These pages contain information which may be of interest to other cruising yotties and also, in some instances, to backpackers and to tourists in general. The sentiments and ideas expressed herein definitely reflect those of the crew of the yacht Mollymawk… but we’ve done our best to make sure that the information is accurate. When it isn’t, don’t yell at us; tell us, please. Then we can make corrections. Either fill in the comment box at the end of the relevant article or, if you prefer anonymity, use the contact form.

Canary Islands

There is a lot more to the Canaries than Playa Ingles and the holiday resort night clubs. Indeed, you don’t need to go anywhere near those places: instead you can discover the Island of the Hippies, the caves where the ancient inhabitants lived, the mills which once crushed corn, the cloud-forest, an old abandoned port, the snow wells… and much more.
Whether you view them as a cruising ground in their own right or as stepping stones on the journey from Europe to the Americas, the Canary Islands are very valuable to the yachtsman; and present-day Spanish officialdom being about as laid-back as any in the world we are able to enjoy them with no hassles whatsoever.
These notes cover a mere handful of anchorages on just five of the islands.

• Cruising in the Canary Islands (General Notes)
• Gran Canaria
  (The following anchorages are all given on one page. To jump straight to the relevant section click on the name.)
  • Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
    (see also: Cultural Capital of Europe?)
  • Máspalomas et alia
  • Arguineguín
  • Cement Factory Bay (Bahía de Santa Agueda)
  • Puerto Mogán
• Tenerife
  (The following anchorages are all given on one page. To jump straight to the relevant section click on the name.)
  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife
  • Montaña Roja
  • Las Galletas
  • Los Cristianos
• Fuerteventura (Corralejo)
• La Graciosa
• El Hierro

Also see the list of all articles tagged “Canaries”.

Cape Verde Islands

The Cape Verde islands are the new Canaries. If you want to see them in their pristine state – the way the Canaries were thirty or forty years ago – you’re just a wee bit too late.
On the other hand, if you want marinas, restaurants, and a Western mentality (which ensures that the planes run to a schedule and the supermarkets stock cheddar cheese and fresh butter) leave it another ten or twenty years.
At the moment the only marina is in Mindelo, the planes take off when the pilot is good and ready, and the only supermarkets worthy of the name are in Praia. Oh, and, right now, you don’t want to go to Praia.

• General info:
  • General Information for Yotties
  • Clearing In and Out
  • Security
  • Wind and Weather
  • History and Culture
  • Flora
  • Fauna (Beasts and Birds)
• Sal
  • Sal – History
  • Sal – Palmeira
  • Sal – What to Do in Sal
• São Vicente
  • São Vicente – Mindelo, Part I (History)
  • São Vicente – Mindelo, Part II (Facilities)
• Boa Vista
  • Boa Vista

Also see the list of all articles tagged “Cape Verde”.

Caribbean

These articles contain more anecdote than hard fact, but some of the information may still be of interest to visitors to the islands.

• Carriacou – Of Ex-Pats, Turtles, Iguanas, Chocolate, and Rum
  (see also: Boat-building in Carriacou)
• Caribbean, Part I – Martinique
  Includes a description of our passage from Carriacou, details about the anchorage off St Pierre, and the story of the Mount Pelee disaster.
• Caribbean, Part II – Dominica
  Information concerning the anchorage off Portsmouth, followed by a tour of the island.
• Caribbean, Part III – Antigua
  Our passage from Dominica, a description of Jolly Harbour, mention of English Harbour and Shirley Heights, and lots of chat about the cruising scene.
• Caribbean, Part IV – Nevis
  Passage from Antigua, the anchorage off Pinney’s Beach, clearance procedures, monkeys… and The Double Deuce.
• Caribbean, Part V – Saba
  where we were unable to get ashore but spent some time anchored
• Caribbean, Part VI – Dominican Republic
  A brief history of the Dom Rep and of Haiti, description of Luperon, and information about clearance.
• Cuba
  • Cuba, Part I – Red Tape and Money
    Puerto da Vita, Clearing in, CUCs and Pesos
  • Cuba, Part II – Beer on Tap; Rum by the Rucksack
    May 1st celebrations
  • Cuba, Part III – Cruising the North Coast
  • Cuba, Part IV – In which Johnson has the last laugh
    More adventures amongst the cays on the north coast and the tale of our departure from Cuban waters.

Also see the list of all articles tagged “Caribbean”.

Brazil

• Cabedelo / Jacaré / Joao Pessoa
• The Brazilian Ribeira (opposite Jacaré)
• Itaparica (Bahía de Todos os Santos / Salvador) – Part I, Part II

Also see the list of all articles tagged “Brazil”.

Miscellaneous

• Anchorages in the Rio de la Plata (Uruguay and Argentina)
  (see also: all articles about the Rio de la Plata
• Bermuda
• Port of Melilla (a Spanish enclave on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco)
  (see also: Melilla – the history and culture of the city)