[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_v0ZShJFggE/VHcFokXduRI/AAAAAAAAi9o/2h6oNq0VD6o/s144-c-o/IMG_0640.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToNatal#6086339615929514258″ caption=”Interesting self made anchor construction with wood and a heavy rock” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0640.JPG” ]

Highlights: I made some distance…
Lowlights: Unsheltered camp in fucking strong wind!
Launch: Sheltered river beach
Landing: Sheltered river beach
Pos: here
Loc: Morro das Frecheiras
Acc: tent
Dist: 33.4 km
Start: 4:55 End: 11:05

Last night just before dusk after I shut my office down, I walked out of my tent for some stretching and to see who still may be on this side of the river. My restaurant people were gone, but what has been dumped by the last of the small ferries also taking cars wer two heavily loaded long distance biker. I instantly spotted and walked up to them to say hello. Pablo was from Germany, earning his money on the road by doing some jonglage preferred at red traffic lights at crossroads and selling his handcrafted jewelery, Sebastian from Argentine was a musiscian with a variation of instrument attached to his bike wherever was space. Pablo was on the road from North America already since two years, but was biking together with Sebastian only since two weeks now. Some different style of travelling than mine, but I feel I have more in common with a long distance biker or hiker than with a white water paddler, kayak racer or kayak polo player…

They were planning to do a night bicycle ride along the beach on the falling tide toward Jericoacoara, just where I came from today. As they were also affected by the headwind going this way, at night the wind was supposed to be down, and despite new moon they were hoping to get some distance in. I rather tempted them to put up camp just here to have a nice evening chat, but despite some interesting talk they showed some discipline and chose to ride on this night, after I gave them two of my many surplus water bottles from Jericoacoara. Pablo has heard already in Venezuela about me from an Australian girl…the world is small!

Basically, this night was really calm and one could have paddled – if there would have been at least some moonlight. The only light on their bikes had Pablo with just a handheld torch in his mouth…but for me I’d really only here go for a night paddle if I can’t avoid it…and I still can. I’ve done enough of those!

This paddling morning was quite calm until the tide changed at 9.30 am and the. 20+ knots wind machine was on again. I felt tired and bored, after the first headland out of the Camocim river with some breaking reef waves the water was calm. I was just fnished with a small nap bent over my deck when a fishing sailing boat with two guys silently came alongside and scared me to death. They must have seen me bending over and may have thought I was unconscious or such…no, just tired, but thanks for checking!

Another fishing boat I passed had an interesting name:”Antarctica” – you wish…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jLxf730WAMM/VHcFqiZXHdI/AAAAAAAAi9o/h1ZLOBs25sM/s144-c-o/IMG_0638.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToNatal#6086339649760337362″ caption=”And one more of those lonely hot desert camps with flying sand” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0638.JPG” ]

Just when I paddled over the reef break into the river mouth entrance into the sheltered shallows, it was really blowing now and I decided to call it a day on a spot with realtive steep beach not to have to carry so far to find dry land. Putting up tent was no other choice than just anywhere on the flat dunes with no shade or wind protection. My tent first time flew off the security pegs while putting it up, and I was worried to break the poles while trying to hold it. I opted to quickly open it and to already dump most of my bags inside, then I could move on. The shower was just rinsing the salt away, but I was instantly sandblasted allover again. I hate that… What a fucking wind! Just a couple of more days and I will be back in Recife with very low wind! Yahoo!