Thu 29/01-2015 Day 765

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CZx0zD3plIw/VM4IGBQFNsI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/1AoOJBJvSgU/s144-c-o/IMG_1225.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110830643896465090″ caption=”My poor trapped turtle – sorry I had first to take a picture before cutting you out of the net!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1225.JPG” ]

 

Highlights: Rescued a turtle out of a fishing net
Lowlights: Dead tired all day
Launch: Sheltered beach in high wind
Landing: Low surf
Pos: here
Loc: Saquarema
Acc: tent
Dist: 53,3 km
Start: 6:10 End: 17:15

I barely did sleep last night. Maybe I should have followed the Navy guy’s invitation to sleep inside their station? It would have been a bother to move all my gear across to the other end of the beach, but maybe I would have slept more?

When I put up my tent, my corner was sheltered from the strong wind, coming late afternoon from east. During the night, it swung back north east, and hit with full might of the gusty catabatic wind my tent,coming down from the high mountains of the Ilha de Cabo Frio. Who would have thought about that…on the map, my corner still looks sheltered from the north east wind…

This wind happens always in mountain areas of a certain hight and temperature, it is highly gusty. I was probably sleeping first maybe 4 hours, then in intervals of 15 seconds, wondering if the next 5 seconds gust is eventually breaking my tent or not. In between, I was lying on my back like a beetle, supporting with both legs the wind swept corners of my tent. The guy lines held up, but those gust were around 30 or more knots,in between dead calm. Last time I had to do this,I think, was at Isla Deceit on my crash landing around Cape Horn… Well, I survived, and my tent also.

I was wondering if I should start at all, as the wind was still strong and gusty in the morning, but my assumption and the forecast said it will go down. Down already once I am out of the gap of the rocks in 800 m, and more down once I am leaving the mountain area. Correct. What a pity I didn’t start a day later, as there is a “Grotta Azul” marked on my map after the exit on the left. But I turned right into dead calm sea, but still into strong catabatic wind out of all directions. The cliffs were stunning, and the backside where the beach was starting had one of the most strange fishing boat harbors I have seen. The boats were all pulled high up via wooden slides, resting almost vertical.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-g6Vcak-hIzA/VM4H4ue92uI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/qPsa5KRWcXM/s144-c-o/IMG_1220.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110830415520324322″ caption=”The quaint fishing boat harbor on the backside of Cabo Frio in Arreial de Cabo” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1220.JPG” ]

 

The water was the same crystal clear,and the sand blending white. I got pushed along, the beach was flat with low surf. The water was cold, but unfortunately the beach got steep again with the ever ugly single dumper washing high up the steep wall.

I was passing on one site several fishing nets, the last one had a poor sea turtle obviously just caught up.She was pretty alive, and obviously happy of me taking the effort to cut her free. Sorry about the net, fisherman, but turtles are not supposed to be on your table, are they? That’s what I have learned in Regencia…I wonder if the turtle thought the same from me, happy to eventually escape once feeling free of the complicated net slung around all her body, head and fins. I was working quite a while! Fortunately the wind was already calm.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-R5AHPme8fWc/VM4IF_R27JI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/BapRylsSwdY/s144-c-o/IMG_1229.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110830643367046290″ caption=”Camp in Saquarema” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1229.JPG” ]

 

I was never tempted to land earlier than my planned spot, as the beach stayed steep and the dumper ugly. But after a line of small rocky island, on a certain spot the now low surf wave was calm, and no people just here, in front of some houses deep in their garden. A relatively remote spot for me to camp in a city! The main beach walk was”downstairs”, and besides my “neighbors” and a horse rider no one asked about me here.I will need good sleep, as I am planning to reach Rio de Janneiro tomorrow, 70 km!

 

2 comments on “Thu 29/01-2015 Day 765

Randall Lackey

Look out Rio,Here she comes,Hell,high water or High winds.Hope you’ve rested well a d are ready for this long day.Safe paddling.

Comments are closed