[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_Wz13-pvMiE/VOUmYRrbltI/AAAAAAAAmYA/8oT1lkIFkxI/s144-c-o/IMG_1478.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage23Brazil6RioDeJaneiroToFlorianapolis02#6117337867356968658″ caption=”Greetings from Hamburg and Denmark!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1478.JPG” ]

Highlights: Leo was able to pick me up
Lowlights: Two rolls on landing, endless rain and headwind
Launch: Low surf
Landing: Very wide moderate to big surf
Pos: here
Loc: Praia Grande
Acc: Leo and Lucianas house
Dist: 27,3 km
Start: 6:40 End: 13:35

That military beach was a great campsite. No soldier, as they probably don’t care, and no normal person, as they are kept away by the many writings on the rocks, comes here, just me and my kayak. I had a good relaxing afternoon and night, with many rain and some strange jungle noises.

The launch through the low surf was no problem. But the paddle around the headland was basically a forbidden zone according to my chart. But should I make a wide detour? No way… I headed straight over the bay of Santos, choppy seas and moderate strong headwind slowed me down. Two huge ships were crossing my path, fortunately correctly on the shipping channel on my chart and I could judge where they would go. Still the huge Danish “Maersk” container ship, loaded to the max with “Hamburg Süd” and his own containers from my home, felt it needed to honk noisily when he was approaching. Maybe he rather meant the two fishing boats also crossing his lane? Or was he sending me best wishes from Hamburg and Denmark?

The western side of the headland before Praia Grande, 2 km out, was also forbidden zone, but who cares…? I have no chart and didn’t know…I paddled close to the headland, crossed slowly to the beach, but had to stay out a long distance due to the very wide surf belt and quite high swell here. How would the landing be?

I realized already on the crossing I would not make it to Leo’s house fully, the head wind was too annoying with continuously 12-15 knots. As there was not really any other landing option besides paddling fully into the bay of Santos with a wide detour, I thought it makes no difference if I land across Leo’s house or earlier somewhere, besides he would need to pick me up then, which I was hoping. No camping on this beach here! Just a dense line of sky scrapers and umbrellas.

But it made a difference in the surf of the originally by Christian fore casted 80 cm of seas or the actual 1,20 m. And the head wind was supposed to be gusty up to 18 knots, means this would bring a lot of rain. When the wind had eventually drained me out, I now just needed a wide enough gap in the lines of umbrellas to land without too much of a risk to shave some swimmer heads. The rain was already continuously and heavy, no really pleasant conditions any more! Although I guessed the surf may be lower after high tide at 3 pm and the further away I am from this catching corner with the long headland, I felt the need to go in in the first umbrella gap I spotted.

The surf belt was so wide and the swell not to be calculated where to break, it was impossible with my heavy kayak to time it right and to escape the larger outer breakers. And it was also mentally so draining to paddle offshore and to know you have probably to get trashed soon…At some point, on line 3 of probably eight breaker lines it caught me. Maybe I was even just too weak from the head wind paddle to brace properly. At least I managed to roll up ok, but was positioned sideways badly for the next fat roller coming in fast and it threw me again. Another ok roil, a few side broaches on lower breakers and I was in – alive with no broken neck or kayak. And no shaved swimmer heads or killed surfers.

I did not unload in the heavy rain, mailed for Leo to pick me up and sat on my kayak and waited, reading my e-book. I got a sun umbrella borrowed against the rain and wind from some beach vendor, thanks! Some beach walkers came by and warned me this is not a safe place here to play with my cell phone and e-book…yes, I know, best go naked to a Brazilian beach…I was not too worried. But camping here, well, no…glad to have a friend picking me up soon!

At 4 pm, it was still raining quite strong, Leo and his wife Luciana came, thanks very much! I got hosted in their house at the beach, but the surf also didn’t look very friendly here…tomorrow’s wind is low, but the sea level is the same 1,20 m, with the same deluge as now coming down now in the afternoon. No way out through this surf! The sea goes down on Thursday. And this rain I better endure also in a house than in a tent. And I could need a rest day already…