Reported to CSSN:
05.12.2018
Anchoring in front of Mindelo Marina, 2 people came on board and wanted to steal the Dinghy. Midnight. Owner (me) had a fight with one and kicked him in the water.

One Stolen Laptop. Police were called. No answer. Thieves live in an old white wreck in front of Marina Mindelo. Marina Office knows the Problem.
31.12.2017

A French boat was completely robbed while owners were at the New Year Party. Even clothes.

Mindelo
I would echo most that has been said in previous reports, even the older ones. This place doesn’t change very much, except the marina is more modern now. Although the electricity did go off from time to time but not for long. Good WiFi in the floating bar early morning before it opens, they change the WiFi code every few days.

Better WiFi in Simpatico ( Irish bar). We were on the Odyssey Rally and Tom ( from Simpatico) arranged fresh fruit and veg provisions for the boats. He also had stew and Chilli made for us to take away the day before departure.
There is a pizza cafe across from the marina – great pizza and we took 2 with us and froze them.

Boat repairs are very quick and efficient.
Arrange with Kai in the office or email them beforehand if you require parts.
Shops – small convenience stores close by, but we found many items. Bread ( as we know it) is in short supply. There’s a butcher in the supermarket to the right of simpatico.

No recycling but rubbish bins are at the entrance to the marina in a locked store.
Some prostitutes were persistent even when told no.
There are beggars and people touting to help you with one thing or another. If you have anything you’re not using then they will take it away for you. One mans junk is another man’s treasure.

We had help from a man called Joe ( had a Chicago accent ) he arranged a pickup truck taxi to take us to the lookout point on top of the island, to the beach and back for €75 euros 5 adults 2 children. We did get stopped by the police on the way back and had to get out and get on a bus to get back – we think that he wasn’t licensed to carry passengers! Joe stayed with us and we never felt unsafe, it just added interest to our trip.

The Floating bar – reasonably priced food and friendly service.
Water is chargeable- you can add water to your card 100 litres is €2 or 200 pesetas, you need your card to exit and enter the marina and the toilets and you have to use your card to pay for the showers.
Electricity is €4 a day

Nice beach 15 min walk- turn left when you go out of the Marina.
All the marina staff were excellent and helped with mooring.
The water is drinkable as it is desalinated and 4 knots of tide between islands – the best time to cross is 21/2 hours after high water

Posted on behalf of Stan Luyten:

I’ve spent a week anchored in the Bay of São Pedro, in the South of São Vicente, about 8 NM downwind from Mindelo, in the second week of February 2017.

There’s a little bit of swell working itself into the bay, but only noticeable close to the beach. There’s always a lot of wind, that seems to pick up around noon and at night. Early mornings and later afternoons seem to be calmer, although these wind accelerations can seem quite irregular.

I’ve had at least one day without a calm period. Good ground tackle is, therefore, a must, though holding was excellent in black and white sand with a few isolated rocks. The best shelter is to be found close to the village. I relied on local knowledge and anchored between the fishing boats on permanent moorings.

After a few days, I decided to move closer still to the beach (in about 5m), where the wind is less ferocious. Locals told me wind direction can be changeable due to the mountains, so I also put a stern anchor. However, during my stay, the wind always blew from the valley.

Facilities on shore are minimal. There’s a nice restaurant on the beach, owned and run by a French national. In town, there are a few small shops and bars, but for fresh victuals, one needs to take the minibus (“aluguer”) or taxi to Mindelo (only 15min away). The nearest internet is at the airport next to the village (30min on foot, free). Fuel or water would have to be brought in jerrycans by local fishermen.

The beach is superb. Although windy, this is definitely a beautiful location. Visitors should be aware that the upwind sail to Mindelo can be challenging when the trade winds are strong, depending of course on the boat and its crew.

I definitely recommend a visit to this beautiful bay, but if your destination is Mindelo, don’t underestimate the acceleration zone in the channel between the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão. Be especially aware of very powerful gusts close to the capes (visible on the surface of the water).

Stan Luyten.
S/V Noctiluca

Right before the marina gate at the end of the jetty, a local enterprise offers a laundry service EVERY day. Things are collected at 10:00 hand returned 17:00h the same day. It includes washing and drying. The quality is very good. The price is (also compared with self-service washing machines in some marinas) very competitive. So, a clear recommendation. For further details ask at the reception.