Cape Verde Islands

Cape Verde sits in the central North Atlantic, 570 km west of Senegal, an archipelago of ten volcanic islands strung across two clusters: the Barlavento (windward) group to the north and the Sotavento (leeward) group to the south. The tidal regime is fully oceanic — mixed semidiurnal with a spring range of 2.0–2.5 m, unusually large for an Atlantic island group this far south. The NE trade winds blow persistently from November through April at 20–35 knots across the northern islands, making São Vicente and Sal two of the most consistent kite-surfing and windsurfing destinations in the Atlantic world. This same wind regime drives the inter-island ferry and cargo vessel schedules: certain crossings between islands are suspended or rerouted during the strongest trade periods. The Harmattan — a dry dusty wind originating in the Sahara — arrives across the archipelago from December through March, reducing visibility, coating surfaces in fine reddish dust, and shifting the atmospheric quality from clear Atlantic blue to a warm haze. Barlavento islands receive the Harmattan first and most intensely. Water temperatures stay above 22°C year-round courtesy of the North Equatorial Current. The islands are a major refuelling and provisioning stop on the Atlantic crossing circuit: yachts departing for Barbados or Martinique typically stage from Mindelo or Praia after picking up the trades. The spring tide cycle here means that harbour access and beach exposure vary substantially between neap and spring conditions — a 2.0 m range leaves significant tidal flats exposed at low water on beaches that appear full at high tide.