Gusting 30knots while anchoring among 50 boats

The sun rises between two volcanic cones here at Sta. Lucia and we see our new "neigbours". One boat, a catamaran, is anchored out by the reef, not as close as ewe feared last night. the others are sailboats from Austria. the wind is still gusting 20 knots, so we deside to sail on to São Vincente and the town of Mindelo. They say the harbour is about full.

At 10am the anchor´s up and we sail towards the North end of São Vincente. The channel current is strong and against us. So is the wind. So we "hand-sail", ("Lille-Per, wind-pilot off-duty!).Sailing hard against the wind, sometimes down to under 3 knots, this is going to take some time. More genoa! The wind gusts up to 25 knots or more, but the seas are surprisingly flat. That is until we round the top of São Vicente.
Another bone-dry rusty-red lava island. Cones and craters rising from the flat lava flows, which we´re sailing over, our depth in the sound only about 40, 50 meters, and soon just 20! We approach the island where a little village lies on the wind-blown lava plain, a huge sand-stone hill, like a giant sand-castle, small "toy" houses surrounding it.

On the west side we approach the "Porto Grande", Mindelos big bay. This is where the fun begins.
The winds increase to an uncomfortable 30 to 35 knots, as we close in on this busy commercial harbour, and the crowded tangle of anchored sailboats. This will be interesting. We pass by the little island of Passero, a little steep pinnacle at the entrance to the bay. A white step-path leading vertically up to a light-house at the peak is like a ladder to heaven.
Meanwhile, back down on the shallow choppy waters the swell and winds make for a wild roller-coaster ride in towards ther break-water, the foam flying in the wind.
Down with the reefed main and we motor into flatter, but still gusty waters. Take a look-see round and find a little "clearing". Go for it!

Well-anchored we can relax in the cock-pit. We are in front of a large rusty cargo-ship, "Vilma", also swinging on an anchor, well, two. Hope we don´t get a southerly, turning her towards us! We see that Norwegian "Medusa", Swedish "Sulamitt" are here. And soon we are followed by our recent boat neighbors,"Veto" and "Christiania". They anchor up next to us.

Time for shore-leave! Out with the dinghy and negotiations with "boat-minders". We choose "Swedish-speaking" Norton ("Tack saa mycket!) and his brother, Ari. In town we end up eating at the Chave d´Ouro restaurant and "pensão". It´s one flight up, the tables set with white table-clothes and wine glasses, the jazz from the café across the road drifting in through the open French windows.