[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1WJPOop6V68/U06Zh5-3MVI/AAAAAAAAbLI/MgssKTypvkg/s144-c-o/P3250318.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage19Brazil2AmazonasDeltaToSaoLuis#6002904161110667602″ caption=”The first of many temporary fishermen´s houses on stilts” type=”image” alt=”P3250318.JPG” ]

Pos: here
Loc: Ilha do Mutucal
Acc: tent
Dist: 44,6 km
Start: 6:40 End: 15:15

The thunder grumbling all afternoon over Belem didn’t reach me, but all night were silent lightening flashes disturbing my sleep. I always thought there was someone flashing a strong torch at my tent…

The paddle up the end of Rio Para was marked by many many fishing fences, they are putting hundreds of slim poles so close to each other it ended like a funnel eventually inside some centre net. Those fences were more or less dense, through most of them I found a gap to paddle through.

I spotted some fishermen’s rescue huts on high stilts with a nice ladder leading up, it may be funny to spend a night on one of those! Well, if there is no easy inviting beach. Basically there was one more sandbank after mine on the entrance of Rio Vigia, then a few small hidden ones behind or between dry mangroves. Turning around Ponta Taipu it changed. Only old mangroves everywhere, with such high and mazed roots I’d not even be able to stay there in a hammock.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CMn78rVAgfs/U06ZbqsRnsI/AAAAAAAAbLA/qCnJoR8yOU0/s144-c-o/P3250315.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage19Brazil2AmazonasDeltaToSaoLuis#6002904053926960834″ caption=”Fishing fences are very popular here” type=”image” alt=”P3250315.JPG” ]

But there were supposed to come many villages soon! I just to be patient, finding my way with the here fortunately not too bad GPS chart through the channels where I wanted to go. It was heavily raining and blowing right on the crossing of some wide channels, not a very friendly feeling. I was soaked all over. My feet were ok yesterday, today I felt a small sore and decided to call it a day to dry them out on the first good chance to land.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eo9akZK0UIA/U06ZpWJKt8I/AAAAAAAAbLQ/JKMSPhALUpE/s144-c-o/P3250320.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage19Brazil2AmazonasDeltaToSaoLuis#6002904288929167298″ caption=”Camp on Ilha do Mutucal” type=”image” alt=”P3250320.JPG” ]

I had spotted some light high up the shore already from the distance, but so far it was all inaccessible mangroves only. Soon around a small corner in the river I was in luck – a small inviting stony beach leading up to a village – even with a road , one motorbike and one car! The island shore had changed completely here. I climbed up the steep shore and found close by a dry spot under a mangrove tree. I had just finished making camp, when a young man showed up, perfect to help to get my kayak up the steep shore to my camp. He took on the job to pass on my card to the close by house, it was raining and I just liked to be in my tent and have dry clothes and feet.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QjxsMRCvvgU/U06ZypDcSSI/AAAAAAAAbLY/LJDwPK6ZEvI/s144-c-o/P3250321.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage19Brazil2AmazonasDeltaToSaoLuis#6002904448624249122″ caption=”View over the first of many channels from my camp on Ilha do Mutucal” type=”image” alt=”P3250321.JPG” ]

Perfect easy camp!