Cabo Verde´s first three weeks of January this year (2009) will probably go to history as the windiest ever three weeks on the island of Sal. 20 out of 22 days with 5.3 or smaller.
Last ten days straight with 4.0-4.7.
Any waves?? Ohh yeaa!
A constant NV ground swell made the north spots work more or less throughout the whole period. Little
Hookipa delivered 1.5m up to mast high waves pretty constantly. Curral Joul and Alibaba felt out of our league but was probably rocking hard on the bigger days. Never saw anyone sail there though.
We also scored some soft sailing at Canoa. Caleta Funda unfortunately did not work that good on the days we went to check it out but that place is probably one of the better spots for mortal people. Epic wave that breaks round a point and once you clear that point it has a safe exit. Cross offshore wind (like on all spots on the island) and a nice sandy beach to lanch from. Next time...
The second and third week of january proved that you do sometimes need small sails in Cabo Verde too. The Windguru forcast was all three stars and reality brought even more wind than was forcasted. Most common sail was probably 4.2 but 3.7 and 3.5 sails was used by some lighter sailors.
The action was all around the island. As all spots was going off at the same time it was sometimes difficult to decide where to go. One day we started at Little Hookipa in the morning, then Canoa and finally Punta leme in the evening!!
During this period the NV ground swell had good competition from a huge (4-4.5m) wind swell from the NE. A big NE swell turns the east point "Punta Leme" and "Leme´s Left" into a perfect point break with down-the-line waveriding super close to the crowds standing on the point watching the game only meters from the rocks. I think I sailed Leme´s Left for eirht days in a row with 4.7 and waves ranging from 1.5 to 4m. If you are lucky you can catch a wave at Ponta Leme and ride it past Leme´s Left and in to the bay until your arms are burning. My friend was counting 11 turns until I finally was washed up on the rocks in the bay at "Wave Power".
When it comes to wave riding I must say that Cape Verde is definately the best place I have ever sailed thanks to the always present offshore wind and the insane length of the waves that just goes on and on and on...
