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Sailing to Cape Verde — Where We Chose to Make Landfall (and Why)
March 20, 2026 · 15 min · 10K views · Palmera
Person stands on volcanic rocks as waves crash nearby
What this video covers
Nike and Flo aboard Santana sail from the Canary Islands to Cape Verde and choose Palmeira on Sal over Mindelo on São Vicente as their first port of entry.0:13 The decision rests on three factors: wind and swell protection (checked via Navely, roughly equal for both), cruising plans (starting in the northeast and working downwind westward makes Sal the logical first stop), and arrival vibe (Palmeira's reputation as a sleepy fishing village versus Mindelo's urban energy).1:21 Clearance in Palmeira is relaxed to the point of informality.4:20 The anchorage runs 20–30 knots most of the time; mooring balls snap frequently, sending unmanned boats adrift.8:38 Navionics marks a submerged rock in the inner anchorage, and a pipeline crosses the seafloor in an apparently open patch — both anchoring hazards.10:07 A cargo supply vessel uses the channel regularly, and police enforce the clearance zone.10:31 Arriving at night, anchoring in the outer area is manageable; the inner mooring field is a spider web best avoided in the dark.8:37 Their dinghy and outboard disappeared overnight, leaving them paddleboarding dogs ashore in 20–30 knots.11:16 Santa Maria in the south, reachable by shared minivan (alouguer), offers a long beach and a kite spot but looked too rolly to anchor.13:23
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