[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bGIxyXzTm6A/U06es_buAJI/AAAAAAAAbR0/2sTk07ZRZcI/s144-c-o/P4120417.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage19Brazil2AmazonasDeltaToSaoLuis#6002909849110577298″ caption=”One of those dreaded Portugues Man at War war jellyfish dry on the beach. They popp nicely…” type=”image” alt=”P4120417.JPG” ]

Back to the open sea!
Pos: here
Loc: Before Punta Faval
Acc: tent
Dist: 27,7 km
Start: 5:35 End: 11:15

I was hoping to have the hut for myself for the night, but my hope and silent peaceful rest came to an end around 6 pm with two boats and four young men obviously returning to “their” hut and kit. Well, I was calculating two guys according to the two backpacks, but four?

I came out of my tent, excused myself for having occupied their hut without anyone to ask, squeezed my tent in an even more small corner by taking the third vestibule pole away, and the guys were fine with me in that way. Their hammocks didn’t need much space, and I obviously don’t have one. Thank goodness, so I have at least a bit of privacy inside my tent.

The guys made themselves noisily at home, cut their dinner fish, turned on a radio on full power, lit a fire, hung their hammocks, and with every step, the hut platform was shaking to the bones. I gave them some spaghetthi as “rent”, and it took a long while until they settled down to snore, burp and fart themselves to sleep. Fortunately they didn’t leave the radio on all night…

At 3 am, an hour before high tide, they got noisily up again, chatting, joking, laughing, went out fishing and at 5 am my night was fully over with them being back and starting the radio and fire again. Well, I needed to get up anyway…thanks for the dry platform space, guys! There were so few huts around, just when I needed one…

They watched and helped me pack, but when I loaded my bags into the front hatch, I noticed one of my dry bags left in there had been opened and not properly closed again… I didn’t say a word, closed the bag and was hoping all I left inside my kayak was still there. I was quite disappointed about that move, although it turned out nothing was missing – did I look into their bags? They had been so friendly…but I missed out last night to give them a card which I stupidly had left in my kayak. Maybe they’d have had more respect then? Not sure if they understood all about my trip last night, at least they got a card this morning.

I paddled for a while on the dead calm wide mangrove channels, but with the current against me. When I came out into the bay, I was realizing this may have been the last channels for this area, maybe for the whole trip! As much as I appreciate an easy shortcut or even detour paddling, it is dead boring and lacks the scent and feeling of the sea. I am not a channel rat…

The area in the bay showed lots of shallow green reefs, here still muddy and I was scraping barely over some areas while exiting  where I almost got stuck. It took a while to decide where I may find the deeper water between the islands, the chart was eventually relatively precise here, just shifted half a centimeter. I managed to not get stuck, and landed on the first sandy beach after the last islands to tighten my rudder screws again. The fishermen there waved invitingly to their huts, I rather stay with older guys than with those noisy youngsters from last night… but it was too early to stop.

They pointed out another channel at this smaller hammerhead headland before Punta Faval, but only accessible after mid tide, and it was 1 1/2 hours before low tide and dead calm sea and surf. Sure it would change on the tide running up, but the surf can’t be that bad with no swell going…I opted to eventually stay out in the sea. All easy, just as the tide turned against me, 3-4 km/h in some headwind felt like tough crawling pace after my not too peaceful night.

I decided to call it already a day on a beach spot with very likely no one around, even though I had to carry my gear up for 250 m at 1 1/2 hrs after low tide. But I was ready to dry out in the sunny hot sea breeze, and to enjoy my return to the sea. I even took a swim, and slowly cleaned and organized my wet and sandy gear. Time to write the three last day’s updates also…hot, despite additional tarp and some breeze, but peaceful here…

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-isPfqseK1qU/U06ex97aONI/AAAAAAAAbR8/4TZmf0zWTa8/s144-c-o/P4120418.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage19Brazil2AmazonasDeltaToSaoLuis#6002909934605973714″ caption=”Beach camp with additional tarp shade” type=”image” alt=”P4120418.JPG” ]

Well, surf surely came up with higher tide, also the wind, so why paddling all against if I can start tomorrow with high tide and current with me and probably some lower wind. Landing around lunchtime at low tide on a more clever spot like a river mouth or such, and with the few days around full moon’s big tidal difference and accordingly strong current I will be done for each day. Maybe three, maybe five days to Sao Luis and an air conditioned room! My skin needs it so…