Diverse group

20 March 2023

News

We have started the last trip around Cabo Verde for this season. For those who read these reports regularly you will know by now that we sail from Sal, downwind, to Santiago and that we will find the first flying fish on deck. So here’s a different story: every time a new group comes on board, it is always a surprise who will step on board. This time it’s a nice mixed group again!

We have seven nationalities on board, excluding the crew: Dutch, German, Belgian, French, British, Swedish and Canadian. And if you count the crew as well, we can add a Cape Verdean and a Scottish-Irish-Kiwi (I don’t know exactly how many nationalities I should count him as 😉 ).

Of the twenty-five persons on board, fourteen are men and eleven are women. The ages are also nicely spread: the oldest on board is 68, the youngest celebrates his 24th birthday today. Congratulations Jelle!!

Even in terms of (sailing) experience among the guests, it couldn’t be further apart: from no experience at all (first time on board a ship at all) to a sailor from another Tall Ship! Such a person is always nice to have around, even if she is on vacation and comes for the experience and not to work.

Then, for the people who are following us on the (Yellowbrick) tracker, I might have to explain why they see us going from Santa Maria to Palmeira, only to sail back to Santa Maria a few hours later. And then we do it again the next day!

In Santa Maria we are not allowed to embark or disembark guests. We can only do this in Palmeira. But in Palmeira we have little room to anchor in the harbor and outside there is always a swell that makes it uncomfortable. Lately, the swell has moved more from the northwest, which means that even in the harbor, at ‘our’ little spot, a big swell rolls in and it is therefore not comfortable. That is why we always go to Palmeira as late as possible and leave as soon as possible.