[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bcCpD17ETio/UytdFV0dsHI/AAAAAAAAayI/HE6o1qDCdwg/s144-c-o/P3070230.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992986075484500082″ caption=”Camp in front of ther small local church, also allowed to be used a s a changing and showering room for me.. And yes, it is a bit crooked somehow to the right.” type=”image” alt=”P3070230.JPG” ]

A weird north channel crossing
Pos: here
Loc: Ilha Caviana de Dentro
Acc: tent on church jetty
Dist: 61,1 km
Start: 6:35 End: 18:00

I left my lovely Amazonian jungle village early as usual, making good speed along the now shallow sandy forest banks. I decided to cross the main North Channel of the Amazon at Punta do Curua before I’d have to cross the Canal do Gurijuba. It was an hour before low tide, and I was hoping to have a current change very soon.

Hahaha, here there is no current change any more in the middle of the main channel, the incoming tide is just bumping against the outflowing riverwater and created ugly steep waves while at the same time washing me out and away from my first goal of a lighthouse on an island on the other side. I got about 45 degrees off my intended course, and had to let go and do so anyway as this was the only way to make headway at all. Ok…well, I’d be hitting the island then somewhere else and would have to paddle back for a
while!

It was not adding to my pleasure that it was raining heavily in the middle of the crossing in the bumpy steep waves, and I could see no land anywhere and had to keep course and maintain a reasonable speed of maybe 5 km/h just via GPS. A few degrees off slowed me down to zero. I considered at some point turning back, as my starting point at the headland moved into the wrong direction with me being washed out, but this wasn’t an option either. So keep on ferrygliding and paddling hard to where ever landfall would be eventually!

A huge freighter crossed my way, I could keep fortunately good distance. I hate strong currents…but suddenly, the rain stopped, I could see land again and within maybe a distance of 8 km, I was from one minute to the next in the counter current and the incoming tide now found it’s way pastthe outgoing river water in the more shallow area. Whee! Now I made headway into the originally intended direction leaving a sharp bend on the GPS track! With10 km/h and more I was flying across the now very shallow water,
past the not visible entrance of Canal de Bem-te-vi and Punta do Capinal. All shallow marsh land there with flat grassy areas and hundreds of black Buffaloes grazing peacefully. Until I’d try to make camp in their area… You’re in my spot, they’d say.

There were also a bunch of farmhouses visible in the marsh area, but even if I’d wanted to it would be tough to find the right small canal to get there. But it was too early to stop anyway, I was happily across and paddling so nicely fast in the wide eddy area it would be stupid to stop already. I had a bunch of more and easier house options to stop now in now deeper water, but I knew a village at a small river I’d just be hitting around 6 pm so I could enjoy the good afternoon ride and have a convenient night stop. So all relaxed now after I made the crossing of the main Amazonian current! If that was around slack tide in relatively low water level…

I eventually spotted a huge antenna, heard a generator, turned into a small river and landed beside what was looking like the main jetty on high water level right on the wet grass land before the board walk of a few houses. The few local women, children and youngsters gathered watching me curious and friendly, agreed I’d be staying the night, but didn’t make any effort to help me drag up my kayak. All friendly people, sitting on the benches in front of the wider church board walk where they agreed I’d be able to put up my tent.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gUVPXpWf7zM/UytegIj_3kI/AAAAAAAAafA/D62cbQn8GkQ/s144-c-o/P3070231.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992987635293871682″ caption=”My village for this night, landing on high tide on the wet marsh land. Sat dishes also here…” type=”image” alt=”P3070231.JPG” ]

When I eventually needed to shower and change, they just pointed inside the wooden church and opened the door for me. Well, not sure how many people had a naked shower just on the open wooden floor boards inside a church…I spent a calm night with little rain, just with earplugs again against the ever running TV’s from the small wooden houses on stilts in the middle of the Amazon. God bless the civilization! Well…