Sunday Island – Mindelo Cp Verde to Bequae Caribbean Day 1

> Sunday Island departed Miindelo at 2pm on the afternoon of the 24th November 2022. We have an excellent forecast for our voyage “across the pond” to the island of Bequae in the Caribbean. >
> Prior to leaving we treated ourselves to lunch at the marina bar, which had Wifi to enable us to send a few last messages, down load a weather grib file and download some new books on our kindles. >
> Once the anchor was up we motored past our Lord Howe Island friends Rex and Louise to drop of our spare copy of “ships captain medical guide” which we somehow found ourselves with two on-board after we had prepared the boat in Palma. We then hoisted the mainsail, unfurled the Yankee and we were on our way. >
> We sailed past Santo Antao Island looking at the steep rocky volcanic shores. It was a pity not to have ventured onto the island however the logistics would have meant leaving the boat for two days in Mindelo which we were not keen to do. >
> After passing Ponta do Pesqueiro Fundo we entered the lee of Santo Antao, and put the engine on. This gave us a good opportunity to super charge the batteries and run the watermaker for a few hours to top up our water supplies. Sunday Island exited the lee of the island at 1900 in the evening, with winds from the NE blowing at 23kts, so we put in a reef and reached our way west. >
> At midnight the wind began to swing to the ENE, and reduced to 18kts so I shook out the reef and poled out the yankee. Overnight we passed one other yacht 2nm to the north of us. The were not on AIS and showed up poorly on radar but were well lit with lights. I wondered if it was the Irish flagged Americans who left the anchorage in Mindelo with quite a fuss a few horus before us. >
> We are now in trade wind sailing mode, with 20kts of wind on our quarter from the ENE, and sailing at 6.5 to 7kts towards our destination. Everybody is enjoying being at sea and very comfortable. The kids have bought out their tony boxes and are presently listening to “Learning French for kids”. >
> It is unlikely that a report on Marine Traffic will show up until we get closer to the Caribbean, but you can check out our position at http://cms.winlink.org:444/maps/positionreports.aspx?callsign=vk7hew >