Change of plan due to an important choice for my future and that of my family Pius returns to Europe, to Portugal!

A new crew will care to Pius: Rafael, Ermene(Gildo) and Betto (Roberto Carlos), all brazilians.

Two days facing the braziliaan burocracy, another two to prepare Pius. New impeller, new alternators belts, new diesel filters. Complete check of the electronics, energy production with 400W solar panels and 300W hydrogenerator.

A sail test in the Salvador bahia. Then October 22nd Pius Set sail with conditions not exactly favorable compared to the seasonal forecasts that offer a beautiful south-east coming from South Africa.
But after only 48 hours the first catch. A 6kg Whaoo.

Usually the most comfortable passage from SouthAmerica to Europe would be passing through Caribbean then up to Bermuda in order to catch the westerly winds to reach the Açores and then Portugal. It's a long route lasting 2 months or more considering some stop.

Our choice has been a more direct one, the shortest route but the hardest one! Passing trough CaboVerde then to Açores to  facilitate the upwind sailing of the NE trade winds which are already strong and stable.

Finally some SE wind is pushing Pius easily! The brasilian pole head in inox is working fine ;)

WindPredict routing is helping us a lot. Of the % models available We use the ECMWF (the european one).

The first task is where to cross the ITCZ intertropical convergence zone, where the doldrums are...no wind, hot temperatures and strong tropical squalls.

The best would be to cross the ITCZ more west but then we would face the trade winds from NE, that's would mean to sail upwind for 2000 nm. So after a week of sailing upwind we face the doldrums Tue the 29th at night.

Keep sailing ENE towards Senegal  allow us to have a better  AWA (apparent wind angle) to face the NE trade winds. 

The 3rd of november we are still sailing to NE but now doldrums are ending and NE wind and waves offer us a uncomfort living aboard...after 24 hrs tack to NW with an AWA of 70° and 14kts TWS. Not bad!

Wednsday November the 6th at 15h00 UTC Mindelo is welcoming Pius and crew!

The best music bar is here...a floating Bar!