OUR STORY
Blending Caribbean and Cape Verdean Cultures With a Spirit of Adventure
It all began with a chance meeting and an invitation to a concert. With so much in common, we were in love before we even knew it. Kim had curiosity about sailing adventures and loved world travel. Carlos had a lot of international sailing experience and wanted to own his own boat to experience long passage sailing. And, the rest, as they say, is history. What a way to share our lives together!
Carlos
Born in Rabil, Boa Vista, Cape Verde, Carlos “Calu” is the Captain and Chief Engineer for Bubista II. After 30+ years in the corporate world in Maintenance Management, he was ready to take the plunge in retirement to enjoy ownership of his own boat.
Carlos has multiple sailing experiences including working for the Norwegian Company, “Jorgen P. Jensen” and owning 4 different boats. Ultimately, Carlos would love to sail across the Atlantic and explore the Mediterranean, Portuguese Islands Azores and Madeira. To that end, he currently is in review for his “6-pack” Coast Guard license (OUPV), allowing for charter operation.
Although his roots are in Cape Verde, he is always looking for ways to be of help to friends and family there and at home in RI. Carlos has siblings in Norway, Cape Verde, Florida, and Senegal. There are numerous cousins across most of Europe, SE New England and the islands of Cape Verde. This factors into the sailing agenda, also, giving welcoming destinations where ever Bubista II should land.
An immensely detail oriented person, Carlos can fix almost anything. As you will see in the blogs, he has a capacity for troubleshooting and repairing Electricalnautical and any type of mechanical equipment. He is most happy at the helm and testing the capabilities of his S/V Bubista II.
Got a particular issue with a diesel engine, a generator or a mechanical seal? not sure how to test a battery or repair a sail? Your questions are welcomed and will be answered promptly. Our aim is make sailing affordable by DIY as much as possible.
Kim
Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and raised with 4 brothers in several locations: Roxbury, MA; Cambridge, MA; Landover, MD; and Canton, MA. Kim’s parents are of Jamaican (dad) and Cape Verdean (mom) heritage. The siblings are all younger and all boys, living in Fairhaven, MA; Oakland, CA; and Valencia, CA.
Kim has always had a curiosity about how things work and how things are made. With a high school that was not very welcoming to her interests, she followed her father into work two or three days a week to volunteer at the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts. This is where she saw his devotion and advocacy go toward the uplift of the Caribbean diaspora in Boston - not only Jamaicans, but Barbadians, Haitians, and Virgin Islanders. His efforts were a model for future travel, advocacy and volunteer opportunities for Kim.
After graduation from college with an Engineering Masters, Kim worked at notable companies which continued to satisfy the travel bug for her. Trips to Scotland, Mexico, Italy, Japan and Singapore gave her the opportunity to see that the world is a beautiful, interesting place to explore.
Kim stays connected with sailing and travel through trips to their residence in Boa Vista, visits to family and Carlos’ pursuit of his Captain’s license. Volunteer teaching in STEM and robotics at an all girls middle school, which has a boating/sailing requirement in their curriculum, continues to fulfill her need for giving back to the community.
The story of “Bubista”
How do you know where you are headed, if you don’t understand where your ancestors have already been? The history of your people is the history of you. Carlos and Kim share a connection to the Cape Verde Islands. This little story will help to understand the genesis of our vessel’s name - tied to the “10 Rocks” just off the coast of West Africa.
Cape Verde
Kap Vert
Cabo Verde
Kabu Verde
Cape Verde, shortest history. Ever.
Bracona Beach
Boa Vista is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and crystal blue water.
Just off the west coast of the African continent, there is an archipelago by the name of Cape Verde. These ten islands have a rich history that started in the 1400’s with their discovery.
A haven for pirates and slave traders as well as an important refueling and provisioning spot for the ships from Portugal, England and Holland, it is currently an independent country which was last a Portuguese colony. The country gained independence from the Portuguese in 1975. The islands are the same in culture and most language, but the vibe of each island is so very different. Some details are here on Boa Vista and Brava, the islands that are most close to our families. For more information about all the islands, and the country, check out these resources:
These “Ten Rocks” are centered on a latitude of 16.5388° N, and longitude of 23.0418° W. There are deserts, mountains, rain forests, lush agricultural spaces, resort hotels, eco-hotels, black sand beaches, white sand beaches, an active volcano, peaceful sunsets and an active nightlife - depending on which island meets your fancy. And a people that continue to persevere in a very tough environment of droughts, pests, financial instability and food insecurity. There are also the capitalists, the marauders, the drug dealers and the get-rich-quick schemers that land on these jewels, with the intent of stealing its resources and making a profit.
Boa Vista
Bubista
Carlos visited this house as a young child, and now the structure is SODADE, one of the restaurants dedicated to telling the history of the island.
Ten Rocks
Santo Antao, Sao Vicente, Santa Luzia, San Nicolau, Sal, Boa Vista, Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava. Nine of the islands are inhabited, Santa Luzia is not.
Approximately 570,000 people are living in Cape Verde. Because immigration is not tightly controlled, there are many people from other countries living and working within the archipelago. As of 2005, males outnumber the females, especially at the younger ages. The birth rate is about 19.1 live births to every 1000 inhabitants, which puts Cape Verde 83rd in the world. The literacy rate is over 75%, which makes Cape Verde one of the highest in Africa. (source: Wikipedia)
This is the island closest to the African coast and the one with the most gorgeous beaches. The number of resort hotels has blossomed in the last decade, leaving the inhabitants with a missed blessing of jobs, but not security; jobs but no upward mobility; jobs but no rules around immigration; jobs but no protection for the private lands of the original inhabitants. Sound familiar?? It seems to mimic the capitalist society’s way to exploit the resources of Indigenous People in order to turn a buck and control the resources….
In the true Boavistean character, people are kind, helpful and a slight bit passive. The local government is working hard to infuse upgrades and pride into the island - partnering with Cape Verdean diaspora groups from US, Italy, and France. There is significant investment in historical homes, restaurants and infrastructure to support the thousands of visitors to the resort hotels (there are currently over a dozen large size resorts) and as many as 3 dozen small hotels, mostly situated near the beach. Activities such as kitesailing, quad tours, fishing tours and hiking trails are available.
Despite recent changes, and challenges Boa Vista continues to be a community of hard working, industrious and fun loving families. There is a lot of potential for business and other activities that can bring sustainable growth to the island.
Hope you enjoyed the story of Bubista! Cheers!
12020, 2023
Carlos’ home..and turtles, too
Boa Vista, in addition to having the most gorgeous beaches also is home to the world’s third reserve for the number of Caretta Caretta turtle nests, after Omani and Florida. Boavista is the island where they nest more. By the way it is also the birthplace of Carlos. He was born there over 60 years ago, in a simple lifestyle that demanded ingenuity and long passages away from home to find employment. The island is very barren, not a lot of rainfall and not a lot of arable land. After leaving the technical school on another island (Sao Vincente), Carlos joined the merchant marine and worked with his father and many other Cape Verdean men seeking employment to support their families at home.
Boa Vista’s nickname to it’s inhabitants is BUBISTA, which adorned the name of our first sailboat and now, our second.
More Boa Vista information
Take a look at this beautiful video, recently released by www.boavistaofficial.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjrNqVQEcMU
Brava
Jabraba
Island that is the smallest and greenest of the archipelago.
The smallest habited island in the Cape Verdean archipelago is Brava. Brava is the furthest most east in contrast to Boa Vista, which is the furthest most west. Emigres from Brava tend to consider themselves Portuguese, especially the older the person. Looking of the map of West Africa, the islands of Cape Verde Line up with Azores, Canaries and Madeira islands. Together, these are known as Macronesia. These are potential stepping stones as we consider sailing the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
The island of Brava is extremely green, humid and has amazing nature. The temperature is much cooler as compared to the other islands. To see around the island, one day is enough.
There are a few beautiful spots in Brava - the little city of Nova Sintra (Brava's capital where you can see the main square and the statue of the famous Cape Verdean writer - Eugenio Tavares), the coastline, local villages in the center and the region of Faja in the north. In the countryside, the spider webs are everywhere - on the trees and bushes, on wires and even hanging like a canopy above the roads. There can be up to a dozen spiders on one and it can be interconnected with other webs. Some of the largest spiders are not agressive as long as they are left alone.
To reach Brava, you must travel by boat. The airport is abandoned due to many concerns, including the lack of passengers. In all, the mode of travel being difficult causes Brava to retain its old world charm. The people continue to be friendly and curious - always willing to pose for photographs. The local economy has higher prices due to everything coming by boat.
The Bravense lineage
Packet ship advertisement
Kim’s great-grandmother,, born on Brava in 1898, most likely arrived in New Bedford aboard a “packet” ship. These ships made frequent voyages between Brava, Fogo and the port of New Bedford for almost 40 years from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. These ships were small and nimble - some had been converted from whaling ships or even slave traders; their captains were enterprising businessmen who saw a need and answered it. The extensive drought in Cape Verde and the on-going need for inexpensive labor for the cranberry and blueberry crops in Southeastern Massachusetts brought over 20000 emigrants to the region. They often lived in cramped quarters owned by the harvesters, and worked tirelessly to bring money home to the family, but they were free. Cape Verdeans still are the only African peoples who emigrated willingly to the United States.
Kim’s grandmother was the 13th of 14 children born to the original original immigrant. Kim’s mother was the first born to her. That makes Kim a 3rd generation Cape Verdean with an additional blend of Jamaican and other lineages.
The island of Brava
In the future….
Carlos and Kim have not yet visited Brava or Fogo, but have it on the list. Stay tuned for that adventure!
Jamaica
The Jamaican connection
Another island on the eastern edge of the Atlantic is the other half of Kim’s lineage. Kim’s father, John, was 100% Jamaican, born in Boston and raised by his very head strong and industrious mother, both in America and Jamaica. John’s father died early in his life and ultimately, John was the only male in his immediate family, with 3 sisters. Through the societal changes of the late 19th century, many Irish folks were deported from Ireland and sent to Jamaica to work off their servitude sentence. One of those Irishmen is Kim’s great grandfather on her father’s side. After being born in Jamaica, Kim’s grandmother travelled back and forth to Boston for employment and ultimately settled there with her husband.
Jamaica is located in the Caribbean, and is a sovereign island nation. It has a lush topography of mountains, rainforests and reef-lined beaches. Many of its all-inclusive resorts are clustered in Montego Bay, with its British-colonial architecture, and Negril, known for its diving and snorkeling sites. Jamaica is famed as the birthplace of reggae music, and its capital Kingston is home to the Bob Marley Museum, dedicated to the famous singer. Beyond the resorts and shopping sites, Jamaica is also home to the Rastafari, who have set up indignous camps to make people aware of their culture and beliefs.
The original inhabitants of Jamaica are believed to be the Arawaks, also called Tainos. They came from South America 2,500 years ago and named the island Xaymaca, which meant ““land of wood and water”. The Arawaks led quiet and peaceful lives until they were destroyed by the Spaniards in the years after Christopher Columbus stumbled upon the island in 1494. On May 10, 1655, English Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables led a successful attack on Jamaica. The Spaniards surrendered to the English, freed their slaves and then fled to Cuba. It was this set of freed slaves and their descendants who became known as the Maroons.
Jamaica is one of the destinations we have not yet reached by boat. This could be another adventure for Bubista II after European and African exploration.
The Cousins
The Cape Verdean Diaspora is vast. There are more Cape Verdeans outside of the small country than are in it. Those that are away form tight bonds with other Cape Verdeans and West Africans in their local community. As we venture out more, more will be said about the extended family that we spend time with in the USA and Cape Verde..