Yacht Mollymawk
New Member
We have visited the Cape Verdes three times and have also spent time on the western coast of Africa.
Our second visit to the Cape Verdes was 15 years ago, and the only other yachts we met were in Mindelo (Sao Vicente) and Palmeira (Sal). Boa Vista was paradise; Praia was safe, even at night; Brava was another little heaven, etc, etc.
Five years ago, when we returned, we found that Sal was unrecognisable, with a newly built airport, the town twice the size that it was before, and new settlements everywhere; Praia had become quite dodgy, from the point of view of leaving the boat unattended; and the 5 mile long, completely pristine beach at Boa Vista was now home to two or three Spanish-resort-style hotels. And this time we shared the bay with a dozen other yachts.
I've heard that they now have an international airport in Boa Vista, and it is said that at this time of year you have to share the bay with 50 other yachts.
But it's a very big bay, and although they are no longer quite so special the Cape Verdes are still far less spoilt than the Canaries.
(I take it you are aware that there is a dengue epidemic in Cape Verde at the moment? We never saw a single mozzie in all the time that we were in the islands, so this is a bit of a shocker.)
I haven't seen the marina in Mindelo and nor have I seen any others anywhere else in West Afica, except Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire).
The anchorage at Dakar is about two miles out of town and is very dirty. (Don't fall overboard!) The town is a real termites nest. An experience not to be missed - unless you like a quiet life.
The Gambia did not excite me, but plenty of people love it. It is well covered in the West Africa Cruising Pilot, and I think you can find this available on line.
The Casamance is also still considered to be fairly safe. (Friends of ours are in Ziguinchoir as I write, and haven't had any troubles.)
Guinea Bissau is fabulous, and a boat with a lifting keel would be ideal for getting to the more inaccesible, more-or-less uncharted islands, tucked away amongst the reefs... but it's a no-go zone at present, due to political problems of various sorts.
Guinea Conakry was pretty awful when we were there, 14 years ago, and I doubt if it is much improved. I think we were lucky to get out of there in one piece.
We gave Sierra Leone and Liberia a 50 mile offing....
Cote d'Ivoire was fine, with one excellent port and a couple of half-decent anchorages. (If anybody really wants to go there i'll dig out the names). The folks running the Abidjan marina were a stuffy crowd and wouldn't let us in. We anchored outside and had thieves come aboard in the night. They stole a big black bag which had been left on the aft deck... filled with our rubbish!
Ghana was wonderful, with really super people, but if I go back I think I will go overland. There are no good anchorages and we found that getting ashore was almost always stressful and often imposible.
Sao Tome and Principe were also fabulous, but they charge a very steep entry fee (something like 250 US dollars, 14 years ago). It pours with rain every day, even in the so-called dry season., and the place is very bad for malaria.
I can confirm that that Saldanha Bay is very nice - but it's not in West Africa. It's only a day sail north of Cape Town.
The comments re Namibia are puzzling. We spent 10 months on this coast, and our only problems were with the weather, but it was seven years ago and things may have changed.
Jill
Our second visit to the Cape Verdes was 15 years ago, and the only other yachts we met were in Mindelo (Sao Vicente) and Palmeira (Sal). Boa Vista was paradise; Praia was safe, even at night; Brava was another little heaven, etc, etc.
Five years ago, when we returned, we found that Sal was unrecognisable, with a newly built airport, the town twice the size that it was before, and new settlements everywhere; Praia had become quite dodgy, from the point of view of leaving the boat unattended; and the 5 mile long, completely pristine beach at Boa Vista was now home to two or three Spanish-resort-style hotels. And this time we shared the bay with a dozen other yachts.
I've heard that they now have an international airport in Boa Vista, and it is said that at this time of year you have to share the bay with 50 other yachts.
But it's a very big bay, and although they are no longer quite so special the Cape Verdes are still far less spoilt than the Canaries.
(I take it you are aware that there is a dengue epidemic in Cape Verde at the moment? We never saw a single mozzie in all the time that we were in the islands, so this is a bit of a shocker.)
I haven't seen the marina in Mindelo and nor have I seen any others anywhere else in West Afica, except Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire).
The anchorage at Dakar is about two miles out of town and is very dirty. (Don't fall overboard!) The town is a real termites nest. An experience not to be missed - unless you like a quiet life.
The Gambia did not excite me, but plenty of people love it. It is well covered in the West Africa Cruising Pilot, and I think you can find this available on line.
The Casamance is also still considered to be fairly safe. (Friends of ours are in Ziguinchoir as I write, and haven't had any troubles.)
Guinea Bissau is fabulous, and a boat with a lifting keel would be ideal for getting to the more inaccesible, more-or-less uncharted islands, tucked away amongst the reefs... but it's a no-go zone at present, due to political problems of various sorts.
Guinea Conakry was pretty awful when we were there, 14 years ago, and I doubt if it is much improved. I think we were lucky to get out of there in one piece.
We gave Sierra Leone and Liberia a 50 mile offing....
Cote d'Ivoire was fine, with one excellent port and a couple of half-decent anchorages. (If anybody really wants to go there i'll dig out the names). The folks running the Abidjan marina were a stuffy crowd and wouldn't let us in. We anchored outside and had thieves come aboard in the night. They stole a big black bag which had been left on the aft deck... filled with our rubbish!
Ghana was wonderful, with really super people, but if I go back I think I will go overland. There are no good anchorages and we found that getting ashore was almost always stressful and often imposible.
Sao Tome and Principe were also fabulous, but they charge a very steep entry fee (something like 250 US dollars, 14 years ago). It pours with rain every day, even in the so-called dry season., and the place is very bad for malaria.
I can confirm that that Saldanha Bay is very nice - but it's not in West Africa. It's only a day sail north of Cape Town.
The comments re Namibia are puzzling. We spent 10 months on this coast, and our only problems were with the weather, but it was seven years ago and things may have changed.
Jill
