Join to sail from exotic Cape Verde to Canary Islands located in the Atlantic Ocean and visit some fascinating places along the way. The voyage is an excellent mile building and training opportunity in tidal waters. The Atlantic leg from Cape Verde to Canaries is an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualifying passage.
Highlights
Dates
- Start: 10 April 2023 (Monday, 12:00) at Marina Mindelo (Sao Vicence island), Cape Verde.
- Finish: 22 April 2023 (Saturday, 09:00) at Marina Radazul (Tenerife island), Canaries. It won’t be possible to leave the luggage on the boat after this time.
The start and end dates are fixed.
Price
Whole trip (13 days) per person:
- 980 Euro (75 Euro / day) for a bunk. Deposit (50% of the balance) paid within one week of booking, the rest 35 days before the start date.
- 200 Euro (15 Euro / day) for consumables. Collected during the joining day for all food consumed onboard, harbour fees, and diesel. This is a realistic estimation. If there is anything left at the end of the trip you will get it back.
The trip is non-commercial and run in friends-sailing manner. The contribution per person is fixed no matter how many people booked the trip. The trip will run regardless of the number of participants.
What is not included:
- Optional expenses like rental vehicles or food & beverages consumed ashore
- Travel to and from the boat
- Personal travel insurance (highly recommended) - you can find some recommendations in the FAQ
- Personal laundry (some ports have facilities to do laundry if you need)
How much to bring in addition?
Generally, you won’t need anything in addition but this will depend on how much you want to eat in restaurants and spend on other things like souvenirs and tourist attractions. Some people prefer to eat only on the boat and don’t spend anything on restaurants and some prefer to eat outside whenever we are on land. This is very individual.
Local currency
Euro is accepted currency in Cape Verde so save yourself all the problems by taking Euro in cash. There might not be ATMs in all places we plan to visit. The BCA and Caixa banks are quite prominent all over Cape Verde and you can change Euro to Escudos. The Escudo is fixed at a rate of 110 escudos to 1 euro and euro is widely accepted across the island so you don’t have to exchange any Euros to Escudos. The Cape Verdean escudo isn’t available outside of the country, which means you’ll need to exchange it once you arrive in Cape Verde and exchange it back before you leave the islands.
Who can join
You should have at least 1 week of sea sailing experience on board a sailing yacht to join the trip. If you don’t have any experience yet, join the trip Around Cape Verde and continue the journey in this leg.
If you are new to ocean sailing, this is a great opportunity for you to get into it and boost your sailing skills.
You will become an active member of the crew. You are not just a passenger. During a voyage, you will assist with helming, sail trimming and all the normal duties of a crew member whilst having the opportunity to learn about weather, routing, navigation, boat handling and many more according to your interest and experience. Above all, it should be funny and recreational for everyone.
If English is not your native language and you don’t know the English sailing terms, don’t worry. You will learn the necessary vocabulary in no time while on board.
Travel logistics
- Start: Fly into Cesária Évora Airport, São Pedro (VXE). Most flights to Cape Verde are with layover in Lisbon but you might be able to find direct connections (e.g. charter flights with TUI). You can take a taxi or bus from the airport to get to the Marina Mindelo (~9km).
- Finish: Marina Radazul is located 16km from Tenerife North Airport (TFN) and 50km from Tenerife South Airport (TFS). You can reach both airports by taxi or bus.
Try the following websites to find the best flight connections:
If you cannot find a good direct flights to/from the particular Cape Verde island, check connections to/from other islands (Boavista, Santiago, Boavista, Sal, Sao Vicence). You can take domestic flights operated between the Cape Verde islands by Spanisch BestFly airline - only available on the site or through an agent less than 3-4 months in advance. They offer reasonable prices, frequent schedules and free checked-in luggage of up to 23kg. Alternatively, you can take a fast ferry operating between the islands.
Let us now and we can help you find the best connections!
Are there any visa requirements in Cape Verde?
No. In total 61 countries (including UK, US and EU countries) are exempt from visa requirements for stays up to 30 days. Only a simple online declaration a few days before arrival is required via the E.A.S.E. form - cost 59€ per traveller.
Do I need to be vaccinated before I travel to Cape Verde?
There are no mandatory vaccines to enter Cape Verde. Cape Verde has become a very popular destination with its sunny climate and wonderful winds, which attract sailors, surfers and other sports-interested tourists. Cape Verde is also a safe destination to visit, which always feels good as a tourist. Diseases that may be prevalent in mainland Africa are very rare or non-existent in Cape Verde. The best is to consult with your doctor before the travel. Vaccines that you may consider includes Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid. You most likely received the first two as a child. Please find more info here.
Skipper
Marcin Wojtyczka: RYA Yachtmaster Ocean commercially endorsed, RYA Yachtmaster Cruising Instructor
What should you pack
You can download a complete checklist here.
The most important items:
- head torch for night sailing
- boat shoes that don’t leave marks on deck
- foul weather gear (if you have one), otherwise waterproof jacket
- waterproof boots (normal rubber wellies are fine as long as they don’t leave marks on deck)
- some warmer clothes for the night
- passport
- insurance policy
- payment/credit cards
- phone with charger
- toiletries
- sleeping bag
The trip will be focused on milebulding and training. In total we should log around 900 nautical miles and 180h in tidal waters.
Follow the boat on Marine Traffic.
Anticipated route:
São Vicente island (Cape Verde) - Santo Antão island (Cape Verde) - El Hierro (Canaries) - Tenerife (Canaries)
We will be maintaining a watch system to ensure everyone is well rested and meals are prepared.
We will try to stick to the planned route but the final itinerary will be decided in association with you, the crew, in light of the weather and crew condition at the time.
Sun Odyssey 519 ("Alboran Champagne")
She is a well-maintained boat, lifted out regularly to check hull, keel and prop. She is well equiped and prepared for ocean sailing. We will inspect the boat thoroughly before the voyage to ensure that every bit of equipment is absolutely ship-shape.
General info:
- Year: 2016
- Type: sailing
- CE design category: A – Ocean
- Hull: monohull
- Length: 15.76 m (52ft)
- Berths (Bunks): 12 (booking max 10)
- Cabins: 5
- WC / Shower: 3
- Beam: 4.69 m
- Draught: 2.28 m
- Engine: 75 KM
- Fuel capacity: 240 l (Diesel)
- Water capacity: 615 l
- Displacement: 13900 kg
- Sails: main (full batten), genoa (furling), storm jib
Equipment:
- Pillows, bedlinen and towels for each crew member
- Solar panels
- Autopilot
- Bimini
- Dinghy
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Sprayhood
- Radio/CD/MP3
- DSC VHF radio
- Power inverter from 12V DC to 230V AC
- Handheld VHF DSC radio
- EPIRB
- AIS class B transponder (Transponder/Receiver)
- Radar reflector
- Bow thruster
- Chart plotter with GPS and digital chartography charts
- Sextant Astra IIIB Deluxe
- Iridium satellite terminal (getting weather forecasts and contacting family offshore - available for the whole crew)
- PredictWind Offshore app (satellite-enabled license) - Ocean Racing proven, highest resolution marine forecasts
- Complete set of pilot books, almanacs and charts
Average weather conditions:
Air temperature
During the day in Cape Verde you can expect on average very pleasant temperature of 26°C and 21°C at night.
In Canaries you can expect an average temperature of 23°C during the day and 17°C at night.
There is almost no rain in Cape Verde and Canaries in April. You may expect a few isolated showers during the whole trip.
Sea temperature
Sea water is warm during the entire year in Cape Verde with an average of 23°C in April. In Canaries you can expect an average of 20°C. So, you will be able to enjoy swimming in the ocean.
Wind and sea state
Wind conditions in Cape Verde and Canaries are perfect for sailing due to the trade winds blowing all year round with an average of 5 Bft in April. The islands topography can greatly affect the strength and direction of winds in certain areas.
There is a warm, dry, oceanic climate and the sun shines 350 days a year. The weather is characterized by the trade winds governed to a great extent by the activity and strength of the Azores High.
There is a weak south west going current and stronger tidal streams between islands.
The route is divided into several passages with night sailing. You will receive a certificate of passage to prove your sea time for sailing licenses. You will be an active member of the crew and we will provide practical trainings on board to everyone that will be interested to improve sailing skills.
We give a great amount of responsibility to each crew member in running the ship so that you can gain a good experience and learn new skills as much or as little as you want. The skipper is an instructor and will find it difficult not to teach or coach to anyone that shows the slightest bit of interest.
RYA qualifying passages
If you are an aspiring Skipper or Yachtmaster, it will be an excellent opportunity to gain some bluewater miles, practice navigation, pilotage and COLREG skills so that you can be more confident and comfortable when taking a boat out to sea on your own.
The opportunity will also be there to act as a skipper (with guidance if needed from the skipper) for your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualifying 60M passages.
The Atlantic passage from Cape Verde to Canaries can be used as a qualifying passage for RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, if that’s what you need. You can get your mileage and required celestial sights during the trip.
Main topics that you can learn or brush up:
- Maneuvering under sails & engine: berthing, hoisting and lowering sails, reefing, tacking, gybing, sail trim
- Anchoring in swell (winch bridle and stern anchor)
- Safety: use of liferaft, lifejacket, EPIRB, PLB, AIS beacons, managing emergency situations
- Equipment: use of Autopilot, AIS, VHF, Satellite communication
- Weather forecasts and weather routing
- Ocean & coastal navigation: digital and traditional (including astronavigation)
- Night navigation
- Pilotage and passage planning
- COLREGs
- Storm tactics and the use of storm jib
- Life on board: organization of watches, nutrition, sleep management
Celestial navigation (astronavigation)
During the voyage we will practice traditional methods of fixing positions without sight of land. During the long ocean passage, we will navigate using celestial navigation. You will learn how to use sextant and how to calculate own position using sun, planets, moon and stars.
10 April: Joining day - Mindelo on São Vicente island
We will spend the first day preparing and victualling the yacht, going over the safety routines and practices, getting up to speed with the boat and learning or refreshing all the basic sailing skills before we embark on the journey. Once we slip the lines there will be plenty of occasions to practice tacking, gybing, reefing, boat handling under engine and all the other key skills we must have.
Mindelo Marina
Mindelo city
São Vicente is home to Mindelo, the cultural capital of the islands and where you'll hear music all day long and be able to explore the city's fine architecture. The island is home to some of Cape Verde's greatest musicians, writers and thinkers.
Baia do Tarrafal on Santo Antão island (~28 NM / 6h of sailing)
Santo Antão is home to some of the most spectacular scenery you'll see anywhere on earth and it still feels relatively untouched. An island where towering green peaks and fertile craters meet cliff-hanging towns. Santo Antão offers the opportunity to embark on hiking and sightseeing explorations, in a place relatively untouched by tourism.
Baia do Tarrafal in Santo Antão
Santo Antão green peaks
Before we head to Canaries, we will anchor in the scenic Baia do Tarrafal, very welcoming to visiting sailors.
El Hierro island (~760 NM / 8 days of non-stop sailing)
After a day in Santo Antão, we will embark on the open Atlantic passage. This will be a non-stop 8 day ocean passage to Canaries (El Hierro island).
Puerto de la Estaca Marina
El Hierro landscape
El Hierro is the smallest island in the Canary Islands. Of the seven, it is the furthest west, but it shares the same climate as the others. A paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Life, in El Hierro, is different. It's special, it's unique. It's an island to enjoy with all five senses, to discover its landscapes and feel its peace. El Hierro is an island with soul.
Since the year 2000 El Hierro is a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The wish was that all energy of the island should be generated completely self-sufficient from own wind power. So far, one third of this expectation has been fulfilled.
It is worth to rent a car to visit this scenic island. A visit to Villa de Valverde town is recommended. It is a social, administrative and religious centre of the island and was founded at the end of the 15th Century, during the initial stages of the conquest of the Canaries.
Tenerife island (~110 NM / 1 day of sailing)
Tenerife is the island of thousand experiences. If there's one thing Tenerife can brag about, it's extraordinary natural spaces.
Tenerife
Puerto Deportivo Radazul
Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands. The island is an idyll with a remarkable variety of geographic options from other-worldly desert landscapes to lush green mountains to stunning seascapes. The island's varied topography offers a plethora of options for the adventurer. From beach to forest, explore banana plantation filled valleys, marvel at lunar landscapes, or hike through beautiful caverns.
22 April: Finishing day, Puerto Deportivo Radazul on Tenerife island
We will finish our trip in Radaluz. It's always a strange feeling to pack up, say farewell to new friends and prepare to head back home.
El Teide (Natural World Heritage Site)
Tenerife beaches
If you have one day to spare after the trip, we can highly recommend renting a car and visiting Teide National Park. As well as being home to the impressive volcanic structure that is the Teide, the highest peak in Spain (3 715m) and a Natural World Heritage Site, you will find here what is possibly the most striking scenery you have ever seen. These are some of the most spectacular volcanic manifestations on the planet.
Check out the FAQ section for common questions.
Still have questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to hear your.
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