[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NFVEoVaVtFM/VGSjOxnMVII/AAAAAAAAins/IPsk1pzPgqs/s144-c-o/IMG_0529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToNatal#6081164871088231554″ caption=”A good reef sheltered landing site” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0529.JPG” ]

Highlights: The surf goes down…
Lowlights: Wind, wind, wind…
Launch: dead calm sheltered river beach
Landing: easy through low surf
Pos: here
Loc: landspit before Pititinga
Acc: tent
Dist: 48,5 km
Start: 4:55 End: 13:35

Despite earplugs, the barbecue party next to my tent went on for some hours when I already had to sleep. My biorhythm is just different to a city person… getting up with the sun and to bed almost at dusk…

I had a heavy boat again, 30 litres of water plus some fresh fruit, breakfast and spaghetti. Still, I have spare volume in my kayak… in cold weather with voluminous but not much heavier clothing just perfect. I love to be independent for at least a week or 10 days, and don’t like to search for water and food every night. Sleep got a little short, as usual after a city stay. I better had my breakfast already on the beach, as I expected again lumpy bumpy water all morning out there. And so it was…the tide was running up, the wind 18 knots from SE, no reef shelter, no comfortable paddling, business as usual. And again, after half a day, the reef shelter came, the wind went a bit down, and the sea was more or less calm again. I can live with that… still, 50 km are enough for me. I was aiming for a well sheltered hook I marked on my GPS, but decided to land a little earlier not to be seen from the next village. It looked like a nature reserve with some signs I couldn’t read in the dunes, and I was hoping to have my peace here.

But no way, on a Saturday afternoon cars, motor and quad bikes are driving on the beaches and in the dunes everywhere they can get. No big bother for me, as I haven’t experienced yet that a Brazilian beach driver has stopped at my tent – yet. Different to other countries!

Putting up my tent in now 20 knots wind and flying sand is no real pleasure either, at least the heat is ok in this breeze. There is nothing like a wind resistant tent and just enough good air circulation to keep slightly cool. Getting an eye infection may be a problem here in the ever blowing wind and flying sand.

I am actually always amazed about a few lonely fishermen standing in nutshell boats pulling in their nets in the lumpy bumpy water I had this morning…am I a bit whimpy??? 🙂 What if they are getting a breaker inside? No problems for them?

I love those many turtles I see! But they are mostly the only animals floating around here, some occasional dolphins, that was it.

Tomorrow, I will eventually turn around the last and easternmost corner of South America!!!