[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9MZiJTVQFZI/UuETU_ZuddI/AAAAAAAAZMU/2I_pzavWi_c/s144-c-o/P1130026.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage17GuyanaSurinameFrGuianeGeorgetownToCayenne#5972075832207635922″ caption=”Camping on the relatively high muddy but also grassy shore of a side canal entrance” type=”image” alt=”P1130026.JPG” ]

Mudstuck for an hour

Pos: here
Loc: entrance canal to Brighton
Acc: tent
Dist: 32,7 km
Start: 3:00 End: 12:40

I am always waking without alarm clock just in time, this time at 2 am. I was a bit better rested, as I stopping early in the day yesterday, but still decided to take no risk and to launch on highest tide again. When the tide went out yesterday afternoon, I realised that the same hours before and after low tide looked very different, no water on mud fields to the worse, as the day’s high tide is 50 cm higher than the night’s high tide. When I woke and went out it was all ok, water still in the dark firm sandy area. Who knows what a difference 50 cm make, thank goodness for a precise tide table in my GPS.

The necessary launching at high tide also doesn’t give you a chance to go when the wind maybe lowest. The first four hours were strong 15+ knots, and I crawled along with 3-4 km/h. Average night speed with breaks ridiculous 3,1 km/h. Suddenly at 7 am the wind was down to maybe 5 knots – hurray! I was able to accelerate to around 6 km/h on calm water, unfortunately it only lasted half an hour and the wind was back, 12-15 knots maybe. 4-5 km/hh possible, not more. The shoreline is not showing any interesting things, just bushes and occasionally some firm grass or even sand. All only accessible on high tide. I came across four launching fishing boats at night, I wonder what they thought I was. Five very long and invisible fishing nets were blocking my way, still in darkness, I ran into the first one like a trampoline, not seeing anything in darkness, had to retreat, and with the help of a small wave I managed to get the bow over. Very sorry about the second one which I literally hole  punched with my bow… I tried again the trick with the wave, but then decided to slide through my already existing hole. Very sorry, fishermen! Number 3-5 I could see in time and aim over with a small wave, no damage.

Light came, I was paddling nicely in deep water along a higher exposed mud flat. But soon I was almost literally sucked into a gap between two mudflats, as the water ran up again into an area of deeper water behind the offshore mud flats. I thought this maybe a nice way to sneak along…I went in, got well dragged along with the running up tide, but the exit was still blocked. Ok, just waiting a bit. I planted my paddle deep into the mud to prevent being turned around by the wind, though dragged by the current now slowly into the right direction. I sat for 10 min, paddled for ten min, and about three times more. Once, the current was so strong my kayak was pushed over my vertical mud stuck paddle, and I had to literally dig it out on the other side. Not (almost) losing another valuable equipment piece in this fucking mud!

What were those funny bubbles floating in the liquid mud water? They almost looked only like oil drops, but I could fish them out and they were like tiny round jelly fish. But those bubbles were rather delicate, a soft touch and they popped and broke. I assume they were fish eggs of the many mud skipper fish here. Note to self: Where the fish and birds are walking in the water, it is probably too shallow to paddle 🙂 Are the birds swimming already or still walking? I am always questioning this when seeing a bird swarm on the water…

Eventually I had enough water to make my way further along, but now no current was helping any more as the gap was open. I saw a fishing boat planting those net sticks and putting this kind of high solid net in between…but I didn’t dare to tell them I poked a hole in the night into one of those… just waved friendly as usually.

I was planning to cross over to the Nickerie river tomorrow, 27 km straight line left, so I didn’t need to paddle until late today and decided to go in a nice looking grassy higher river entrance bank, where also a few fishing boats went in and out. One guy was fishing with a round throw net on the bank, and I chatted a few words with him. Another boat extra stopped to have a look at me, all friendly guys. From the river bank, I could also get off a bit later after hight tide. But I will probably start again then, this time around 4 am, as I need to refill my water bags in Nickerie some how some where for the next week ahead to Paramaribo. Then I will have a few more convenient start days ahead with mostly hight tide in the early morning and afternoon. Still, paddling into wind and current doesn’t really make you enjoying spending up to 12 hours paddling…but lower tide landings are rare. At least there are landing at all so far…

I was working in the afternoon on a few repair issues, and added a pair of new country stickers for Suriname tomorrow.10 stickers so far! Still French Guiana, Brazil and Uruguay ahead…