Blue Planet Odyssey in Jacare, Brazil

|A reminder that we re in the land of the Zika virfus

Carol enjoying the warm water and extensive beach

Looking south toward Joao Pessoa

Tahawus entering the marina

Rob with crew of Tahawus, minus Mirko

Rob, and Ruy from Blue Wind

Marina Jacare Village infrastructure at high tide

Liam supervising moving of No Regrets to marina slip at slack tide

Blue Planet Odyssey in Jacare, Brazil

Dec. 13, 2016

It has turned out that four BPO boats ended up in the marina here. We have enjoyed some staggered celebrations as people have come and gone. Blue Wind has completed their circumnavigation, as they left from Brazil in the fall of 2014. The boat just got a ride from Thailand to the Med. They enjoyed sailing in Greece and Turkey primarily, before the long trip home. James was only here a few hours before his flight home for Christmas. Ruy left the next day. But the boat will be here for a month with Maggie, Tahawas, and No Regrets. Liam leaves today, Rob and I later today, and Nora in a few weeks. The others are staying. After the first day of checking airfares we also considered skipping the trip home. It is not a good idea to wait until the school holidays, which started this weekend,  to buy tickets. But I'm sure we would run into the same problem trying to tour Brazil this time of year. Besides, we are really looking forward to seeing family and friends. We will get to Toronto late Thurs, the 15th. Coming back, we leave home Jan 3, but are stopping over for a few days in Rio, until Jan 7.

It is quite nice at the marina. I was worried about having to med moor in a river that can have a current of several knots. But you just tie up on the end of the pontoons. And then at the next slack high tide, 3 marina staff with a dinghy help you get into a slip. That helps! Jacare Village Marina is one of 5 in a row along Rio Paraiba, about 7 km from the mouth. But the river travels inland parallel to the coast here. So it is only a 30 minute walk to the beach on the coast. The beach runs for 30 km, with lots of sand and warm water. The shops are near there. Right in Jacare, there are a few convenience stores, a fish market, and a tourist area with shops and entertainment. Tour boats cruise the river and like to come close to see the boats. Lots of music both onshore and on the boats. It seems that all Brazilian music is very loud and the locals like to party.

Checking in to the country is quite a process. Today, Tues, was the earliest we could leave even though we arrived last Wed. The officials only work mornings and each stop is in a different location and has taken a few hours. Thurs was immigration, Fri customs, Mon port control. And today back to customs for the forms necessary to leave the country without the boat on our Christmas trip.

On Monday we took the train into the closest large city, Joao Pessoa, a 30 min. trip. Public transportation and museums are free in Brazil to those over 60 years, even if you are a tourist. Although the regular train fare is less that 50 cents. The historic city center is the third oldest in Brazil. There are some churches that have been in use since the fifteen hundreds. They have seen Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese rulers. A group of us spent the day wandering around the city enjoying the old architecture. It is more ornate than the British colonial buildings. There were a number of information signs, but all were in Portuguese. We need to come back with an English guide book. We will have a few days on our return before heading to Barbados, the official end for the BPO.

Getting Close to Brazil

Getting Close to Brazil

December 6, 2016

Another day or two left in the trip! With 170 mm to go, we could arrive late Wed or early Thurs. The approach to the marina is through a reef, and then 7 nm up a river. Not something we want to tackle in the dark. There is a strong current in the river, so the strategy is to start the trip on a rising tide. If the wind stays high enough, we could arrive at a good time late Wednesday. Otherwise we have to slow down to arrive Thurs morning. Fortunately, you can anchor in the river. The suggestion for getting in to a marina slip is to wait for slack tide to attempt the med mooring. Something to look forward to!

The only sign that we are getting closer to the coast has been the increase in boat traffic. It is interesting to read the destinations of all the freighters. Most of the north traveling ones are heading to the USA. South going, often Singapore. The water temperature is now afternoon 32.6 C. Those famous Brazilian beaches have more to recommend them than just expanses of sand. The ones just south of the marina are the furthest east of all South American beaches. Hopefully we will have time to visit.

We copied some material about the area when we had internet in St Helena. It will likely take 2 days to complete the checking in procedures. The tourist bars in the area play loud music until 2 am most nights. The marina is Jacare Village marina. The town at the coast is Cabedelo. Airport is in Joao Passeo. But flights will go through Rio or São Paulo.

Tahawus arrived in Fernando yesterday and No Regrets today. They hope to catch up with us in Jacare before we leave. That is likely to be the middle of next week.

Halfway

 Halfway

December 1, 2016

Last evening we reached the halfway mark. We are now in the tropics, about as far south of the equator as Grenada is north of it. The time zone is -1 UTC, with Eastern Brazil at -2. And it is the first of Dec. Air temp is 25 and water temp 28. All of these things are making it seem like we are on a homeward stretch.

In the past week we have only seen two freighters go by. Some days we can get the other BPO boats on SSB, but not always. Bluewind, (the BPO Brazilian boat that went to the med), is also crossing the Atlantic now. They and Tahawas and No Regrets will be meeting in Fernando, an island off the northeast coast of Brazil. We'd love to see them again, but would the detour would shortchange us on Christmas time. It is 300nm back SW to the marina at Jacare.

Now that the wind is a bit higher, about 15kn, we have been traveling wing and wing. It certainly has been easier to sleep without the spinnaker up overnight as the wind direction keeps shifting around. We each spend about 5 hours on watch and napping, and another 5 sleeping. We can usually travel between 5 and 7 knots. The wind instruments stopped working, but you can feel where the wind is coming from and guess the strength. Just not as convenient. Otherwise, Maggie, is doing well.