[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YXS6eQzG0J8/VGSjEjUpaMI/AAAAAAAAins/plBG-eCIyDY/s144-c-o/IMG_0515.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToRecife#6081164695453657282″ caption=”Rocky headland on my second campsite” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0515.JPG” ]

Highlights: Thank goodness for a halfway sheltered landing
Lowlights: The surf and bumpy water is back…
Launch: Easy through some tiny side wash surf
Landing: Low surf around corner
Pos: here
Loc: some nature reserve bay
Acc: tent
Dist: 44,6 km
Start: 5:10 End: 14:25

I slept so well in my calm corner, no real noisy surf, no people. Still, it’s different to sleep again on a public beach, you are always on watch, peeping even at night out of the windows to both sides, listening carefully to all strange sounds. But it could be worse.

Half of the day was gray, windy and light rain with around 15 knots, but relatively calm water, as there were still many offshore reefs. The first 10 km going slightly NNE, I had the wind straight from the side, it was not really helpful yet. I crossed a wide bay due north with a light push and calm water,this was the most pleasant paddling time today.Then the bumpy unbroken windy water and the surf hitting unprotected beaches came back…

As low tide was in the middle of the day, the landing looked still doable every where, but as the tide ran up stronger, I was happy I was aiming for three different sheltered hooks I had marked on my map. The first one proved to be a beach resort with many people, though calm water around the reefy corner. The second one was more remote, still holiday makers walking up and down,but I decided to stay here. People will leave, hopefully, and it looked like the beach on high tide was barely accessible from the sides. My place for tonight!

I levelled out a narrow ledge just above of the high tide mark, a little bit behind a bush, so passers by would see me only at the last second. So far, no one stopped by, and I was even walking  a bit up and down.Two large turtles are floating here in their bay property, beautiful! I saw some more on the open water today. Many rocks in the water to negotiate, occasional breakers here and there, all in all the beginner’s paddling times are over! Building up slowly again 🙂 The body holds up.