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Cape Verde Fast Catamaran scheulesTwo catamarans based at Mindelo and PraiaService withdrawn as Cats proved unseaworthyTwo catamarans imported from Venezuela were serving the inter-island routes. The passage to Fogo and Brava and the shorter trip to Porto Novo, Santa Antao can be rough in winter. Experience in the English Channel suggests that the service may have to be suspended in bad weather, Auto Jet which carries 222 passengers will ply Mindelo to Porto Novo twice or thrice daily taking just half an hour and charging £5. Once a week it will also link Mindelo with Tarrafal in Sao Nicolau taking just under two hours. This is a significant reduction on previous journey times on conventional ships. Jet Caribe the bigger catamaran carries 312 passengers based at Praia links Fogo and Brava on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It will take just 35 minutes on the short passage from Brava to Fogo. On Sundays it will link Praia with Maio, Boa Vista and Sal docking at Palmeira and returing the same day. Both vessels would have been more comfortable, considerably faster and more expensive than existing ships. The fare between Praia and Palmeira was£35 return, which is less than a quarter of the normal airfare, but equals the concessionary air fare for tourists. They are air-conditioned and show local television programmes Cape Verde Inter island route schedulesService suspended
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