Our friends at SOS Tartarugas on Sal, Cape Verde, have sent us news of their work on the island so far this year :

Turtle Sightings

25 days after the first turtle came ashore on Sal this year, they have counted 239 tracks (106 in 2008), 72 nests (37) and have tagged 53 turtles (only 101 were tagged in the whole of 2008).

Dramatic rescue at sea

SOS received reports this week of a turtle in difficulty at sea on the Costa Fragata. After battling strong current and huge surf, two turtles were found completely entangled in a fishing net and struggling to move. The turtles, one male and one female, were eventually brought back to shore and cut free. The male was released while the exhausted female spent the night in a swimming pool recovering before her successful release the next morning.

For information about turtle watching holidays on Sal or Boavista, please click here or call us on 017687  75684.

“We have had a superb holiday – thank you. The transfers were excellent – all spot on time and very courteous. We loved the mountain scenery on Santiago and seeing the natural Cape Verde as well as the beautiful beaches on Sal and Boavista and seeing turtles laying eggs. Quinta da Montanha on Santiago was in a super location, fantastic views and owner. Our walking guide there was excellent, spoke perfect English, was adaptable, knowledgeable, with a great sense of humour and a very nice guy. Definitely worth his weight in gold.
Altogether a wonderful holiday which allowed us to appreciate the islands we visited.”
Mr & Mrs Bonner (16 – 30 Jul 09)
Santiago, Boavista & Sal – walking and beach holiday

White sands, shipwrecks and date palms

A real desert island, Boavista is wonderful for exploring by 4 wheel drive visiting the deserted beaches, loggerhead turtle project or trying your hand at kite surfing. It is also one of the best islands in Cape Verde for family holidays as Ian Coates discovered….

Click here for more details on Boavista holidays

My Boavista family experience

“With my 1 and 3 year old children in tow, we headed to Boavista in February for 4 days.

Ian Coates on Boavista, Cape Verde

 We stayed at the Parque das Dunas which, while a fairly camp-like layout, provided us with a fantastic location on Chaves beach and a wonderful swimming pool which had a shallow part ideal for the children. We hired a jeep to explore the island which meant we could bump along the tracks (there aren’t many tarmac roads) to remote white sand beaches, sand dunes in the interior, the turtle hatchery and through quiet friendly villages. One of the highlights was sitting in an Italian beach bar watching the kite surfers and windsurfers perform their amazing acrobatics. The children loved the play area in Sal Rei and got to join in with the local children there, it also had a great little ice cream parlour. All in all, this is a great island for families but it’s definitely worth getting a jeep to explore on your own.”

Ian Coates