0402
This morning we went to the fresh fruit and vegetable market just around the corner. It is mostly a wholesale market, but some of the guys sell direct to the public as well. We loaded up with various bits and pieces of really fresh and good looking fruit for once, and found some sorrel, which Mum tells me is wild spinach, which was interesting. We wanted some avos at the last stall we visited, but we could only buy them in boxes of 12, which was a bit too much for us. The guys were so apologetic that they could not assist us, that they then proceeded to GIVE us an entire bag of apples - and no, there was no cost.. yet another super friendly Brazilean at work. amazing... Had fresh vegetable stir fry for lunch, nyumm - the sorrell works well.
Ok, so the parcel did not arrive with Andrew's book, so we did not leave. Looks like we may be here another week! Oh well, it is giving everyone a chance to completely catchup with life, communications, photos, blogs and thesis writing - (that's Dael's department) , which is great. At least then these things are easier to maintain once they are up to date. As much as I think everybody is ready to move on, it would have been a bit of a last minute rush to leave tomorrow, so probably better things worked out as they did.
Today, Vittoria the 50 foot Bavaria with her 3 crew incuding Henry from Uruguay who lived in Cape Town for 21 years - left to go North. And Azul, the 36 foot steel self build with 2 Argentinians arrived - going South. Oscar and Omar on Azul are very sweet, though the language barrier is a bit of a challenge. And Oscar has already given Lucy a gift of his daughter's teddy bear. His daughter's are 23, 25 and 28, and this bear has been on the boat since they were children and sailed with him. So this was a very precious gift. Lucy behaved accordingly, screamed with delight, and buried her face in the bear. So the gift was received with appropriate aplomb!
We went across to Azul for a social visit, and while below, were beckoned by Renato, who arrived bearing yet another gift for Lucy, of a cake! Such a lucky young lady, so loved by her world, it is really special to be around her and watch her world react! I think we may have to help her with the cake a little, as I think a whole cake may be just a little too much for her for breakfast.
0302
Lady Genyr , the 100 ft, 4 storey motor cruiser has returned. They have had a rough few days of it, they were headed for Punto del Este, but the weather (that we were sitting here, waiting out) was so bad that they port was closed and they could not get in. So they were anchoring - or trying to anchor, this huge unstable motor cruiser in 40 knots of wind. It sounds like the boat was being thrown about with some vigour. the crew all sounded very relieved to be on dry land. Andrew decided we should go out and treat ourselves to a steak with the crew. GOOD CALL - we found a really good restaurant serving great steaks. Supper with the crew was great, of course Madame Lucy holding fort, keeping everybody entertained as usual. The skipper Alex and his lovely partner Gabby were sharing some great skippering and cruising tales, all of which are of great interest to us newby cruisers.
0202
Today is a public holiday in Rio Grande, we are not sure if this is only a local public holiday, for the town, the state, or maybe the whole country?! It is the holiday to honour Yamanja, who is the goddess who delivers those at sea home safely. This morning Lauro arrived at the boat, to ask us to a churrasco barbeque. So at 12:30 we arrived for the barbeque, which proved to be delicious - though I think any meat that is vaguely decent qualifies on the delicious stakes on our under undermeated palates. We ate like kings, with excellent sausage, brisket, ribs and other steak cuts being cooked Brazilean style by our Churrasco King, Jamie.
After we had eaten, a second round of people - staff from the Lauro establishment, arrived en masse for a second round of churrasco. Following lunch, Lauro announced that we were off in 35 minutes to the boat parade. Well ok, we are there! How awesome, so the crew was piled into yet another of Lauro's fleet of boats, and off we motored across the lagoon! We had no idea what we were about to encounter. Close to 500 fishing boats of all shape, size, colour and description were making their way to pay homage and honour Yamanja, and I have no doubt, to subsequently celebrate with an enormous Brazilean style party. The spectacle was amazing, boats done up to the nines, with flags, flowers and streamers of all colours billowing in the wind. Some boats were towing mini boat effigies that were later to be sacrificed to the sea. Families spilling out of fishing boats. Boats with new coats of paints specially for the occasion. Tiny boats, huge boats, tug boats, long boats, short boats, rubber boats, sailing boats, motor boats, new boats and old boats, they were all there. This only happens once a year, this is year 170, and we had happened to be lucky enough to have missed the wind, and even luckier to be staying with such a wonderful host, who has shown us this fantastic celebration. What a great day.
0102
Tonight we had supper with the most interesting fellow, a Uruguayan - whose name is Henry. He arrived a day ago, and is the skipper of a 50 foot Bavaria Vittoria. He has the owner, Eduardo, and another crew member Martin onboard. As well as being Uruguayan, he also happens to have lived in Cape Town, our home, for 21 years - small world! He has given us some fantastic contacts in Uruguay, including a baby sitter for Lucy, somewhere to get repairs done to the boat, someone to drink beer, and good places to eat. What more could one need! Henry is quite remarkable, being a sprightly 72, and one of the top in his game of leather garment manufacture in Uruguay. He was sharing a story of how he improved a factory's production by simply moving he layout of the workman, to which I chirped, "Ah, Henry Ford", " Yes", he answered, " He was my father's role model, I was named after him." He apparently brought his knowledge to Cape Town for the small industry there, but unfortunately met with some business sharks, so set his trade back to the winds, and is now only involved in boats, for better or for worse.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
looks like we might be out of here!
Ok, so the water pump has been repaired, possibly the book might arrive, and we might now have to go shop today still (it is now 5pm) so that we can leave tomorrow morning, as the weather seems to have turned for the better! - AAHHHH, ALL A LITTLE UNEXPECTED, panic.... of to the shops we go.... see you in Buenos Aires, or maybe Uruguay!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Where oh were is our water pump...
We were waiting for 2 weather systems to come through. The southerly one has come through. Now the weather is swinging and wind will be blowing the rain into the boat from the other direction. Yesterday (before we turned the boat around on the jetty), we had a little precursor downpour - it was blowing the rain straight in the spray dodger (about 2 metres) into the saloon. The little prelude of rain and wind also managed to find it´s way into Dael´s cabin from the stern of the boat and soak his mattress. Hhhmmnn, another leak to fix.
We got some very green, hard spinach/cabbage cross thing to stir fry for supper tonight. There is not much choice if you want to eat something green here. Strange as everything grows so fast - I think it grows too fast.. There are very few of the normal types of green in the supermarket. And what is there has already normally either got mold on or is half rotten! Fruit is much the same, with bananas being the most consistently available. So tonight we have chicken stirfry wiht ginger and soya sauce for supper, here the chicken breasts are butchered quite differently - i.e. very seldom sold as fillets, but more often still on the bone, and not seperated - so half a chicken just about. So far they have also been very tough, hopefully tonight we will have a nice suprise.
Will write more tomorrow on our Brazilean observations. Andrew is also going to start blogging, yippee!!!!!!!!
Oh yes, and we still don´t have a water pump, and it doesn´t look like we are going to have one for a little while, as the boys have investigated and it looks electrical. Which means it will have to wait for Buenos Aires it seems. Hohum, living out of water drums it is for us for the next little while!
Oh yes, and (again)we met another wonderful Brazilen today who is coming to give us some software tomorrow for sailing, and have a bite to eat with us. His name is Garcia who owns Garcia Informatica, where we took my computer after Lucy demolished my screen by banging the keyboard ferociously.... actually after taking it to Garcia, I think the screen is on its way out and it was coincidence that Lucy´s screen wacking and the screen´s demise happened at the same time!
We got some very green, hard spinach/cabbage cross thing to stir fry for supper tonight. There is not much choice if you want to eat something green here. Strange as everything grows so fast - I think it grows too fast.. There are very few of the normal types of green in the supermarket. And what is there has already normally either got mold on or is half rotten! Fruit is much the same, with bananas being the most consistently available. So tonight we have chicken stirfry wiht ginger and soya sauce for supper, here the chicken breasts are butchered quite differently - i.e. very seldom sold as fillets, but more often still on the bone, and not seperated - so half a chicken just about. So far they have also been very tough, hopefully tonight we will have a nice suprise.
Will write more tomorrow on our Brazilean observations. Andrew is also going to start blogging, yippee!!!!!!!!
Oh yes, and we still don´t have a water pump, and it doesn´t look like we are going to have one for a little while, as the boys have investigated and it looks electrical. Which means it will have to wait for Buenos Aires it seems. Hohum, living out of water drums it is for us for the next little while!
Oh yes, and (again)we met another wonderful Brazilen today who is coming to give us some software tomorrow for sailing, and have a bite to eat with us. His name is Garcia who owns Garcia Informatica, where we took my computer after Lucy demolished my screen by banging the keyboard ferociously.... actually after taking it to Garcia, I think the screen is on its way out and it was coincidence that Lucy´s screen wacking and the screen´s demise happened at the same time!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
28 January 2009 - Stuck in Rio Grande
So today we are NOT sailing to Rio Grande, the weather has changed for the worst and it is howling a 35 knot gale down the channel, along with intermittent rain and it looks to be set that way till Friday at the earliest. Our only chance might be to change our plans and head for La Paloma in Uruguay instead, which would just be a 36 hour sail, not a 3 day sail. We may be able to do that tomorrow. The other challenge is that we seem to have a leak in our water tanks that we cannot work out... hhhmmnn, sprung out of nowhere after filling them yesterday. Very strange. Not life threatening, as we have plenty of water on deck, but may mean dismanteling the saloon in Buenos Aires to sort it out. Good thing we were planning on staying in Argentina for a while! As it looks like that will happen whether we like it or not. What it does mean is that we may get a chance to see some more of these amazing birds on this lagoon. Or maybe we will have to hide in our boat as it also looks like it going to rain cats and dogs! We will just have to drink a cup of patience as the Brazileans say! We have definitely ruled our Tierra del Fuego by sea, that is for certain.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
07 January to 27 January.. Tunstall tales continue..
27 January 2009
So we are victualling the boat again (sounds so grand doesn’t it!) it actually means shopping. And in our case generally lugging a lot of groceries in a pram/backpack/bus… etc A lot of time is spent living, especially as everytime you are in a new town, you need to find out where everything is again! And especially in a country where English is spoken so infrequently. Today I am going to upload this blog, and some photos hopefully, go to Lauro’s boat museum, go to the city museum, do the rest of the shopping.. sorry victualling.. finish off the clothes washing, oh yes and look after Lucy! Lucy will be walking in the next couple of weeks, and is such a little charmer it is ridiculous. She just brings such smiles to all of our faces everyday! So this will be the last news until Buenos Aires..
Ok last minute update, it is now 10:15pm and we are all sitting in the garden in the dark getting eaten by mosquitoes and using a rather weak internet connection! Cheers till Buenos Aires, wish us a good passage, and NO
24 January 2009
The morning after we arrived in Rio Grande – Andrew and I went for a run, and after the first turning we ran into the Italiano Circus. So we asked the first chap that we saw, who happened to be the ringmaster – Chico (who was Portugese, not Italian… go figure) when the show was on..
So this afternoon we packed our bags and headed off for the circus. It was all a bit too loud and exciting, so after she burst into tears, I went to sit out in the slightly seedy food stalls area, and Lucy promptly attracted her own usual crowd. So in about 5 minutes, she had her own personal off duty clown entertaining her!
The circus was quite entertaining otherwise, with no animals, as circus animals has been banned in Brazil (much to my relief).
23 January 2009
We arrived in Rio Grande after a 2 day passage which was – let’s be frank – freakin awful. The first day was rough and we were sailing into the wind and Mum and I did not feel too great being down below with chirpy charlie Lucy. I was actually physically sick, so were not loving life too much! Andrew and Dael had a rough time off it, as followed by beating into a swell, and 2 off colour crew, the wind on the second night blew very hard, and the wheel was too strong for Mum and I, so Dael and Andrew had to helm all night. Asleep (or not so asleep) in the forepeak, we felt the most of the weather, being thrown up and down quite roughly. Lucy is so funny as she just blissfully sleeps through everything (thank goodness). And then wakes up smiling in the morning wanting the world to entertain her. VERY HAPPY TO BE ON DRY LAND – that was my birthday present from Andrew!!
We came up the river 30km – that is the distance from Plett to Knysna, and it is really shallow. We were almost at the yacht club and we were hailed by a formidable looking character dressed all in white wielding a megaphone, ordering us onto his jetty, and directing a team of people up and down, doing this and that! Lauro, the gentleman in white, who is the director of the Oceanographic Museum whose jetty we are moored at welcomed us with open arms, with offers of free water, power, internet and the use of all the facilities. We were also welcomed in for supper where we joined a film crew who are here filming a dolphin documentary.
The Oceanographic museum also houses a rehabilitation facility for seabirds – mainly penguins and a huge sea lion. The penguins are Magellanic penguins, which are a first cousin – if not brother of our African/Jackass penguin at home.
Lauro seems to be the regular entrepeneur of note, he has also instigated a marine/life skills school for the underprivileged where 200 students are educated between the ages of 14 and 17, the school took 10 years to complete and is now only 1 year old, and is extraordinary, complete with it’s own boat yard where the students are taught were to build boats.
20 January 2009
Left for Imbituba, weather forecast should be about right, could be a bit bumpy on the first day.
19 January 2009 Tuesday
We could not get off the boat at all today, the wind was absolutely pumping. The plan is to leave tomorrow if the storm breaks. We can see the end of the break water and the open sea, and the fishing boats coming in. The waves are HUGE. I am VERY pleased that we are at our protected anchorage, and not out there.
18 January 2009 Monday
Discovered over the weekend that we were mistaken – there is actually a big town 3 km down the road – very worldly travellers we are… we discovered this when we asked if there was anywhere that we could get a pizza and the guy answered, not here, only in Imbituba… hahaha. So off we went down the road to Imbituba, where on the way we happened to pass a surf shop, where Dael and Andrew both found the surfboards they have been searching for, though I am not sure if Andrew could have missed his, as it is 9 foot long and bright orange!!
Imbituba has hosted a number of big surf events, so I guess it was a good place to buy a surf board. We and pretty much we can get whatever we need here, though we have left it a bit late, as we are planning to leave on Wednesday after the storm, and not sure if we will get another chance to get to the shops.
After our surfboard shopping spree, we headed back to the beach, on the way it started to rain, by the time we got back to the boat, the heavens had opened, and the storm that we had been waiting here, had arrived in full force. Unbelievable rain, absolute buckets falling from the sky.
We dragged our anchor at 11:30 pm, into a fishing net. Dael and Andrew on deck and sorted it out, moved closer to the other fishing boats in slightly deeper water. Well done boys.
17 January 2009 Saturday
Went for a walk in the little town, had a coke and ice cream. Went for a walk on yet another beautiful beach. Huge tanker wreck on the beach. I bet the snorkelling is probably great, not sure if we will get there though.
16 January 2009 Friday
Off to Imbituba – only a 3 hour trip, weather still not right to leave for Rio Grande, there is a big storm on the horizon, so we are just doing a quick hop down the coast to the last shelter to wait for the storm before heading for Rio Grande.
Arrived at Imbituba, seems to be a very small little village, slightly odd as there is also a huge container depot and port big enough for container ships to come into.
15 January 2009 Thursday
The plan is to victual the boat (that means shop for provisions in English), then move the boat around the corner of the island to an anchorage in front of an oyster farm, the owner who just happens to be a friend of our new friend Marina. What a lovely coincidence, especially for us oyster lovers…. Can’t wait!
Shopping done, packed up at Alastairs, SO grateful for their hospitality, what awesome people. Then met Marina and clan on the beach for them to join us on the short hop around the corner…. Hhhmmmnnn, not so short, the wind was not blowing in quite the direction we anticipated. Our new crew were feeling a bit green sadly (Marina apart) and did not enjoy the trip quite as much as we had hoped, but once we got into the calm waters of the lagoon, they all perked up quite a bit. We arrived at the oyster farm and were welcomed by Paulette, who came armed with a bag – I kid you not of about 6 dozen of the hugest, most spectacular tasting oysters I have probably ever tasted. So we sat on the side of the lagoon, with a beer, and proceeded to eat our way through a dozen oysters each… oh my hat…. very very tasty.
14 January 2009 Wednesday
Alastair kindly drove us into Florianopolos city to go through the drama of a checking out of the country, but we failed miserably. We arrived at the Capitanero dos Portos, where we go through the first 4 stages of checking out of the country, (immigration), which theoretically is followed by a quick visit to the Receiver of Revenue, the Health Department and the Policia Federal believe it or not. But after arriving at Capitainero dos Portos, the head honcho on duty decided that it was impossible to check out of Brazil directly from Florianopolis if we were sailing to Argentina and we would have to go to Rio Grande to check out, which is a tiny town on the border of Brazil and Urugauy, on the edge of a 300km lagoon, and you have to travel 30 km up a river to reach it. Anyhow, as we all know, there is no arguing with the administration, so guess what, no Buenos Aires for us yet… Off to Rio Grande we go. On the positive side, this means a shorter passage, and I am not sure if I am quite up to a 4 day passage yet.
After having been given the boot at ‘Capitanero dos Portos’, we went looking for a spot to have an English breakfast. En route, Alastair spoke to his friend Marina, who promptly invited us to her house for breakfast, we needed no second invitation. After meeting the larger than life personality of Marina, her 2 children Tommy and Valentina and her lovely sister Sandra, devouring an English breaskfast, followed by a visit to he toucans in an aviary ( the first we have seen), followed by a sail on a traditional canoe across the lagoon at her garden gate, followed by a risotto, followed by the best beef we have had in Brazil (though this beef was great, it is not really saying for the rest of the meat in Brazil – as it is pretty foul), followed by…. No that’s all for today folks! Except for an engagement to sail with us to move the boat around the corner the following day. Wow, the people here are just so amazingly hospitable and open, we have just been overwhelmed by good will in Brazil.
Alastair then took us on a tour of the middle of the island to show us some more of the same beautiful lagoon, and some other extraordinary beaches. Brazil can certainly boast about their beaches freely!
13 January 2009 Tuesday
Mum, Lucy and I walked to Lagoa do Peri, which is fresh or ‘sweet’ water lake. Lucy loved splashing around in the shallows. The walk took us about an hour, even though it was only a few kilometres, it was extremely hot, and I had Lucy in my back in the baby carrier, which she loves. Whereever we go carrying Lucy in some funny contraption we get huge attention as it seems that carrying babies on your back is not something that is really done in Brazil.
12 January 2009 Monday
We are spending a few days on dry land with Alastair and his family – Marianna, and daughter Thalissa, which is super. Really great to be on terra firma for a while. And extra awesome is the use of a super large washing machine and a hot shower – yes I now I do go on….we hauled cargo loads of washing back from the boat, and it was such a relief to see it all coming out of the machine smelling like roses, instead of musty boat!
Went to a funky restaurant in Pantenol de Sul with people writing notes on paper all over the wall, so it looks like a laundry (I think I have washing on the brain) with hundreds of little hankerchiefs hanging out to dry. The beach (again) was beautiful, and had some of the finest sand I have ever come across.
10 January 2009 Saturday
Spoke to my cousin Alastair Thompson who lives on the island, who we have come to visit. He is going to come through tomorrow with his family and join Andrew and the boys to take the boat down to the south of the island. Mum and I are going to then drive Alastair’s car down the island to meet the boat at their house. The interesting part of all this being that we will have to be driving on the wrong (or should I say right) side of the road! Lucy’s car seat will come in handy for the first time in a while.
Dan and Rupert came to visit, great to see them, they will help sail the boat down south. It seems that the island is really nice, as they have been meaning to leave for the last week and not managed too! They have been doing some ‘couch surfing’ – which seems like the latest buzz fashion. Basically you join up onto a website and say you need a couch to sleep on in X spot – and then hopefully you get an offer from someone! It seems as though Dan and Rupert are having it quite good with their couch offerees and are living it up at some fancy spot, having the time of their lives.
Was very happy that Mum and I drove down the island as when Josephine arrived in the South at Armacao, the crew had a bit of a rough trip down. The good news was though that it was very exciting as they had caught a skipjack tuna (Bonnito) on the way down. It was about a 12 kilo fish, so plenty for seared tuna for supper for everyone – nyumm.
07 January 2009
We left the island of Ihla Bella today for Florianopolis, which is a passage of 2 nights and 3 days. The weather was very mild, so we sailed a little and motored quite a lot. Which made for quite a pleasant passage, it is quite challenging with Lucy as one has to be down below a lot more than you would choose to be if you did not have a baby on board! Brings a whole new meaning to those triangular stickers that you see in the back of motor cars “ Baby on Board’! Saw a lovely school of dolphins and an albatross. The albatrosses are really beautiful the way they glide above the waves, hardly beating a wing. We arrived in Praia Jurar the north of Florianopolis at a fancy pants yacht club, where they had hot showers – YIPPEE, my goodness, it is amazing how quickly you revert to Mazlow’s hierarchy of needs!
So we are victualling the boat again (sounds so grand doesn’t it!) it actually means shopping. And in our case generally lugging a lot of groceries in a pram/backpack/bus… etc A lot of time is spent living, especially as everytime you are in a new town, you need to find out where everything is again! And especially in a country where English is spoken so infrequently. Today I am going to upload this blog, and some photos hopefully, go to Lauro’s boat museum, go to the city museum, do the rest of the shopping.. sorry victualling.. finish off the clothes washing, oh yes and look after Lucy! Lucy will be walking in the next couple of weeks, and is such a little charmer it is ridiculous. She just brings such smiles to all of our faces everyday! So this will be the last news until Buenos Aires..
Ok last minute update, it is now 10:15pm and we are all sitting in the garden in the dark getting eaten by mosquitoes and using a rather weak internet connection! Cheers till Buenos Aires, wish us a good passage, and NO
24 January 2009
The morning after we arrived in Rio Grande – Andrew and I went for a run, and after the first turning we ran into the Italiano Circus. So we asked the first chap that we saw, who happened to be the ringmaster – Chico (who was Portugese, not Italian… go figure) when the show was on..
So this afternoon we packed our bags and headed off for the circus. It was all a bit too loud and exciting, so after she burst into tears, I went to sit out in the slightly seedy food stalls area, and Lucy promptly attracted her own usual crowd. So in about 5 minutes, she had her own personal off duty clown entertaining her!
The circus was quite entertaining otherwise, with no animals, as circus animals has been banned in Brazil (much to my relief).
23 January 2009
We arrived in Rio Grande after a 2 day passage which was – let’s be frank – freakin awful. The first day was rough and we were sailing into the wind and Mum and I did not feel too great being down below with chirpy charlie Lucy. I was actually physically sick, so were not loving life too much! Andrew and Dael had a rough time off it, as followed by beating into a swell, and 2 off colour crew, the wind on the second night blew very hard, and the wheel was too strong for Mum and I, so Dael and Andrew had to helm all night. Asleep (or not so asleep) in the forepeak, we felt the most of the weather, being thrown up and down quite roughly. Lucy is so funny as she just blissfully sleeps through everything (thank goodness). And then wakes up smiling in the morning wanting the world to entertain her. VERY HAPPY TO BE ON DRY LAND – that was my birthday present from Andrew!!
We came up the river 30km – that is the distance from Plett to Knysna, and it is really shallow. We were almost at the yacht club and we were hailed by a formidable looking character dressed all in white wielding a megaphone, ordering us onto his jetty, and directing a team of people up and down, doing this and that! Lauro, the gentleman in white, who is the director of the Oceanographic Museum whose jetty we are moored at welcomed us with open arms, with offers of free water, power, internet and the use of all the facilities. We were also welcomed in for supper where we joined a film crew who are here filming a dolphin documentary.
The Oceanographic museum also houses a rehabilitation facility for seabirds – mainly penguins and a huge sea lion. The penguins are Magellanic penguins, which are a first cousin – if not brother of our African/Jackass penguin at home.
Lauro seems to be the regular entrepeneur of note, he has also instigated a marine/life skills school for the underprivileged where 200 students are educated between the ages of 14 and 17, the school took 10 years to complete and is now only 1 year old, and is extraordinary, complete with it’s own boat yard where the students are taught were to build boats.
20 January 2009
Left for Imbituba, weather forecast should be about right, could be a bit bumpy on the first day.
19 January 2009 Tuesday
We could not get off the boat at all today, the wind was absolutely pumping. The plan is to leave tomorrow if the storm breaks. We can see the end of the break water and the open sea, and the fishing boats coming in. The waves are HUGE. I am VERY pleased that we are at our protected anchorage, and not out there.
18 January 2009 Monday
Discovered over the weekend that we were mistaken – there is actually a big town 3 km down the road – very worldly travellers we are… we discovered this when we asked if there was anywhere that we could get a pizza and the guy answered, not here, only in Imbituba… hahaha. So off we went down the road to Imbituba, where on the way we happened to pass a surf shop, where Dael and Andrew both found the surfboards they have been searching for, though I am not sure if Andrew could have missed his, as it is 9 foot long and bright orange!!
Imbituba has hosted a number of big surf events, so I guess it was a good place to buy a surf board. We and pretty much we can get whatever we need here, though we have left it a bit late, as we are planning to leave on Wednesday after the storm, and not sure if we will get another chance to get to the shops.
After our surfboard shopping spree, we headed back to the beach, on the way it started to rain, by the time we got back to the boat, the heavens had opened, and the storm that we had been waiting here, had arrived in full force. Unbelievable rain, absolute buckets falling from the sky.
We dragged our anchor at 11:30 pm, into a fishing net. Dael and Andrew on deck and sorted it out, moved closer to the other fishing boats in slightly deeper water. Well done boys.
17 January 2009 Saturday
Went for a walk in the little town, had a coke and ice cream. Went for a walk on yet another beautiful beach. Huge tanker wreck on the beach. I bet the snorkelling is probably great, not sure if we will get there though.
16 January 2009 Friday
Off to Imbituba – only a 3 hour trip, weather still not right to leave for Rio Grande, there is a big storm on the horizon, so we are just doing a quick hop down the coast to the last shelter to wait for the storm before heading for Rio Grande.
Arrived at Imbituba, seems to be a very small little village, slightly odd as there is also a huge container depot and port big enough for container ships to come into.
15 January 2009 Thursday
The plan is to victual the boat (that means shop for provisions in English), then move the boat around the corner of the island to an anchorage in front of an oyster farm, the owner who just happens to be a friend of our new friend Marina. What a lovely coincidence, especially for us oyster lovers…. Can’t wait!
Shopping done, packed up at Alastairs, SO grateful for their hospitality, what awesome people. Then met Marina and clan on the beach for them to join us on the short hop around the corner…. Hhhmmmnnn, not so short, the wind was not blowing in quite the direction we anticipated. Our new crew were feeling a bit green sadly (Marina apart) and did not enjoy the trip quite as much as we had hoped, but once we got into the calm waters of the lagoon, they all perked up quite a bit. We arrived at the oyster farm and were welcomed by Paulette, who came armed with a bag – I kid you not of about 6 dozen of the hugest, most spectacular tasting oysters I have probably ever tasted. So we sat on the side of the lagoon, with a beer, and proceeded to eat our way through a dozen oysters each… oh my hat…. very very tasty.
14 January 2009 Wednesday
Alastair kindly drove us into Florianopolos city to go through the drama of a checking out of the country, but we failed miserably. We arrived at the Capitanero dos Portos, where we go through the first 4 stages of checking out of the country, (immigration), which theoretically is followed by a quick visit to the Receiver of Revenue, the Health Department and the Policia Federal believe it or not. But after arriving at Capitainero dos Portos, the head honcho on duty decided that it was impossible to check out of Brazil directly from Florianopolis if we were sailing to Argentina and we would have to go to Rio Grande to check out, which is a tiny town on the border of Brazil and Urugauy, on the edge of a 300km lagoon, and you have to travel 30 km up a river to reach it. Anyhow, as we all know, there is no arguing with the administration, so guess what, no Buenos Aires for us yet… Off to Rio Grande we go. On the positive side, this means a shorter passage, and I am not sure if I am quite up to a 4 day passage yet.
After having been given the boot at ‘Capitanero dos Portos’, we went looking for a spot to have an English breakfast. En route, Alastair spoke to his friend Marina, who promptly invited us to her house for breakfast, we needed no second invitation. After meeting the larger than life personality of Marina, her 2 children Tommy and Valentina and her lovely sister Sandra, devouring an English breaskfast, followed by a visit to he toucans in an aviary ( the first we have seen), followed by a sail on a traditional canoe across the lagoon at her garden gate, followed by a risotto, followed by the best beef we have had in Brazil (though this beef was great, it is not really saying for the rest of the meat in Brazil – as it is pretty foul), followed by…. No that’s all for today folks! Except for an engagement to sail with us to move the boat around the corner the following day. Wow, the people here are just so amazingly hospitable and open, we have just been overwhelmed by good will in Brazil.
Alastair then took us on a tour of the middle of the island to show us some more of the same beautiful lagoon, and some other extraordinary beaches. Brazil can certainly boast about their beaches freely!
13 January 2009 Tuesday
Mum, Lucy and I walked to Lagoa do Peri, which is fresh or ‘sweet’ water lake. Lucy loved splashing around in the shallows. The walk took us about an hour, even though it was only a few kilometres, it was extremely hot, and I had Lucy in my back in the baby carrier, which she loves. Whereever we go carrying Lucy in some funny contraption we get huge attention as it seems that carrying babies on your back is not something that is really done in Brazil.
12 January 2009 Monday
We are spending a few days on dry land with Alastair and his family – Marianna, and daughter Thalissa, which is super. Really great to be on terra firma for a while. And extra awesome is the use of a super large washing machine and a hot shower – yes I now I do go on….we hauled cargo loads of washing back from the boat, and it was such a relief to see it all coming out of the machine smelling like roses, instead of musty boat!
Went to a funky restaurant in Pantenol de Sul with people writing notes on paper all over the wall, so it looks like a laundry (I think I have washing on the brain) with hundreds of little hankerchiefs hanging out to dry. The beach (again) was beautiful, and had some of the finest sand I have ever come across.
10 January 2009 Saturday
Spoke to my cousin Alastair Thompson who lives on the island, who we have come to visit. He is going to come through tomorrow with his family and join Andrew and the boys to take the boat down to the south of the island. Mum and I are going to then drive Alastair’s car down the island to meet the boat at their house. The interesting part of all this being that we will have to be driving on the wrong (or should I say right) side of the road! Lucy’s car seat will come in handy for the first time in a while.
Dan and Rupert came to visit, great to see them, they will help sail the boat down south. It seems that the island is really nice, as they have been meaning to leave for the last week and not managed too! They have been doing some ‘couch surfing’ – which seems like the latest buzz fashion. Basically you join up onto a website and say you need a couch to sleep on in X spot – and then hopefully you get an offer from someone! It seems as though Dan and Rupert are having it quite good with their couch offerees and are living it up at some fancy spot, having the time of their lives.
Was very happy that Mum and I drove down the island as when Josephine arrived in the South at Armacao, the crew had a bit of a rough trip down. The good news was though that it was very exciting as they had caught a skipjack tuna (Bonnito) on the way down. It was about a 12 kilo fish, so plenty for seared tuna for supper for everyone – nyumm.
07 January 2009
We left the island of Ihla Bella today for Florianopolis, which is a passage of 2 nights and 3 days. The weather was very mild, so we sailed a little and motored quite a lot. Which made for quite a pleasant passage, it is quite challenging with Lucy as one has to be down below a lot more than you would choose to be if you did not have a baby on board! Brings a whole new meaning to those triangular stickers that you see in the back of motor cars “ Baby on Board’! Saw a lovely school of dolphins and an albatross. The albatrosses are really beautiful the way they glide above the waves, hardly beating a wing. We arrived in Praia Jurar the north of Florianopolis at a fancy pants yacht club, where they had hot showers – YIPPEE, my goodness, it is amazing how quickly you revert to Mazlow’s hierarchy of needs!
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