[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hw-9hyHHz-c/VJMZTynUxDI/AAAAAAAAjs0/YZBfTS92j48/s144-c-o/IMG_0849.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage21Brazil3NatalToSalvador#6094242548557333554″ caption=”Most beautiful cliff section!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0849.JPG” ]

Highlights: A section of stunning red and white rugged cliffs
Lowlights: Hammering bass sounds again from the village
Launch: Sheltered river beach
Landing: Shallow beach low surf
Pos: here
Loc: Rio Couripe
Acc: tent
Dist: 48,4 km
Start: 4:45 End: 14:00

I felt well recovered from the rest day, and was full of energy to keep on going. The reef exit was easy, some ugly surf along an endless beach with a thick palm tree forest. I am actually wondering which type of tree is most common on the world? Palm trees, pine trees or leaf trees? The eye treat of the day followed: A long line of high cliffs,really stunning rugged and so colorful red and white shimmering in the morning sun! The Grand Canyon can’t be more beautiful, though this has obviously only one side.But there were so many inviting deep canyons to explore I was close to dare to stop on the open beach with some surf to have a closer look. But I can’t see and explore all on this trip, I left the treat to look at in a bit of a distance and kept on paddling. A fishing village was sitting in the middle of the cliff line, though the cliffs after the village were half as exciting as the first line.
A small river mouth had a reef to paddle behind, as the sea was moderate low all day, the entry was rough, but doable. From now on, landing looked everywhere possible, with lower tide and beaches more shallow. All easy going, patchy reefs, no more real open water feeling.

Pontal de Couripe had a long jutting out reef at the headland, where I did not dare to go behind. Not really sure if this would have been even possible on low tide.No need to risk anything, I was in the shelter of the sharp headland anyway soon after a bit of a bumpy reflecting waves ride. The following river mouth was harmless, also the beach behind, flat and low surf all along. I decided to paddle a bit away from the village, spotted a shady palm tree group and decided to land when the wind breezed up quite a bit and I had almost my planned 50 km full.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-H2Ir8amY1FU/VJMZWneC9GI/AAAAAAAAjtE/KTF6bK3oVzI/s144-c-o/IMG_0850.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/112133179186774955122/SouthAmericaSection3Stage21Brazil3NatalToSalvador#6094242597105235042″ caption=”Paradise shady camp at a beach behind Rio Couripe” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0850.JPG” ]

Noisy wind, noisy surf, still the wind carried noisy hammering basses from some stupid loud music playing guys over to my lonely camp site. Bum bum bum…bum bum..bum bum bum…bum bum…earplugs don’t keep this frequency out. Two guys on a horse came along to probably check me out, a was a bit surprised when the suddenly rode up the small dune besides my tent! They saw my astonished face, and were just laughing, rode to the lagoon behind me and returned.