Mindelo to Bridgetown

 

 

 JT entering Mindelo harbour

 

 

 Sundowners + at the floating bar at the marina in Mindelo.  The Poms don`t feel the cold.  By extraordinary coincidence, the bloke on the right,who was crewing for our mates on Goldcrest, has an investment unit in Noosaville just a few minutes walk from where we live!

 

 Enroute to dinner

 

 

 at the "famous" Pico Pau restaurant in Mindelo. It was ok.

 

 

 When the forecast looked good we sailed for the 2000nm crossing

 

 

 Initially the winds were ok but soon grew light and, with that, the various swells from astern made for "uncomfortable" conditions.  We eventually had to motor for thirty hours to get through a very light patch.

 

We had a lovely Xmas day at sea, with roast chicken, veges and champers.  The weather was good and we elected to shorten sail to make it more comfortable.

 

 

We were sick of dorado, so didn`t even put out a lure.

 

 

Our arrival at Bridgetown, Barbados, fifteen days after leaving Mindelo was a slow crossing by all accounts.  But, as frustrating as the light winds were on occasion, we had no major dramas, and were lucky not to have had gales and the notorious line squalls. 

 

 After clearing in with the authorities, we went to anchor in Carlisle Bay and came ashore to Bridgetown by dinghy to the dock up the creek in the centre of town.

 

 In the basin there were yachts for a classic boat rally.

 

 

 Typical Bridgetown tourist spot.  Each day there are about four cruise ships in port, so things are not cheap.

 

 Roadside stall. 

 

 Old British era architecture

 

 All is very colourfull.

 

 

 The citizens are well groomed

 

 

The proprietress of the Dark Sugar Shack assured us that, on New Year`s Eve, she would be attending church, then going home for a quiet drink and a smoke of something sweet.