Pos: here
Loc: Faro Querandi
Acc: tent
Dist: 35 km
Start: 7:45 End: 16:00

One of those tough going days…the blisters on my hands are as painful as they can be (about 7, and one very big open one…)
I urgently need my planned rest day in Mar del Plata to make some healing progress. The sweet water of the river mouth combined with the mud water acting like sandpaper have killed my hands and grip…but all better soon.

For now I decided to split the remaining 105 km to Mar del Plata since yesterday night in three days rather than the expected two days. And I had some ugly quartering winds offshore all day…excuses…excuses…and yes, Alejandro and a friend want to join me again paddling on Sunday, so I can’t already be in Mar del Plata having my rest day on Sunday…

This planned short day now resulted in slow paddling, carefully working around the blisters, and having even a break at the shore and frequent stops on the water.

And I had my skinny dip, anticipated at the earliest in Peru, in sunny windy reasonable warm offshore desert wind in the chilly 15 degree sea! Actually three of them, as I even washed my hair somehow first with saltwater, and then a good rinse with freshwater I filled up yesterday.
This gives you really a new lease of life! If the blisters wouldn’t be…my hands and fingers are always swollen at night after paddling, but with the open wounds you can hardly bend the fingers…but no complaints!

I was already tempted to follow up the invitation of Gustav, a kayaker from Villa Gesell with German roots to have a “civilized night” last night – if I’d have made it to Villa Gesell…10 km short, same reasons as today…
So there was only a brief chat for Gustav left, held from the jetty, as I wanted to keep on going and not stop already after 10 km…sorry, Gustav, but thanks for the invitation anyway!

I spotted already on the jetty besides Gustav two guys on grey uniforms…are the local policemen dressed like the Prefectura? No way…I learnt on my shore break later that the Prefectura today downgraded my escort from a fancy motorboat with six guys to a Quad Bike with two guys only…thanks goodness. I already felt guilty about so much honor yesterday…
These two guys, friendly as always, unfortunately didn’t speak any English, so conversation was short. Sorry I missed a picture!
I’m wondering if tomorrow morning, by calculation, a single Prefectura guy on a horse or even in a kayak shows eventually up – then the means would be eventually fair! 🙂 Isn’t there any Prefectura officer who happens to be a kayaker as well? I’d be delighted about the escort then! 🙂

One thing which was the main reason for my shore break – I needed to have a look what that sweet flowery smell was coming from accompanying me already the last days – some yellow bushy flower in the dunes happens to be blooming – yummy! I took a small branch and attached it to my bow – just to have a piece of “earth” on my boat…

75km left to Mar del Plata harbor entrance! Still two long days with blisters…