[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4XTMpyrEbsw/VLV1MppFP1I/AAAAAAAAkpk/uQDdeINqTvg/s144-c-o/IMG_0926.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage21Brazil4RecifeToSalvador#6103913730167619410″ caption=”The last lighthouse at Salvador before crossing the Baia de todos de Santos” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0926.JPG” ]

Highlights: A shady campsite
Lowlights: River had so much current!
Launch: Low surf
Landing: Reef sheltered beach
Pos: here
Loc: Condomino Nossa SRA de Penha
Acc: tent
Dist: 45,6 km
Start: 5:10 End: 14:00

Got the cockpit full of water on launching…well…who is stupid, needs to pump. I was looking all morning until Itapua for the promised kayak escort, but no one showed up. Can’t help you then, guys! This was the chance of a life time to paddle with me a bit 🙂 Maybe I was a bit too late,as I was launching half an hour later as usual? My first GPS obviously got killed by those cheap batteries, and I quickly had to download my way points to the spare one. This was a bad idea of saving money to buy those cheap ones…if I’d had known…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Az71qfpIsvQ/VLV1K_22TbI/AAAAAAAAkpk/kKiarAw565g/s144-c-o/IMG_0922.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage21Brazil4RecifeToSalvador#6103913701771201970″ caption=”The first view of Salvador city via the lighthouse at Itapua” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0922.JPG” ]

Until the bay of Itapua, the coast still looked not like a big city. Turning around that headland, the skyline of Salvador with it’s endless high rise buildings showed up. I crossed the bay in a direct line to the souther rocky point, and was almost running over a snorkler whom I had seen too late,or rather he almost ran into my stern with his forehead. I had shark bumps, but no snorkler bumps yet. A sudden flying fish swarm was bumping later into my front side. Life is dangerous on the water…

It was entertaining to paddle eventually close to the city,nothing really exciting to see, but at least more than beach and palm trees. The water got quite dirty here, and after a small hill where still simple old huts were inhabited allover, the water was very smelly from urine and contained even shit loads of human relicts – literally. But this was only for a short time fortunately, and I had seen it much worse…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0q9TKza-Mlc/VLV1T6b2mjI/AAAAAAAAkpk/QeOiLik3p-s/s144-c-o/IMG_0929.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6103913854934620722″ caption=”View out of my tent back to Salvador across Baia de todos de Santos” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0929.JPG” ]

I had put the crossing of the large river at the end of my paddling day, which may not have been too much of a good idea, but who cares…just paddle harder…the corner leaving Salvador had already a very strong current, fortunately in my direction with bumpy water, pushing me along with 10 km/h. But this nice run ended soon, as the tide was flooding inside, and I actually was planning to go rather a bit south west. I had to point my bow almost due south, to end up going eventually about WNW. I was happy not to end up just somewhere in the bay, leaving even Vera Cruz still to the north, but I actually was planning to land further south. If I’d not have a strong south east pushing me over, I would probably not have been able to keep direction at all, even with barely 4 km/h despite the wind help.

But I was landing in a nice bay with an open reef entry, paddled even a bit up inside the reef on pee warm reef water against the wind to find a suitable campsite under a palm tree roof. I was good for that day, not keen on paddling against the wind even on sheltered reef water any more. Tomorrow I will enjoy the reef paddle around low tide! I got an offer from a friendly local to stay in his house a bit up the road, but it is simply easier to stay on the beach if I am not really in need for something.Thanks very much anyway!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9dU1jojviMM/VLV1V4GYPeI/AAAAAAAAkpk/fmkfvLmF5UA/s144-c-o/IMG_0932.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6103913888667418082″ caption=”Camp under a roof shelter at Condomino Nossa SRA de Penha” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0932.JPG” ]