Sea Voyage to Cape Verde with the OOSTERSCHELDE

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Cape Verde Islands

The crew on board is international, so English is predominantly spoken.

Sailing Voyage to Cape Verde

Every day at sea is followed by a full day on one of the Cape Verde Islands. There we organise excursions with knowledgeable local guides. During the sailing voyage you are warmly invited to lend a hand with all activities on board, such as setting the sails, steering or navigation. Thanks to the efforts of the ship's cook and the rest of the crew, life on board is pleasant and comfortable. An unforgettable holiday in Cape Verde!
The Cape Verde Islands

Cape Verde lies in the Atlantic Ocean, around 600 kilometres off the coast of Senegal. The archipelago has roughly 450,000 inhabitants and consists of nine inhabited islands and several uninhabited ones. We will travel from island to island – true "island hopping"! There is plenty to discover on and around the Cape Verde Islands. The waters are rich in flying fish, tuna, sea turtles and whales. The varied landscape ranges from steep, terraced fields with banana and coffee plantations, through sandy deserts and black volcanoes, to the wild, deep blue ocean.
Climate in Cape Verde

The tropical climate and the trade winds make Cape Verde a true paradise for sailors. After each day at sea, we spend a full day on one of the islands. The crew will show you the most beautiful places in the archipelago.

SAL, SANTIAGO AND SÃO VICENTE

The journey to Cape Verde begins on the island of Sal. You go on board in the late afternoon, where the crew will welcome you. After a restful night, we set sail for the island of Santiago. Early on the morning of the third day, we anchor at Tarrafal. After spending a full day and a night on Santiago, we set a course for São Vicente. In clear weather, you may be able to spot the active volcano Fogo. We spend the night at sea. At sunrise, land comes into sight – first São Vicente and shortly afterwards Santo Antão. We anchor in the bay of Mindelo, the second-largest city and second-largest port in Cape Verde. There you will find restaurants, a market hall, cafés and souvenir shops. In the afternoon there is time to explore the town.

SANTO ANTÃO

Santo Antão is considered the most beautiful island of the archipelago. It is also the greenest and most fertile of the islands. We will go on a hike through the varied landscape along the edge of the volcano; the breathtaking views make this excursion an unforgettable experience.

SÃO NICOLAU

Our destination on São Nicolau is also called Tarrafal. We anchor directly in front of the harbour. Tarrafal is a peaceful fishing village where we are welcomed with open arms. There is hardly any tourism here, and at least half of the fishermen use sailing boats rather than motorised ones. On São Nicolau, we visit the impressive basalt formations shaped by the weather and drive up to the last remnants of a primeval forest in the "Monte Gordo" National Park to go on a hike. There are grogue distilleries here; if one of them is open, we will make a stop to see how the production process works.

BOA VISTA

Boa Vista is known for its beautiful beaches and remarkable shifting dunes. Our guide will be waiting for us among the local fishermen on the pier at Sal Rei. He will tell us about the island, its history and the sea turtle conservation programme he is involved in. They work to protect the second-largest population of loggerhead turtles. He will take us around the island in off-road vehicles.

Special Features

The ‘Oosterschelde’ is the last survivor of a large fleet of three-masted schooners that sailed under the Dutch flag at the beginning of the 20th century. She is the largest restored sailing ship in the Netherlands and a monument to Dutch shipbuilding and seafaring merchant sail.

A voyage on a tall ship is suitable for everyone. There is no age limit, but it is important to be fit enough to take part in life on board.

Taking part in the sailing and handling of the ship is an important part of the overall experience on board and a valuable enrichment of our voyages. Everyone is welcome to take the helm, set the sails, help with manoeuvres, learn more about navigation, help with furling and unfurling the sails, and much more. The permanent crew will brief you during the voyage. This is done in the "Dutch" style, that is, without shouting, whistling and so on. No sailing experience is required.

The watch system

Once we are at sea, we mostly sail for several days and nights at a time. The professional crew take turns operating the ship. Before we cast off, you will receive a detailed safety briefing and we will invite you to join the watch system. This means we ask you to join the permanent crew for 4 hours to help sail the ship, after which you have 8 hours off. Whether you take part in everything depends on your interest and your physical condition.

The watch system looks like this:

Watch 1: 00 to 04 and 12 to 16 hrs

Watch 2: 04 to 08 and 16 to 20 hrs

Watch 3: 08 to 12 and 20 to 00 hrs

Level 2
Level 2 voyages are often more demanding or take you further from the home port. You must be able to cope well, even in conditions that are at times difficult; if necessary, however, the ship can reach a port within 24 to 48 hours. There is no age restriction, but you may be asked to provide additional proof of your physical fitness or state of health.

The OOSTERSCHELDE aims to be accessible to as wide an audience as possible, but you must be aware that you are embarking on a voyage aboard a seagoing sailing ship. This demands more of your physical fitness than a gentle stroll. Some voyages are more demanding than others. The different levels give you an indication of what kind of voyage it is. If you are not sure whether a voyage is right for you, it is important that you contact us for advice.

General note:
This description of the sailing trip's course is intended only as a rough guide. The itinerary may vary depending on wind and weather conditions, but we try to sail as much as possible.

Transfer
Transfers to and from the ship must be arranged by yourself.

Insurance & Health

The ship and the shipping company are adequately insured to meet their liability towards all passengers. Any damage you may suffer during an excursion ashore is not covered by this insurance. Be sure to check the terms of your
health insurance.

The shipping company ensures the best possible safety of all passengers on board, but this does not relieve you of your own responsibility. On a moving ship, accidents can happen in every corner, and if you need to take medication, being seasick for a day can have unpleasant consequences. In addition, no immediate medical care is available at sea. If your physical or mental health is impaired, you may be taking an additional risk by taking part in a sea voyage. When making a booking request, you must provide medical information that may be important on board.

The crew

The crew of the ‘Oosterschelde’ generally consists of the captain, the mate, the engineer, the boatswain, two deckhands and a cook. The crew are certified according to STCW ‘95. This means that the captain and the mate have completed at least the SKA training with an additional sailing course module, or have completed the Large Sailing Ship Navigation training. The other members of the deck crew have attended the ‘Safety at Sea’ course, and every member of the crew has undergone a medical examination for seafaring.

The permanent crew are not only responsible for steering the ship, but also give instructions to the guest crew and brief them on board.

Food

The sailing trip fee includes three meals a day, snacks, coffee, tea, milk and water.