We have enjoyed our time here and we must thank the local populace for their time and their patience when dealing with a load of people who come from a position of relative privilege.

Barry (or ‘Silver fox’ as he has become known down the dock) is yet to surface.