[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-szX0ruvr138/VPLy3bZFPrI/AAAAAAAAmig/hpwjT1vzkkk/s144-c-o/IMG_1510.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage23Brazil6RioDeJaneiroToFlorianapolis02#6121221877609610930″ caption=”These pink spoon beak birds shovel in the mud for food from theleft to the right and back and forth. Looks funny!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1510.JPG” ]
Highlights: good campsite
Lowlights: still suffering heat rash and bug bites
Launch: steep river beach
Landing: river beach
Pos: here
Loc: small village
Acc: tent
Dist: 42,0 km
Start: 6:50 End: 16:00
I didn’t sleep too well on my tiny remote river beach. The noises were different, no surf, but traffic. A lot of city lights, ear plugs and sleeping mask didn’t really help. But all good. The river current and wind did perform all possible combinations, and my speed varied from 3,5 to 7 km/h. The latter unfortunately lasted not too long…I loved watching the river banks change, with many floating green plant islands first, steep sandy cliffs, mangrove forests with hanging moss beards and thousands of hanging ready-to-plant-new-root seeds.Hundreds of birds, few fishing boats. No traffic on the water, roads do connect all islands. Even the noise of a highway was to hear for a long while.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-evGYrVavlo8/VPL0ASGQX4I/AAAAAAAAmig/tsYIVXi-H4M/s144-c-o/IMG_1514.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage23Brazil6RioDeJaneiroToFlorianapolis02#6121223129245179778″ caption=”Camp in a small village of Ilha Comprida” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1514.JPG” ]
The proper campsites or even shore access are few when you need them, I had to stop in a tiny friendly looking village with a small sandy beach. I had a shower and hair wash at some house, thanks! But soon the sweat was running down the body very soon again, I had as usual heat rashes on the skin, and non healing bug bites. This is not my climate…when is it eventually getting cooler here??? The water temperatures vary from refreshing cool to bath warm. All on sweet brown river water.
The change in the paddling world from sea to rivers is quite nice and relaxing, but I am sometimes wondering if it was worth the more distance effort? No surf and swell, much more to see, but I also have to *paddle* and am not just floating down a river current…