[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KEd9opyXUG8/VM4HGlcbrwI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/1YxAHNfrs6c/s144-c-o/IMG_1189.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829554100317954″ caption=”A dream camp spot on an island across Rio das Ostras” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1189.JPG” ]

Highlights: Camping on 99% paradise island
Lowlights: didn’t cross to the headland
Launch: Sheltered beach
Landing: Sheltered rocky beach
Pos: here
Loc: Small rocky island across Rio das Ostras
Acc: tent
Dist: 30,7 km
Start: 6:00 End: 12:40

The engine of one of the anchoring fishing boats in my beautiful bay was running all night,tuck…tuck…tuck…the disco music stopped at 9 pm, and none of the guys swam over to “my” beach to bother me:-). So overall a not to bad camp spot!

My muscles were sore in the morning 72 km are noticeable despite the rest days before. I had a moderated wind day fore casted, 22 knots in the afternoon, quite calm in the morning..If I would have had the idea in the morning to cross those 42 km over to the big long jutting out headland of Armacao dos Buizos, I may have done it. The direction would have been still slightly west while going south. So I would have had pushing winds, but 42 km out the in the open ocean? How boring…but I would have done, pretty quick, *if I would have thought about it*!!!

Instead, I was crossing 17 km over back to the coast to a spot where a lovely rocky area begun. I surely did not regret it later, as those 6 km were one of the most prettiest rocky areas here in Braziil so far. If it would have been late afternoon and if I would have been due to arest day it would have been paradise!

Once back to a stretch of along boring beach leading to Rio das Ostras, I eventually got the idea of crossing over, now 27 km only, and I tried for about a km. I soon realized the angle was just about no good any more, the wind came from the left front, accordingly the waves, and with a lot of effort I may have been able to make 4 km/h, if the wind would not breeze up much more, which was not the case…these conditions were different to the crossing yesterday. Plus my body was still not willing to paddle hard for another 6 hours or more.

I turned in again heading along the coast, and when I came across a lovely rocky small island with a sandy small beach an not a single boat or person to be seen on it, I decided to call it here and now a day and play the long desired Robinson with no music or people around eon a beautiful nature place. Yahoo!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-b6E7TN0qSSk/VM4HjXtPeiI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/k7OmXeZxFhY/s144-c-o/IMG_1203.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110830048628931106″ caption=”See the huge dark black face on the left guarding my paradise camp site?” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1203.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-flYsgMo9Ck8/VM4HSVmkD-I/AAAAAAAAlJ4/8iyDGv9cDug/s144-c-o/IMG_1194.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829756006272994″ caption=”Island vegetation” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1194.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mKdWTl-SSpE/VM4HJss5IyI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/HnDVpliclDw/s144-c-o/IMG_1191.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829607588012834″ caption=”Rocky pool on island across Rio das Ostras” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1191.JPG” ]

Landing had to be a tad bit careful, as those beaches are shell beaches and have mostly large rocks blocking more or less the entrance. But it was calm enough to find a narrow channel with enough water. Small motor boats could not land here safely (I hoped…)!

I happily made camp, and also noticed the thunder grumbling over the mainland with some high piling dark clouds.Yesterday was so dark in the afternoon my concern on the crossing over to the island was also a thunderstorm coming in, but the dark sky stayed over Macaré. Maybe it was also only smog…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-11PThIPA6I4/VM4G9WKyqfI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/3Ap2tzNlDFM/s144-c-o/IMG_1183.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829395380972018″ caption=”A perfect vulture watch post” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1183.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z-h7GiO_XPE/VM4G6W1vq4I/AAAAAAAAlJ4/ovUQOHCBJZY/s144-c-o/IMG_1179.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829344021523330″ caption=”The vulture is not diving on *me*…” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1179.JPG” ]

I took a long desired bath, tried my swim goggles to see some rocks and fishes, but the water was not clear enough down there, though from the top it looked fine. Some hair wash,drying out in the sun with no clothing, all good!

Until this ship came…actually a beautiful two mast sail boat running on engine, but with a shit load of maybe 70 tourists – and noisy music…WHY the heck can I not have once such a piece of nature for myself for some afternoon hours? It may be too much of demand, this area is simply too much populated. In that coastal rocky area, I saw just three fishermen on the whole 6 km…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Kb35ycb_7Bo/VM4Hui8rIhI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/4LWNsboB3pQ/s144-c-o/IMG_1207.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110830240625009170″ caption=”Some crystal mine in the rocks” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1207.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-b6E7TN0qSSk/VM4HjXtPeiI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/k7OmXeZxFhY/s144-c-o/IMG_1203.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110830048628931106″ caption=”See the huge dark black face on the left guarding my paradise camp site?” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1203.JPG” ]

But I was lucky, despite the load of tourists for some reason they anchored very close, but just put down a ladder and people were swimming in life vests only off the ship. No one was diving or snorkeling, no one was “daring” (or allowed) to swim over those maybe only 50 m to my beach and climb around the rocks. I had already the night mare vision all 70 people would be entering my island and noisily climb around every where…

Maybe I know the solution…as Brazilians are living their whole life in flip flops and not in sport sandals which would be great for swimming, the shell sand and rough cliffs were not to be advised for tender tourist feet…and 50 m maybe even in life vests too much for some people. They had a rubber boat tied behind them though….so I just had to wait an hour, and they were gone again!

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Gvvs9_T37Ng/VM4HfVHpP0I/AAAAAAAAlJ4/oN49M801E4A/s144-c-o/IMG_1201.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829979214888770″ caption=”A magic wet rocky overhang” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1201.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Eq07-NKklI4/VM4HZyy3mVI/AAAAAAAAlJ4/sDgeNBdJcII/s144-c-o/IMG_1200.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829884101597522″ caption=”A porous deep black rock” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1200.JPG” ]

Meanwhile I was exploring the invisible side of the rocky island, taking pictures of vultures and sea urchins, almost untouched nature here! Even the trash was quite few, only close to a small fishing spot with glued to the rocks rod holders I found some relics.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XxhdRO7T__8/VM4GzutG2_I/AAAAAAAAlJ4/V5xW-X6b60E/s144-c-o/IMG_1174.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage22Brazil5SalvadorToRioDeJaneiro#6110829230168660978″ caption=”Cliffs on island across Rio das Ostras” type=”image” alt=”IMG_1174.JPG” ]

The same ship came once again around 5pm, with way less tourists, but the same procedure. The music was mostly blown by the wind, and all was good for me and my peace!

See if I can cross over tomorrow, but the fore cast is pretty strong wind the next days.I will need anyway probably two days to Cabo Frio, and another two days to Rio, if the wind allows. Too short distance today…