[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nsK9dzFXO_g/VRhFx-w8S6I/AAAAAAAAnTw/I-y3tRlPVMg/s144-c-o/IMG_1734.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131727617629113250″ caption=”I could walk on the (deep) water!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1734.JPG” ]

trip days left: 44
straight distance left: 881,17 km
Highlights: Saw a river rat family
Lowlights: still no satellite phone keys working
Pos: here
Loc: Palmares del Sur
Acc: tent
Dist: 22,6 km
Start: 6:10 End: 11:15

A lovely dry bug free campsite in some breeze all night. Going into the channel I had to paddle through thick water plants,no water surface to be seen, but it was the right way according to the higher river banks. As I was going upstream and the out flow of the river into the lagoon had created kind of a small sandy bar, the water plants have gathered before in dense layers.After those, the river was free and deep again with mostly sandy banks.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Yo0y1ami8kA/VRhFs2mR7RI/AAAAAAAAnTw/SrFbplHJMKY/s144-c-o/IMG_1733.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131727529537563922″ caption=”Yes, this is the right way into the connection channel! Fully overgrown water in the narrow but deep channel entry with some water plants” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1733.JPG” ]

The next two lagoons and rivers were the most remote just aside the huge sand dune. It would be so lovely to paddle close to the sand and to explore! But I cut straight across as usual. I a small river curve, I disturbed a water rat family, about 5 or 6animals. Cute! They were too quick for a picture. At a small weir, I had to portage around what was no problem over sandy banks and grassy terrain. Just unloading, dragging and loading again. The cow fences were in good shape, there were even high hunters stands to be seen on green grassy fields, and at the end a lush green forest. The huge sand dune aside, it felt again like being just on my home river.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6xAb813okVM/VRhGEqNwfnI/AAAAAAAAnTw/TIFqRAiA1ho/s144-c-o/IMG_1741.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131727938530344562″ caption=”On the other side of the weir, quite a water level difference!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1741.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4-0HNqWci54/VRhF8JlY1YI/AAAAAAAAnTw/8Pw107lxvlQ/s144-c-o/IMG_1740.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131727792332133762″ caption=”Dead end!A portage around the weir is necessary” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1740.JPG” ]

The whole small lagoon and small river paddle was an absolute great decision after my thousands of kilometers of paddling the “dangerous” sea. And so much new things to see! It felt like being in a relaxing chill out lounge after a long wearing ecstasy trip (not that I know how *that* feels) where you saw only waves and “Es gibt nur Wasser, Wasser, Wasser überall” (check out the song from Santiano…) It also felt like going back to the basics how I started paddling- easy, calm waters of rivers and lakes in beautiful nature with my little son in the back hatch.Just sightseeing enjoying the nature with some sporty touch. My son Helge is eventually a young grown up, and his mom has meanwhile paddled probably all sea conditions you can paddle on this world with not only a sporty “touch” but paddling a long exhausting marathon in unknown challenging and sometimes dangerous conditions almost every day. And still small rivers are also fascinating…just different. It’s like with food – all day caviar and champaign is boring and not exciting any more. It’s all about the change!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FWmHLfhmGEw/VRhFnzKXOfI/AAAAAAAAnTw/8yKDKfGH4h8/s144-c-o/IMG_1729.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131727442715818482″ caption=”Interesting bridge construction!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1729.JPG” ]

Leo and Tiane were reliable at the meeting point. Leo was proudly paddling out in his sexy black skin on frame kayak, self-built on a traditional kayak symposium in Argentine under the supervision of Japanese Eiichi Ito, my old friend. It is so far the only SOF in Brazil! He likes also to open a Greenland style kayak group in Brazil soon.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jN9U8vw8gTo/VRhF6SZFdFI/AAAAAAAAnTw/Cha80q6scH4/s144-c-o/IMG_1737.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131727760336712786″ caption=”A river like my “Treene” at home…” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1737.JPG” ]

We drove to Pinhal for food shopping and to try to fix my cell phone internet. After long hours of try and error it simply turned out that I had over used my internet plan and they simply shut it off then despite me having plenty of $$ credit on the pre-paid sim card. And it showed “error because of wrong APN” which made searching for the fault not really obvious…It took a while to also activate it on again. Fuck dealing with cell phone plans or contracts! Thanks to Fabio at the internet cafe to have helped so long and friendly!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jOm4S1N2awQ/VRhGMbfGhWI/AAAAAAAAnTw/goSfHg_ks5w/s144-c-o/IMG_1743.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6131728072015512930″ caption=”One more of the pink frog egges on a reed haulm” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1743.JPG” ]

A short drive to Palmares to Sul makes me able to continue my trip along the shores of the two large Lagoons which will be also very interesting, I guess! Hope my sat phone keeps on sending and my laptop working…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xd1fU_B9xRg/VRmQEfC9iJI/AAAAAAAAnnA/NX9FAhdA7Ig/s144-c-o/DSCN5088.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6132090774369437842″ caption=”Small finish river after the chain of small lagoons – Leo in his skin on frame kayak” type=”image” alt=”DSCN5088.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Wv-gOR3me_Y/VRmP9-N7WmI/AAAAAAAAnnA/bVqcWkSikyk/s144-c-o/DSCN5085.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage24Brazil7UruguayArgentinaFlorianapolisToBuenosAires#6132090662477847138″ caption=”Small finish river -Leo has done a roll…” type=”image” alt=”DSCN5085.JPG” ]