🇬🇧 With such names as "Boa Vista", and "Ponta do sol", no doubt that I was heading straight to places rich in light! The north of the island of Boa Vista in Cape Verde has been classified as natural heritage by the authorities. It extends from the north of the city of Sal Rei to the northern coastline and also includes a strip of 300m of sea. All this for an area of nearly 800 hectares. The reasons for its protection come from the presence of particular birds, including the straw-tail, the osprey, the presence of dunes where many fossils are buried, areas of volcanic landscapes or even the simple desire to protect this area from all urban constructions. In short, in other words, there is quite a bit of room to walk quietly without meeting anyone or almost, and that’s what I did!
🇬🇧 The road begins at the exit of the city in an area named Cabral, named after the country’s emblematic revolutionary. First part to get rid of the last tourist rental buildings, for a path along the square mountain towards the Church of Saint Fatima. From there, the landscape becomes completely desert. Stones, sand, pebbles and sand. The path arrives in the bay of Teodora where I am surprised to find two young surfers training in the waves. These two young people are part of the many Cape Verdeans capable of doing almost anything and everything with any type of board. Kite, surf, foil, everything goes to them. They are now sponsored by a brand of surfing equipment and have had a sea scooter delivered by the brand, which allows them to ensure their safety and access more gliding areas. Today they are in surf-foil. One on the scooter, the other towed, waiting for the right wave and sliding while performing tricks that I don’t always understand! They will switch roles, and do this almost every day when the weather gives them gliding conditions. The surfer’s dream!
🇬🇧 After photographing them with a telephoto lens and then with the drone, I leave them at their waves and set off again on my path. I join the 3 wind turbines on the north coast wondering why a country so rich in wind and sun still needs to buy diesel to run generators...? It remains a mystery for me. Electricity should be free for all the inhabitants of the country here... I go against the bottom of the 'highest' point of the massif... 146m... But prefer to save myself and settle for 117m from the lighthouse located at the tip!! Half an hour later, I find myself in the north of the island with a landscape at 360° and 20 knots of wind in the face!
🇬🇧 The view is superb, to the east a large beach leading to the area of Spinguera, the wreck of Santa Maria continuing its wear in silence, to the north the island of Sal pointing at the horizon, the fossil dunes to the west and the massif of Ponta Do Sol to the south with the islet of Djeu in the background. The "flows" of sand in the lower part make you want to go down, but it will be for next time with maybe a trowel to excavate some fossils...! I take off the drone for one last souvenir photo and it’s time to leave again by the same path.
