Sailing Adventures in the Cape verde

Warm Trade Winds and Tropical Winter Sun for Christmas and New Year

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Unspoilt Alternative to the Caribbean

Cape Verde is far less commercialised for tourism than the Caribbean with just a couple of beach resorts like Santa Maria on Sal and Boa Vista. The cheap flights to Sal make joining the ship a lot less expensive than flying to the Caribbean. 

Once onboard we set sail for the quieter more scenic parts of the Cape Verde. Oosterschelde has many years of experience and you will have a really wonderful time sailing and exploring ashore.

Classic Sailing directors Adam and Debbie took our Christmas Holiday on Oosterschelde in Cape Verde and have been raving about Cape Verde ever since. 

Turtles when breeding, Wahoo, Flying Fish

The seas are rich with fish like wahoo and tuna and the locals still sail in and out the surf in small boats with lug sails. Flying fish skip between the wave crests and you may see whales or dolphins.  We saw an osprey on Sao Nicholau. The islands are one of the most important breeding sites for turtles in the world with active conservation projects to protect them. You can find loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles.

Sensational Blue Water Sailing Conditions

The inhabited islands include Brava, Fogo, Santiago, Maio, Sal, Boa Vista, Sao Nicholau, Sao Antao and Sao Vincente in two distinct groups – windward and leeward islands. The Cape Verde islands are out in the ocean for real blue water cruising and are just about perfect for an island hopping holiday on a ocean tall ship like Oosterschelde. Sal has hosted world kite surfing and Boa Vista is well known as a windsurfing blast spot. Cape Verde is a real mecca all year round for those who like it windy and sunny, with warm seas to swim in.

Taste of Africa

Cape Verde has a dim past as Portuguese colony and holding station for the African slave trade. Miles of cobbled mountain roads were built by slaves. There is a rich culture, awareness of their past and hauntingly beautiful music and singing, telling the tales of the islands and fight against slavery. Today many Cape Verdeans work abroad and send money back to this proud but poor independent African Nation. The islands without international airports are as yet unspoilt by tourism, but cruise ship berths are just beginning to be built on islands like Santiago, so don’t leave it too long to visit these unique islands.

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