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Marinas in Cabo Verde — West Africa Atlantic

Cabo Verde is an Atlantic archipelago off West Africa, with volcanic mountains, sandy islands and open-water passages shaped by the trade winds.

2 destinations 1 marina
Cabo Verde - country photo 1
Cabo Verde - country photo 2
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Cabo Verde

The islands differ markedly: Sal and Boa Vista are dominated by dry plains, dunes and long beaches, while Santo Antão has steep mountain slopes and green valleys. Passages between the islands cross open ocean, so wind and swell play a large part in shaping a cruise here.

The coast is warm throughout the year. November to June is generally dry, with prevailing northeast trade winds; January to April can be particularly windy. August to October is hotter and more humid, with occasional heavy rain. Tropical storms can affect the weather in late summer and autumn.

Wind can strengthen sharply around mountainous islands and in the channels between them. Ocean swell can reach bays sheltered from the local wind, so a quiet shore does not always mean a calm anchorage.

Ashore, Creole music, fish markets and small towns with Portuguese heritage stand out. Mindelo, on São Vicente, is known for live music and for yachts stopping before an Atlantic crossing. A trip into the mountain valleys reveals another side of the archipelago, away from the beach resorts.

Sailing character

  • Island hopping
  • Open coast
  • Long passages

The islands are separated by open ocean. Some passages take much of a day or involve sailing at night; there is no continuous chain of sheltered bays. The direction of the trade winds strongly influences the order in which to visit the islands.

What to explore ashore

  • Islands
  • Nature
  • Historic towns
  • Maritime heritage

Watch out

  • Local wind accelerationWind can be considerably stronger near mountainous shores and in channels between islands than in open water.
  • Ocean swellShelter from the local wind does not guarantee calm water in a bay.
Sailing areas

Wind can strengthen sharply around mountainous islands. Sal and Boa Vista are drier, but their low shores do not provide shelter from ocean swell. The side of the island and the direction of the swell matter when choosing an anchorage.

  • Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia and São Nicolau: Island hopping, Open coast
  • Sal and Boa Vista: Island hopping, Open coast
  • Santiago and Maio: Island hopping, Open coast
  • Fogo and Brava: Island hopping, Open coast

Practical information

Currency

Cabo Verdean escudo · CVE

Official languages

Portuguese

Emergency contacts

General emergency number

112

JRCC Cabo Verde

+238 232 55 55

VHF voice channel 16

Call sign:São Vicente Radio (D4A)

JRCC coordinates rescue. São Vicente Radio receives marine calls on VHF 16; telephone and radio coverage differ.

Official resources

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Arriving on a private yacht

International arrival, onward island cruising and departure from Cabo Verde.

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Arrival from another country

Plan your first call at a port with a border post, such as Mindelo, Palmeira or Praia.

  1. Confirm arrival procedures with the harbour authority and border service DEF in advance; prepare the boat documents and crew list.
  2. Check visa conditions for each person. Confirm with DEF how EASE applies to arrival by sea.
Passages between islands

Before the next passage, check local clearance procedures with the harbour authority or maritime delegation.

  1. Keep the boat documents, crew list and issued clearances aboard; report crew changes.
Leaving the country

Complete border departure clearance before sailing abroad.

  1. Notify DEF at least five hours before departure; for yachts, the endorsed list of people aboard serves as the departure document.

The yacht and customs

Confirm temporary admission conditions and the yacht’s permitted stay with Alfândegas. The crew’s permitted stay does not determine the boat’s customs period. Agree arrangements with customs in advance if leaving the yacht in the country.

Information sources

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Practical information Arriving on a private yacht Information sources

Marinas on the map

Use the map to place the country, its sailing destinations, islands, and available marina pages before choosing where to sail next.

Popular places in Cabo Verde

Browse popular sailing places in Cabo Verde. Places with the most marinas appear first.

Mindelo Mindelo
Palmeira Palmeira