Cv 2013 - day 8

Another day on the west coast. Wind still strong, and even stronger in the Murdiera area. To please the Kids we go to Caleta Funda first where there is a nice little beach in the secluded bay. Peter and Eje wants to try Canoa so we decide to split up and reunite again after lunch. Eje, Rasmus, Peter and I drive back to Canoa to drop the old guys off. On the way back Rasmus takes the wheel and drives the whole way back on the dirt road. Ride on little man!

Caleta Funda

When we get back Karin, Rasmus and Lukas head for the water while I take a nap in the sun. After the usual tuna-sandwich-and-water lunch we head back to Canoa and finish the day off with a nice afternoon windsurfing session.

Back in Santa Maria we stop by Angulo for a cold beer and another magic sunset.

Cape Verde sunset

CV 2013 day 7

Since we arived the aim was to rent a pick-up of our own to be able to find the best spots and sail more than one spot on one day. Unfortunately, up until this day there hasn't been much for rent because of all the kiters celebrating christmas on the island and taking every pick-up available to kite-beach. Anyway, the girl at Global Africa promised us a car from this morning on and for 50 euro per day we were finally mobile. 4WD mobile that is, because to get around the island of Sal you definately need some serious weels since most roads are off road.

After picking up the car we drove to Ponta Preta to check that place first but like so many times before the wind was far to light and too offshore for sailing. On our way up north we stopped at kite beach (aka shark bay, since this is where the tiger sharks live, probably because of the latge amount of kiters :-). Kite beach is actually a very nice stretch of white sandy dunes but the wind is onshore and a short, mushy windwave makes it less ideal for wavesailing. Driving up to Canoa you could see a coulple of sails flash in the sun at Caleta Funda. However, with a nice wave at Canoa we decided to follow the golden rule of surfing, "never leave good waves to go search for other waves".

Kite beach aka Shark bay

Karin launchig off the tiny beach at Canoa

Rasmus getting washed

Peter chasing a nice one

CV 2013 - day 6

Check the sailor on the right break

The usual morning routine down here is me and Lukas getting up at aound 8 to go to bakery to buy bread for the day and some bananas from the women selling fruit on the street. the This morning Rasmus joined as well and we also stopped by the local "hole-in-the wall" grocery shop to buy some more water and tuna.

After breakfast Peter and Eje stopped by the apartment. Windguru forecast still solid and a small wave at Ponta Sino so we went down to Angulo's to see if we could get a ride to the west coast.

With the pickup filled up with three sets of gear and two kids we headed for Canoa which seemed to be the spot of the day and at 10 we were already on the water with 5.3 and a decent wave. Rasmus and Lukas were a bit pissed at first since there is hardly any beach at Canoa but after a while they found themselves playing on the lava rock looking for stones and shells in the white sand.

The wave at Canoa is not as fast as on the other spots on the west coast so it's a really good place to start out at. After a short lunch break we went out again and sailed the rest of the afternoon. Both the left and the right reef was breaking and at one point the right reef produced a nice fast wave until it broke on the rocks to the right of the launch beach. Sweet!

I love my North ICE 5.3

CV 2013 - Day 5

Fifth day on the island and I start to feel a lot better now. My plan is to take it easy in the morning and go out later in the afternoon. So, Karin and Peter go sailing first while I stay on shore with Rasmus and Lukas. At noon we all have lunch - the local white bread with tuna, onion and  mayo. Nam-nam! In the afternoon I finally get to rig up my 5.3 and head out to the point on my 78L board. The wave is small and you have to drop in just meters from the rocks to be able to get some out of it but is feels great just to be on the water at last. Tomorrow we'll head for the weat coast!!

CV 2013 - Day 4

Karin in need for speed

Windy, sunny day and my last day on antibiotics. Hopefully tomorrow all the systems will be up and running again. Karin, Peter and Eje from Stockholm go sailing at the Angulo centre and we stay to watch. Flat water thanks to the offshore wind - just a small wave on the point of Ponta Leme. Karin is loving it, nailing gype after gype on the turqoise water.

Later on, me and the kids leave the so-called-adults playground and take a walk to the old harbour - kids playground. Snorkeling, boogieboarding and playing in the sand while dad is reading his book under (!) somebody's sun chair in a lame attempt to escape the burning sun.

In the evening we go to our favorite resturant in town - Compad - for a nice tuna steak and a big Sagres beer. Peter is explaining one of his more useful apps for the kids - what happens when you drink x amount of beer in y amount of time.

Funny guy

CV 2013 - Day 3

Standing on the beach at Angulo's and looking out over the Santa Maria Bay, you'll see the point called Ponta Sino on the other end of the Bay. When Ponta Sino is breaking there is usually a good idea to head for the west coast since this means the swell is big enough to create good waves there. This morning Ponta Sino was awake..



  Still on drugs though, and with little wind to worry about, we spent the morning at the Angulo centre where the kids could do their daily homework and just relax.

After a couple of hours we decided to go and check out the waves at Ponta Preta. The wind was too light and too offshore for windsurfing but a few kiters and numerous surfers were out playing in the respectful waves. Just watching the power of these waves is food for the soul.

Ponta Preta surfer

Ponta Preta kiter

Going back to Santa Maria I couldn't help taking a photo of the pickup guy with his son playing in the front seat. Appearantly daddy's day to at "home".

In the afternoon we went to the Pier again where Rasmus and Peter went out to catch some waves...


VOB?

Rasmus catching a wave at the Pier

CV 2013 - Day 2

 

Lazy day at the beach. Starting by the pier where there is a small wave on the reef and a fun shorebreak to play in. The kids immediately get into "Maui-mode".

The Pier

After a couple of hours we decide to have lunch in the apartment to get some rest from the mid-day sun. In the afternoon we stop by the old harbour which is now a small sheltered beach with shallow water. Kids play in the water and Lukas makes a beautiful sand turtle all by himself.

Turtle at Porto Antigo

Back at the apartment we meet up with Peter who has just arrived and we set up the plans for the evening. I decide to go to the pharmacy in Espargos to get my redbull antibiotics subscribed by the doctor earlier in the day and meet up with the others at the resurant later on.

Quick fix

CV 2013 - Day 1

2 January 2013
Getting up at stupid o'clock - but for a good cause... Take off at 0830, leaving the cold grey behind. Seven hours to the Canaries. Crew switch and then another two to Sal. And suddenly you're in another world, an other time. No work, no worries. Harmony, your mind and body starts to wind down. After the 15 minutes drive down to Santa Maria we check in at Ponta Preta Apts, a simple but nice place to stay just meters from the beach. At the Angulo centre we meet Goran from Kroatia (eh?) who is running the place since a few years back. Really nice cool guy. We are all a bit hungry after the flight and Lukas starts to get really tired so we decide to find a place nearby to get something to eat. Unfortunately we end up waiting for our pizzas forever and when they finally arrive Lukas has fallen asleep.

Bound for Treasure Island...

In 2007, the biggest ever PWA windsurfing wave event took place on the island of Sal, Cabo Verde, a small strip of sand and dust some 1000 kms off the coast of Senegal. The crowd on the beach came to witness some of the most insane, unreal wavesailing ever. A huge swell creating a perfect, never ending wave, held up by the offshore winds. A clean, unridden face with a hollow, perfectly peeling break...

After seeing the pictures and being told the stories by good friend Tommy Fäldt, who was among the crowds, there was only one thing to do: Go.

Two months later I visited Sal for the first time. In January 2009 I went again, this time with my beautiful wife and kids. In 2011 I went for a third mission, this time with good friends Mikael Lygner and José Mari. During these trips we have scored some great conditions at breaks like Caleta Funda, Canoa, and Secret Spot but we never got the chance to sail the real dream spots; Ponta Preta and Alibaba.

So, on the 2nd of January this year we were finally set to complete the mission; to sail the ultimate spots...