[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sd9BGUqzm1c/VP9en5e_V-I/AAAAAAAAmxU/LsCa05XAgoE/s144-c-o/IMG_1607.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6124718057785874402″ caption=”Now the wide surf belt beaches begin. This corner at Itapiruba has still moderate surf.” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1607.JPG” ]

trip days left: 55
straight distance left: 1150 km
Highlights: Surf lower than I thought, but wide
Lowlights: Freshly repaired GPS is bad like before
Launch: Tiny surf
Landing: Low surf
Pos: here
Loc: Itapiruba
Acc: tent
Dist: 40,2 km
Start: 5:55 End: 16:40

When I was already yesterday wearing my PFD all day for warmth, the hot days on the water are now finally over. The water eventually got “chilly” with mere 22-23 degrees, and all day on the water being wet with the wind from the front would be cool now in just a wet fleece shirt. So I pulled out my light weight paddling jacket and dumped the PFD warmth again. Only for paddling in big seas I could wear this thing all day. But this temperature is what I wanted! Wrapping myself at night in my fleece bag instead of lying sweating on top of it. I still can add my thin summer sleeping bag, a combination I needed for now only in a nicely cool air conditioned room.

Paddling was a tough job today, a constant 12-15 knots headwind with relatively big seas across the many headlands and cliffs. I wonder where the lovely current from yesterday afternoon was gone, where I paddled with the same headwind 5-6 km/h. Today I was crawling along with an average of ridiculous 3,8 km/h.

I was wondering about the surf on landing, but the city corner I chose was relatively harmless rolling in with three rows of low surf. Good for the many SUP and surfers a bit further along, where it did not look that harmless for me any more. One more day to Cabo Santa Marta, then I have the probably three days bad weather rest.I hope I can heal my sores on my back in those days…life is hard paddling wet all day!