[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OOKhWIUqa1k/VTIwflKKn9I/AAAAAAAAoOI/iPNHa2-zD8Y/s144-c-o/IMG_2022.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022561168236498″ caption=”Casa del Pueblo at Punta Ballena – a most impressive artwork house!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2022.JPG” ]

trip days left: 19
straight distance left: 300,1 km
Highlights: Turned into Rio de la Plata!
Lowlights: Not really in my best shape today…
Launch: Low surf
Landing: Low surf
Pos: here
Loc: Arroyo el Portrero
Acc: tent
Dist: 36,6 km
Start: 7:40 End: 16:30

I had a tad bit ofa hangover this morning, but maybe not as bad as if I would not have thrown up…I launched into somesurf with a dizzy head, but all good, no drip in my face. The last breaker has been quite ugly!

It was sightseeing day today…I was to round a highlight of the trip – Punta del Este, back into the Rio de la Plata on the homerun! The point itself was not very spectacular, nice houses, but a strong sea smell from the bare rocks. I saw my last single fat seal for the trip (I guess…) – maybe it was the same fat guy which has followed me via Josè Ignacio since Cabo Polonio to make sure I am really off their colony at Cabo Polonio ? 🙂

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b5349fzhaLk/VTIwIZTDCNI/AAAAAAAAoOI/ThhUNvykvDQ/s144-c-o/IMG_2001.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022162847271122″ caption=”Two penguins around Punta del Este! The northernmost guys on the east coast, I assume!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2001.JPG” ]

AmazinglyI also did not trust myeyeswhen I saw two little penguins! I really closed the wildlife loop! Plus oneflamingo, many turtles and sea gulls.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sQkZjvZb3NE/VTIwyMkg4LI/AAAAAAAAoOI/rqH4ARRHHmI/s144-c-o/IMG_2036.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022880985374898″ caption=”Sea gulls on the rocks” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2036.JPG” ]

It looked for the whole next three days like a whole generation of sea signs have rusted off their chains and littered now the beaches. Some villages put them up nicely as a decoration object, but most of the maybe 15 signs I saw were just rusting on the beach. Well…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IfMcRj1tU_o/VTIwxqokOqI/AAAAAAAAoOI/X_0-nldwVJQ/s144-c-o/IMG_2035.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022871875566242″ caption=”Those ripped off sea signs are found a lot at the shores of Rio de la Plata” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2035.JPG” ]

I briefly stopped at the Punta del Este harbor to catch an eye of the place, but the high light to see was the wholePunta Ballena, starting with the exotic artist house Casa de Pueblo. What a building! Really worth a trip.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-02CxqDiFHC4/VTIwhhpmNUI/AAAAAAAAoOI/PJKSCqmLC9k/s144-c-o/IMG_2027.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022594586064194″ caption=”Some UFOs went down at the shores of Rio de la Plata” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2027.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VtdCuzo4QH0/VTIwfy2OpgI/AAAAAAAAoOI/pXFAPkxvlbE/s144-c-o/IMG_2019.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022564842710530″ caption=”The house of the artists – Casa del Pueblo at Punta Ballena” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2019.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ndq3MsXRX6w/VTIwdI0070I/AAAAAAAAoOI/C_KapZ8fwnw/s144-c-o/IMG_2018.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022519202803522″ caption=”What the heck is this guy built for at Casa del Pueblo at Punta Ballena? A barbecue oven?” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2018.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ybcbJQHn6Hs/VTIwT3D0L0I/AAAAAAAAoOI/f2hhMuDw3JI/s144-c-o/IMG_2008.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022359815008066″ caption=”This turtle was very dead and had three blind passengers” type=”image” alt=”IMG_2008.JPG” ]

I kept on hugging the coast and strolling slowly along, and was very impressed by the state of the coast in general – all clean and in good shape villages with nice sandy beaches. Water temperatures are about 20 degrees now, inviting a bunch of sport swimmers to workout.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IjqScyNP3es/VTIwTBE9QjI/AAAAAAAAoOI/92UK5o0rUFs/s144-c-o/IMG_1999.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022345324282418″ caption=”The black areas on the beach are the shell beds. My kayak to the left on the beach” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1999.JPG” ]

When the sight seeing area finished and a stretch of boring beach came, I paddled along almost in trance. Some very long rolling moderate high wave caught me sideways with me halsasleep paying no attention, but throwing myself in there kept me upright. Hahaha…almost…but I was awake now with a soaked shirt! I feltI better landed soon as I had to write two updates, but I still felt so dizzy and tired from the drinking party I was postponing it…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EJTpfdAhzhU/VTIwSriLegI/AAAAAAAAoOI/Q23Mjj_qfSc/s144-c-o/IMG_1995.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6139022339541268994″ caption=”Thousands of shells on the beach” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1995.JPG” ]