Tue 02/12-2014 Day 707

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BRyWtwkz4vY/VJMVVZvxOeI/AAAAAAAAjwA/8oa_7wq2MsM/s144-c-o/IMG_0726.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToNatal#6094238178195093986″ caption=”My paddling crew in Recife, helping me along. Muito obrigada! Kurt, mySwiss host, to the right, and Sergio to the left with the hat on who was organizing locally.” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0726.JPG” ]

 

Highlights: Got help to repair my kayak
Lowlights: One day is so short
Loc: Recife
Acc: Kurt’s apartment
Dist: 00,0 km

Sergio picked me up at 8 am and drove me to the Yacht Club.On the way, we were able to pick up my new sleeping pad sent from cascade Design to a friend’s house. Thanks!
The press pack was supposed to come at 10 am, which quickly got changed to 4 pm this afternoon, good, then I start with my kayak repair first. Many Yacht Club employees were busy in a work shop and outside close to my kayak with repairing and shifting this and that, as the Yacht Club is a better one with many expensive motor boats in the harbor. We are eventually getting to the richer areas of Brazil! In Sao Luis, the Yacht Club just downstairs of Sandra’s apartment was even closed and almost a ruin…Fortaleza’s Yacht Club had at least some smaller motor and sail boats stored on land, as in the water was too much crime, Natal’s Yacht Club was good on sailing catamarans, this one now is quite fancy.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xWMNdWLhK78/VJMVWlyM_BI/AAAAAAAAjwA/HNnCOVS1dA8/s144-c-o/IMG_0720.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToNatal#6094238198606396434″ caption=”Clayton and Claudio were very friendly and helpful on repairing my kayak. Muito obrigado!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0720.JPG” ]

 

I was asking if the guys knew Sikaflex as I’d like to have it to finally seal my bulkheads, yes, they had some and had also a closer look on my kayak problems. Sure the guys simply took over the necessary job in a professional way, we are in Brazil! On discussing how to do it I trusted Claudio and his son Clayton, they could do it even better than myself, and I moved on to check my footrest and rudder instead of messing with sanding, epoxy and Sikaflex. Thanks very much for the really great job, guys! First the hull got a new layer on many spots, then on cleaning the front bulkhead from the glue remains they eventually had it in their hands completely, and had to reglue the whole thing back into position. They used not only epoxy and fibre glass cloth, but mixed the liquid resin with ground fibre to a thick paste. The whole thing looks solidly glued in now and was already in the afternoon promising dry to get going tomorrow. They also sealed the day hatch bulkhead and I really have some hope I’ll have a dry kayak tomorrow!

I was working on changing the short pieces of the rudder cables going through the footrest, which needs to be done every few weeks, and checked on the functionality of the rudder. The uphauling line channel was full of sand, as the kayak was fully dry by now, a compressor blast made a sandstorm come out of the channel, and the string pulled up the blade easy again. A new front toggle finalized the check up job.

I kept on working online in the wifi area of the outside restaurant, until at 4 pm way more journalists than expected showed up. All three major papers of Recife sent their reporter, plus some TV guys. The Yacht Club had requested a professional translator, and all in all Mauricio, the public relations manager of the Cabagna Yacht Club did a great job! Thanks very much!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7lKTyG_PUhc/VH4i1U2rzvI/AAAAAAAAjQM/mf1AX6ZOuzA/s144-c-o/IMG_0721.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage20Brazil3SaoLuisToNatal#6088342045777972978″ caption=”Mauricio, promotion manager of the Recife Yacht Club, and Aldemar, my translator” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0721.JPG” ]

 

Two more hours online, then about 20 local kayakers came along with many questions, and some of us had dinner at the spot.It was a nice social evening and I felt very well looked after by all of them. I’ll leave tomorrow to go south, eventually with some low headwind. Once I am past the long infamous shark infested Boa Viagem beach, it will be very nice between all those reefs!

3 comments on “Tue 02/12-2014 Day 707

Karen

That is fantastic that so much help has come your way!
Claudio and Clayton wow you really helped out with your expertise.
Happy paddling commencing on your last leg:)

Randall Lackey

Glad to read everyone is taking good care of you and your baby.Safe paddling once again

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