[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vIMcZWAnNJg/Uytlk8Y4PGI/AAAAAAAAafA/Tkub_ghL8QI/s144-c-o/P3090247.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992995414506749026″ caption=”I was crossing the equator the second time on my trip, this time on the eastern side of South America” type=”image” alt=”P3090247.JPG” ]

Crossed the Equator to Chavez!
Pos: here
Loc: Chavez
Acc: Posada Maresia
Dist: 76 km
Start: 6:40 End: 18:20

My hosts asked me this morning if I had slept well…sure! Earplugs… but fresh air is something I was missing a bit in my mosquitoe
proof cage. The young Senorita also asked me to stay some days longer, well…I am still feeling I have to chase the gap before the next full moon’s Pororoca…

The Sunday morning was as calm and peaceful as it can be, although I am getting a bit of green jungle overload. On crossing the channel mouth of Canal do Bem-te-vi it was raining a long time with bad visibility, but I made great progress in a good current with 10km/h. A gift…just thinking it would have been the other way round…

When I set to cross eventually the south channel, the howler monkey song was suddenly replaced by loud rock music coming out of some secluded villagein a river mouth…happy Sunday morning! I had some big annoying bee or such buzzing around my nose for a while, eventually I set for some fastlong sweeps back and forth in the air and managed to hit the beast with my paddle and away.

I’d need all my concentration to cross the South channel, after the experience with the north channel crossing I was prepared for the worst, but besides a lovely current carrying me right into the direction I wanted the water stayed calm at this time of the tide and day. Plus I didn’t wantto miss the point I was crossing the Equator a second time and to take a picture of my GPS showing all zeros on the latitude!

I celebrated the moment by calling my family, and felt quite upbeat to maybe even reach Chavez tonight in this good speed! 75 km…doable if I keep on paddling with the current! I stayed in the main current as long as possible, but reaching the southern shore and turning due east I had the now fresh wind against me. Well…I followed my ETA carefully on the GPS, saw the current going down with the tide falling, and eventually I had no current helping any more and was paddling hard in the shallow shore area with 5km/h against the wind. But I’d still be able to reach Chavez tonight! Just about before darkness! Just maintain the basic 5km/h!

Many houses on even inviting sandy beaches tempted me to stop already, but it would have been always some distance over the dry marsh area to reach the high ground of the house – and always via a herd of various animals including buffaloes…so I kept on fighting my way to the inviting civilization.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7q4TZ7J_pbI/UytnOflZ6uI/AAAAAAAAaxM/Zao3XthUpfw/s144-c-o/P3100251.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992997227840793314″ caption=”The harbor in the river of Chaves” type=”image” alt=”P3100251.JPG” ]

Eventually I saw some larger boats turning in behind a bush – this must be the harbour channel entrance of Chavez! Yahoo! 6.29pm, just about. I was gliding relieved slowly up the narrow channel, with the shore fringed each side by many larger boats until I reached some main wharf where a bunch of friendly guys helped me to disembark and to unload on a wooden staircase.

They obviously decided to put me in the only guest house of the quite large village, maybe 1000 people? On my request to find a place to spend the night. I didn’t refuse…jumped on the back of a motorbike of one of the guys, my luggage going with some other bikes a few minutes later, my kayak in a safe place in a shed in the harbour. Thanks a lot, guys! I didn’t ask about the price, just was happy about a private clean room, even with air condition! No private bathroom, but a fresh cold shower in the hallway. All
great! My main question asked the four guys about the Pororoca in this area relaxed me the most – NO Pororoca! I can really stay a day or two! Great!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fymuYpRYrx8/Uytm_UqbFqI/AAAAAAAAafA/nyKOjdmwcAc/s144-c-o/P3100250.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage18Brazil1CayenneToAmazonasDelta#5992996967211013794″ caption=”The house with the shop where my kayak was stored during my stay in Chaves” type=”image” alt=”P3100250.JPG” ]

Chavez is a village with no road access, but more or less paved streets, 24hrs electricity, motorbikes and bicycles. A great place to rest before I will be hitting the last week to the Belem area. There I am expected by many kayaking friends!