Thu 10/01-2013 Day 359

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Campsite behind Cabo Blanco

Pos: here
Loc: behind Cabo Blanco
Acc: tent
Dist: 50,7 km
Start: 6:30 End: 15:35

Tomorrow:
Estimated landing: Around Cancas
Estimated starting time: Right after sunrise
Estimated landing time: Well before sunset

Still tired and worn…shouldn’t have paddled so early with six hours jet lag and those first days those quite long distances in the heat.
Yes, eventually it’s *hot* now – on the water with some breeze it was alright today, but my forearms got a sunburn, as I watched only to buy new sunscreen with the high protective factor 50, but it is a “light” cream, it isn’t waterproof…
The difference to cold wet Germany is high! Even the water temperatures changed noticable from the first day around 22 degrees out of the reach of the Humbold current to now maybe 26 degrees when the coast turns north east. No more penguins the last two days! Those almost four weeks break probably raised also the water temperatures quite a bit.

I took a bath at the end of the day, but it is not really refreshing any more…still better than *no* swim! The surf was quite big at almost high tide, but I got in all right. Yesterday’s surf was wider, but I also managed well.

Maybe a short flash back to the x-mas break: this break was not planned, but I agreed to come home due to my mom’s wish who I just had to move into a nursing home close to my house last summer. My son also appreciated to cuddle again with his mum, despite being now big 17 years old! 🙂 We had quite some family dinners, I fattened up a bit, and it just felt good being home again.
Still during the day me and Peter were sitting both long hours at the desk – Peter updating on his IT-work, me preparing my new section of my trip. lot of bureaucracy to organize for the next countries, as there are so many and most of them small (Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Colombia again, Venezuela, probably a sidestep to Trinidad and Tobago, and then Guyana)
I couldn’t check on all yet and coordinate my contacts, but it will unfold as the trip wears on.

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Campsite behind Cabo Blanco

Besides, I was stuck for about five days to read and to correct the German translation of “Fearless” – quite a job. There were so many fat mistakes in it – translation mistakes of a no-paddler mostly, but also a bunch of just wrong facts which Joe left in there. I was not allowed to read the final manuscript, just rough drafts, and was now – believe it or not – actually reading the full story for the first time. Cooperation looks different.

Basically it’s a nicely written book, but there was also quite a bunch of stuff my chatty sister had revealed about our family which should have better been untold. Or I told Joe some background stories but asked him NOT to write it and he did any way…I thought I could trust him. Wrong. Not to talk about I have never seen and will probably never see a cent about our original financial agreement. I learned. Do nothing without written contract – regarding the contents and the $$.
So if you think this is *my* book, this is very incorrect. This is the artwork of the author who liked to sell a story – true or not, correct or not. But it seems to sell. Maybe I need really to write a book about my SA trip *myself*.

I was actually not ill or so being off my blog all the time during the break, but still somehow, as I had to get a vaccination against Yellow Fever, Tetanus, Hepatitis A and bullets. The Yellow Fever vaccination throws you quite for a week, and I hope the vaccination against Colombian bullets works (likely). Malaria was all right to rather take pills with me when it may happen (unlikely).

So time was passing by at home way too fast, and I soon was sitting in the plane again. But just about not, as I had left my passport at home…YES! I was nicely copying some pages and visas, and left it unintentionally and surely unseen under the copy machine lid…Peter drove me to the airport, I wanted to check in – and there was *no* passport, just the paper copies…! Thanks to Werner, the father of my son, jumping in his car and driving like a stunt man those 1,5 hrs from Husum to Hamburg airport to arrive just in time. Surely he had to hit a speed trap…

The trip was long, with a 24-hrs day in Amsterdam and a night in Lima. No other possibilities to fly after x-mas. I picked a taxi in Piura, went shopping in a big supermarket, and the taxi drove me to Paita.

People were waiting for me at the Capitania, and I got again a room in the Hotel Naval. I packed my gear, being still a bit worn and jet lagged from the long trip. In the afternoon, I was asking in the Capitania about where best to get the exit stamp out of Peru – after quite some phone calls around from Ruben, the best working man in the office, he said we can drive to Piura *now* to get the stamp! Ok…not that I ave been there and have just checked in yesterday into Peru in Lima airport…so theoretically I am now “illegal” in Peru being already stamped out until I paddle over the border in about three days…

The drive to Piura went quick, I was just wondering why e were waiting in front of a “hospital”??? Language barrier??? I couldn’t really communicate with Juan, my Navy driver in uniform…after about 20 min a uy in civil clothes showed up, the official stamp in his hand, and literally he stamped my passport with the date of the next day on the booth of our car- less than one minute, done! As we got our entry stamp into Peru right on the beach, I appreciate the flexibility of the Peruvians…officina cerrado? Just open up your officina anywhere…GREAT!
The rest of the trip to Piura was extended by an urgently necessary manual car wash and polish in the big town (men’s toys need to be treated well), and some taxi services for quite some other friends. I was back in my room around 7.30 pm, and could barely finish my pack job.But I had the exit stamp already!

I felt I should have better stayed another day or two in Paita to regain sleep and energy, but it really felt sad to be in the same places where I have been nicely with Peter, and now being by myself only!

You may have asked yourself how we actually did get along? Peter not only proved to be a great paddler, but also a great team member in a trip where I was the leader. I had a bit of a hard time first to let him into *my* trip, but it was a great experience to be *two* people again – 24 hrs. The best thing was we had a four men tent – not that we had some guests, no we just had ample space to have our private area. For example, I like my side sand free, Peter doesn’t care…but it worked out well! I was just sweeping all sand off my side under his sleeping pad… :-))

Peter is now (again) my valuable land and office contact, coordinating and organizing things from his home desk. I couldn’t go without! I wonder how he feels being away again from the *live* trip…

The first day paddling took me across the bay of Paita, and there would be no good landing before. So I had to do already quite a long day, and all that with so little rest!
The headland of Punta Negritos seemed like having some shelter, but it was a shallow sandy beach, so the surf was wide with about three lines, but moderate and possible to handle.

I was picking a spot where the boats came in, hoping for the least surf, but basically it was all the same in that bay. A few curious people were around, then I thought I had this area of the beach for myself…until i was just about asleep.

The carabinieros came, and thought they needed to warn me about this beach would be unsafe to camp…but I really felt great there among the fishing boats! Thanks! And I thought I could go back to my well-deserved sleep… A few minutes later they came back with the mayor of the village who offered me a hotel to stay in…moving *now* at 8.30 pm??? Very friendly offer, but no way…packing everything again…besides, there is no place for me and my kayak than my tent on the beach right besides the water’s edge!
They eventually decided to keep watch besides my tent, many thanks! But the noisy talk of three chatty guys and the regularly flashing light of the car to see if I was still there was not really helping me to sleep deeply…

I woke quite unrested, but decided to keep on going. Wind and water was easy, and I got pushed along with not doing much. The fat sea bears from yesterday got replaced by a big school of dolphins, and the penguins have now really left the warm water! A few turtles, some fat jelly fish, few birds. But many, many oil platforms and supply boats!

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One of the many oil platforms in North Peru

Cabo Blanco was the anchoring area of hundreds of fishing boats and a small busy holiday town, but I urgently needed to find a deserted beach for myself tonight. About two km up the coast, the surf looked doable, and I went in a bit earlier than yesterday. As I had to write this long update! SLEEP NOW! Quality and quantity sleep, I hope…

8 comments on “Thu 10/01-2013 Day 359

bill

The very characteristicals that made Freya successful in her bid to circumnavigate Australia were the very same characteristics that would have made this an incredibly boring book had she actually written it. Joe Glickman creates a captivating narrative that makes the book difficult to put down. The history of the treacherous coastline and the failed prior attempts build your respect and create suspense. The glimpse into Freya’s past and that of her family help you to appreciate the origin of the self- absorption that made her a historical success on the water but leaves her falling short of the mark in having rewarding relationships. Excellent read!

Eleanor Thomas

Welcome back, Freya. Your posts about your trip are wonderful to read – so entertaining and informative. I hope that you write a book about your South America trip yourself, without the ‘help’ of a writer. No one could improve on your own descriptions of the sea, the land, the creatures out there, or the people you have met along the way.

max

Hi Freya
I have been following you since a while now, but I haven’t found you through your book, no, rather through a link on an explorer kind of web site. Since the first day I got here reading your daily blog is a daily routine for me. And I actually missed you these past days you were in Germany, even though now that you write of your son needing his Mutter cuddles… I feel a bit silly saying that I missed you. But I did in fact. So welcome back in the sea and a big hug from me!
The frankness and openness of this post of yours, by the way, is one of the reasons I appreciate your writing so much. I will be following you day by day, like one of those fat jelly fishes (much my hugs do not sting like theirs, hopefully).

Randall Lackey

I too discovered Freya as a result of finding the book offered online.I have followed her since after much enjoying reading the book.Both the book and following her present trip daily is being a big influence in my love of long distance adventure kayaking.I’m presently doing a 631 mile river trip-in week long stages as I am ablle to get away from work.Small in comparison to your;Freyas trip but the bigest thing Ive ever taken on.Thanks for the inspiration. Randall

Randall Lackey

Richard and Karen pretty well summed up what I had to say as well.It sounds as though you had a busy Holiday break but I guess that was to be expected.I was pleased to read all had gone well with you and Peter on your past leg of the trip.Im sure he’ll be just as valuable from home base as support for you. Safe Paddling. Randall

Christie Northrop

I checked out “Fearless” from the new non fiction section of our public library. After I read it, I found your blog which I follow religiously. I am probably not the only person who discovered you through that book. Glad to see you back.

Richard Mason

I purchased the book “Fearless” in the belief that I was supporting you, so I was disappointed to see that you have written that you will probably not benefit from it financially– but it at least would help to promote your cause.
I look forward to a written account of your South American trip and hope that you are in a position to reap the rewards of this.

Karen

Hope you get the sleep your body and mind need for the next days paddle. Keep your wits about you. Practice awareness. Glad you are back on the water. Paddle safe Freya. In Kindness, Karen

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