l'ACA, l'EFC, la FEEC et Cabo Verde No Limits
vous informe que le RIC 2009 se déroulera au CAP VERT
du 5 au 12 avril sur l'île de Santa Antao
rendez vous à Porto Novo
Important recommandations to read
Today, all the canyons are equipped with gouge 10mm stainless or sometimes even with pins stainless. Some of them, because of lack of material of equipment include natural anchors, spits or steps without equipment that can be climbed down carefully when they are dry. The wet steps cannot be climbed down.
Some canyons were not descended since their opening. Thus, it is essential to take with oneself material of re-equipment in order to replace the damaged anchors by the swellings or strong moisture. Some of them can be hidden by the vegetation, damaged, or even missing. The rings of cord can suffer from the same fate, and even, according to the site of the anchorrage, have been stolen by the local population.
We cannot be responsibles for the changes on the anchors, ways and tracks, like any change of the state of the interior of the canyon. In certain cases, the plates were hammered with stones to be stolen, without success. Some anchors have disappeared, leaving extracted and broken gouges.
The heights of waterfalls of the most traditional canyons have all been measured again and are normally indicated on topographies with two meters more than in the canyon. In certain cases and especially at the bottom of the waterfalls, there can be differences because of lack of water, overdeepening of the bottom of the waterfall by the swellings, or on the contrary by the filling of the pools by sediments.
The technical difficulty of certain descents (because of the height of the fall) makes that few canyonists can appreciate their beauty. Some have incredible colors.
The canyons that run all the year are equipped such a manner to facilitate as possible the descent. The large cascades with belays can be roped down with ropes that don’t exceed 60m. The old belays dating from the opening of the canyons can need ropes more than 60m length. We give as a limit 65m. Check on the topography and the card of re-equipment if you have it.
Attention, there’s no control panels, names of villages, names of valleys or rivers… The language does not allow an easy comprehension, even if with kindness all the world will answer you that it is not true. Then: surprised! “It is not possible!!! a deviation…”. The other panels are erased or broken. The inhabitants give different names for the same place, and the road maps are not very useful. However, they all will tell you “yes”: and then: surprised!
According to the time of the year, some paths are difficult to find because of the luxuriant vegetation. Sometimes, the inhabitant can cultivate directly on the way. Also, there are passages which are very old, where the vegetation completely disappeared because of the swellings. The fog can be very thick and even very wet, sometimes comparable with rain. All the paths are not marked out perfectly, painting being erased from rocks because of the rain or the children. The polished and wet basalt rocks can slip. Attention with the shocks in the rappels and the steps. In certain occasions, some steps will be climbed down, even if they are equipped. In the jumps and toboggans, it is imperative to probe the pools to make sure of the absence of stones or obstacles. Attention, the wet grounds slip really much, and even more if the grounds are rocky. Polished basalt slips like soap or oil.
Attention with dehydration. Take with you much wáter. Especially in the driest parts of the island, we advise a minimum of two liters per person. The sun combined with the moisture of the fog contribute to an important loss of water which at first sight is unperceivable. It is good to take vitamins.
Your sun lotions must specify at least index 15. Else, you must be covered.
For the great courses, we advise to start very early in the morning, more especially because here the sun disappears quickly: between 7 pm and 7.30 pm in summer, 2 hours earlier in winter, and April, the sun disappears towards 6 pm.
The basaltic rock is very aggressive for the ropes : take care with frictions. Sometimes, the rocks are abrasive like knives and can cause ruptures. Prudence also with the fine basalt particles which are introduced into fibres of the rope and can deteriorate the descenders and the carabiners.
The stone falls can cause accidents. Thus, try to go down always slightly on the left or on the right of the rappel line in the high falls, and try to join the anchor only two meters front. Never go down under the bemay. The site of certain anchors imposes a descent on the center of the fall : be careful ! Also, it is important to take the material on your back or on the side and never hang it in order to avoid causing stone falls.
Before descending, check the quality of the anchor or the rings of ropes or straps. Especially, never equip abseils on the trees which push in wall. Check before suspending you on the anchor.
It may happen that certain steps are not equipped (belay or missing rings of cords). As we described previously, some inhabitants regard them as treasures and carry them on their premises. They are the children and the young people of the country…
Here exists a kind of bramble which is called “Trepadeira” It is truly slashing. The lack of torrential water caused its proliferation in the entire island. The only advantage is that it produces splendid flowers with various colors and a fruit which resembles blackberry. The papyruses are not cutting and will give colours to your descents. The most dangerous insects are spiders. There is only one kind which is poisonous but she lives in the ghettos. In mountain, the scolopandres can measure up to 25 cm. Their puncture is comparable with the scorpions one, but the cases are rares.
The shuttles of certain canyons are really very long. At all, they can approach the 4 hours between the demounting of the first vehicle to the downer parking, the way to the upper parking, and the way return take back the vehicle left at the upper parking.It is really preferable to use the minibus with drivers who will take the morning to you and will redeposit you at the same place in end-of-day. Try another means can cause some surprises. We are on an island in the middle of the ocean. All the councils we give you were taught by our experience after having corrected the errors we made. We will not change the habits of the inhabitants. Transport, we always carried out it like that in the great descents, and we can ensure that it works very well, you will see.
By considering the drive in and the walk in of the canyon, we advise you to leave early.
Because of the lack of roads and a very steep profile, the great descents of this island need very long shuttles and accesses, that are sometimes very complexes. We will indicate them in specific texts that will help you to recognize key places to reach and leave the canyon. Thus, these precise texts, combined with the shuttles by minibus that will deposit you and will take you back at the precise points, will enable you to benefit the maximum of your descent in a full serenity.
The basaltic rock is very hard, even extremely hard. Thus, it uses very strongly the spits. To take a great number of spits. Sometimes, we used 4 spits to drill only one hole. Be vigilant also with the type of rock which can be porous or fractured. Also, we can meet layers of volcanic ash, which represent a risky place to equip.
The colors made this island a paradise of mixtures of greens, reds, oranges, yellows and blacks giving rise to more than 14 colors of sand.
The long courses are a kind of challenge for the inhabitants for many years. Insular insulation, and the fact of living in parts far away from the island led these men, for their survival, to reach the sheer places most strange, to create ways “suspended” on the walls to go and seek a source, or to cultivate a ground corner to more close to water.
Also, you won’t only be amazed by the landscapes, but also you will be filled with wonder of a wild environment and total survival.
The human heat of these people, their children, their joy, their musics and songs create a special feeling of Santo Antao island.
The climate between January and May is comparable with the dry summer and heat that we have in Europe, but here with periods of strong very wet fog or fogs dry.
While on a side of the island the temperature borders the 25 with 30°C, in mountain, the temperature can go down up to 10°C with fog and wind.
Sometimes, some zones of condensation between 400m and 600m of altitude can form intermediate zones of fog which can be mobiles. It never rains at that time of the year, there’s only of the fog with 100% of moisture in the average and high zones.
If you take account of our experience that we describe here, you’ll see that you journey will be more pleasant an simpler.
Curiosities:
Often, we will be in strange places that seem out-of-the-way. In some canyons, we will go with you to the first fall, and in others, we will wait you at the bottom of the waterfall, seeing you going down. The anecdotes will be numerous each day. We will be able to send the photos to you if you give us your names and addresses.
And attention also with brandy of the island, titrated with more 60°, which is drunk at any hour like clear water…
How to come to the Cap Verde and to Santo Antao island ?
We will give you all the information we have to come from the various countries in which we should have participants. We’ll surely sometimes have more information for certain countries that for others. With your collaboration, we will be able to help all the practitioners to go on a more pleasant and cheaper journey. We will do so as that everyone has to take only two flights.
The correspondences of flights will depend on the schedules and the latencies in the airports and not inevitably of the price.
We will give you all information in our possession so that you can choose the best flight. The islands which have international airports with direct flights from Europe are:
- SAL - Airport AMILCAR CABRAL
- LARGE SANTIAGO PRAIA ACHADA
- SANT VICENTE Airport of SANT PEDRO
If you find a direct flight for St Vincent with correct prices, don’t hesitate : buy it. Normally, today, all the flights have a stop at SAL or SANTIAGO
The correspondences are varied and can sometimes change. For example :
- there are direct flights from Düsseldorf (Germany) and very specific to SAL island. We will give you their prices.
- There are also flights from Bergamo (Italy) or Milan (Italy) every saturday to SAL island (in flights charters). We will give you their prices too.
- From Lisbon (Portugal), there are flights almost every day to SAL or SANTIAGO (Praia).
- For London (GB), we are expecting to see if a direct flight to ST VINCENT exits, and its price. This can be interested for much of us in their search for a flight at reasonable cost. We are negotiating for the return. We will inform you as soon as we will get more information.
EUROPE
SPAIN
From the various cities, leave the flights via Lisbon (Portugal) for the island of SAL or SANTIAGO Praia. Then, there are internal flights to reach ST VINCENT. We are on standby information on the direct flights from London (GB) until St Vincent or since the airport of Palma de Mallorca (Spain-Balearic Islands) and we will inform you. We also negotiate for obtener a handsome price in the internal flights. In this manner, we can take a direct flight since Amériqu
France:
Currently, there is a direct flight from Paris to SAL island, but they also speak about a direct flight from Marseille for SAL or St VINCENT. We will inform you.
Netherlands
From the Netherlands, there’s a flight between Amsterdam and SAL island.
Belgium:
From Brussels exist flights to SAL and BOAVISTA.
.
PORTUGAL
DESDE LISBOA HAY CONEXIONES CON TODA EUROPA. LUEGO OS LLEVARAN PARA LA ISLA DE SAL
Portugal:
depuis Lisbonne, il y a descorrespondances avec toute l’Europe. Ensuite, vous vous envolerez jusqu’à l’île de SAL.
Italy
From Italy, you will find flights from Bergamo, Milan, and Rome to SAL island.
Germany:
In full safety and with handsome prices, flights from Dusseldorf.
Switzerland:
You will find flights for Lisbon
Greece:
With Air Olympus company you join Italy (Bergamo), France (Paris), Germany (Dusseldorf), the United Kingdom (London). You will find direct flights to SAL island, SANTIAGO and ST VINCENT according to the correspondence.
The United States:
You will find direct flights from Boston to SANTIAGO island. Then, a flight to ST VINCENT. There can be also ones via Lisbon.
Brazil:
You will find direct flights from FORTALEZA to SANTIAGO island, then an internal flight to ST VINCENT.
Where to sleep ?
SAL island. The nearest city of the airport is Espargos. A trip by taxi to the pention or the hotel costs 2€.
HOTEL ATLANTICO: double room with breakfast costs 42€.
CENTRAL RESIDENCIAL: double room with breakfast costs 28€.
PENSION PAZE BEM: double room with breakfast costs 29€ (triple room : 34€)
SAL is not expensive. Double rooms with breakfast starting from 30€. We advise to sleep in Espargos.
SANTIAGO
The problem of SANTIAGO east is that it’s necessary to go to sleep at the city of PRAIA, which is at 3km from the airport, and costs 6€ (by taxi).
You will find many hotels and rooms:
HOTEL EUROLINES: 42€ per room with breakfast
APARTAHOTEL HOLANDA: 37€ per room with breakfast
RESIDENCIAL PEROLA: from 34 to 80 €
SAINT VINCENT
You will take the ferry from this island. Check the schedules of the ferry each day of the week to be able to combine them with the flights, and you will be able to go and sleep directly at SANTO ANTOA. The taxis from the airport of the island cost 10€ at night, and 8€ in day. We can agree on a transport by minibus. It will be less expensive than 4 by 4 in taxis. Contact us so we’ll do it for you.
You will find several types of pensions, residences or hotels. The least expensives if you nevertheless must pass there a night are so old that it is preferable not to go there. Moreover, they are not very secure, but they have a good quality-price ratio.
Residence LAGINHA *** : From 30 to 53 € for a double room with breakfast included. The proprietor is European. Preferential rates at the time of the R.I.C
RESIDENCIAL JENNY *** : From 32 to 52 € in double rooms with breakfast included. The owner is an european man. Preferential prices for the R.I.C.
RESIDENCIAL VIOLA FORTIM: From 42 up to 52€ for double rooms with breakfast. European owner.
RESIDENCIAL CHE GUEVARA : double room at 34€
GAUDI HOTEL : double room at 42 euros with breakfast
MINDELO HOTEL: double room at 60€
PORTO GRANDE HOTEL: the least expensive double room at 80€
All these examples are near the center, and of the port. The taxi between the hotel or the residence and the port costs about 1,2€
Schedules of the ferries
Single price for the crossing: 700 escudos (or 6,36 €).
COMPAÑÍA ARMAS FERRYS MAR D’CANAL
HORARIOS SEMANALES.
LUNES - SEGUNDA
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 8 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 7H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 9 H. A.M.
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….10 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 9 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..11 H. A.M.
TARDE
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 15 H. P..M. EMBARQUE 14H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 16 H. P.M.
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….17 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 16 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..18 H
MARTES - TERÇA
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 8 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 7H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 9 H. A.M.
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….10 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 9 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..11 H. A.M.
TARDE
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 15 H. P..M. EMBARQUE 14H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 16 H. P.M.
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….17 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 16 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..18 H
MIERCOLES, CUARTA
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 8 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 7H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 9 H. A.M.
SOLO MAÑANA
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….10 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 9 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..11 H. A.M.
JUEVES, VIERNES Y SABADO.
QUINTA, SEXTA, ET SABADO
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 8 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 7H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 9 H. A.M.
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….10 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 9 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..11 H. A.M.
TARDE
SALIDA ST.VICENTE 15 H. P..M. EMBARQUE 14H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 16 H. P.M.
SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….17 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 16 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..18 H.
DOMINGOS
MAÑANA SALIDA ST.VICENTE 8 H. A.M. EMBARQUE 7H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. ANTAO 9 H. A.M.
TARDE SALIDA ST. ANTAO……….17 H. P.M. EMBARQUE 16 H. 30’
LLEGADA ST. VICENTE…..18 H. P.M.
SOLO UNA IDA POR LA MAÑANA Y UNA VUELTA POR LA TARDE.
PRECIO POR TRAYECTO 700 ESCUDOS
When you unload ferry from St Vincent island at Porto Novo port to Santo Antao island, the bus of the hotel will wait for you and will lead you to the hotel for free. It is important that youy give your schedules of arrivals to the hotel. For this, you just have to call the hotel since St Vincent before taking the Ferry and specifying if you arrive with the ferry of the morning or the evening.
For more information, you can get books on the Cap Verde. You will find two different ones for each following language: Spanish, French, German and English.
EN ESPAÑOL HAY DOS
EN FRANCES HAY DOS
EN ALEMAN DOS
Y EN INGLES DOS
Attention, some books have errors, but they constitute however an invaluable help. The best updated one is spanish: Anaya Touring Club (16,9€)
We will keep you informed of the changes or innovations by Internet.
