15 April 2012 Angra - Abrao
The last few days has been very hot well over 30 degrees but today the barometer has dropped and a front is on the way. We left Sitio Forte yesterday morning for the last time to come to Angra to shop and check out for Rio. Also found the local booz store recommended by fellow yachtsmen Udo "SY Orca" were we stared to stock up on Montilla Rum and Cachca the local mutie for Capahrinia our favored drink due to the high Vit C . We also took the advantage of free wifi to skype the family. From here we went across to Santana and stayed 2 days emptied our chain locker and cleaned it out and rubbed the chain down. Departed on the weekend as hordes of Schooners arrived .22 April. All is well here in Abrao and we are sitting ashore in a little coffee shop watching the Grand Prix. Yesterday amazingly Bert saw the qualifying on board in a smaller anchorage but alas here it did not happen.
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7 April 2012 Easter Weekend.
Lots of boat traffic around here, and they don't care how close they anchor. At one stage last night while we were sipping a cocktail the one yacht got so close we could have stepped onto his transom. We were lying on a buoy and he just did not pay attention when he put his hook down I guess. While the wind blows all is good but when it drops as it does every evening then all the yachts do their own thing so we were stern to stern.
Another power boat did not like the bit of swell that came in and put out a second anchor this positioned him about 5 meters from us. These crazy Brazilians. We have seen "klepper" again Chris and Dominique very nice Swiss couple. We have purchased a brazilian propane tank and regulator while here as it is a third cheaper than filling your own tanks that is not easy to do as not many places do it. There fittings are very different to ours. We have been doing night fishing and it is very rewarding, Bert has rigged up a light which we hand above the water and works well to attract these buggers.
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3 April 2012 Sitio Forte
Well we are back at Ilha Grande and the only boat in the bay at the moment. We had a little s/sw and sailed most of the way here from do Frado. So its back to the Rock washing day, so nice perched on the rock in the middle of the bay sitting on the patch of thick soft luscious green grass. What more can a laundry girl wont. Maybe a glass of wine would be more appropriate than a pale of washing.
We have been paddling our dinghy a lot lately instead of using the motor I find it is great for the upper arms. And his truly usually sits at the back giving bits of advise.
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April 2012 Hotel Frado.
After been rolled to sleep last night it was a pleasure to move on to Hotel Frado. What a lovely place nice long beach and pretty quiet anchorage between the mainland and a little island. Had a nice 2 hour stroll today and found a supermarket. There is a lot of Condos here on a water way very impressive for the very wealthy most have big power boats in front on the jetty's some up to 100 feet. Lots of house staff working there butts off to maintain these mansions were visible.
To leave a yacht here on a mooring buoy will set you back 400 us dollars a month. Including cleaning of bottom and running the engine.
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27 March 2012 Ilha da Cotia
Just when we were settled in anchor down drink in hand a stink pot arrived and we no longer had the bay to ourselves. Never the less we still enjoyed this lovely spot so secluded and not a ripple on the water. While paddling around the bay close to shore we spotted 2 Turtles swimming along. Later we walked across the island very narrow 15 min max walk and went to snorkel, but a bit disappointed the water was not very clear at all. We stayed for 2 days and had lots of rain and very overcast. Not so good for the batteries so we had to run the engine for 1 hour twice a day to top up.
Anchor up nice and early and we headed to Sandri Island good for snorkeling and diving. It was quiet rolly here the swell was creaping in around the corner of the island, I was not a happy camper.The photo is of schooners in Paraty.
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24 March 2012 A little more about Paraty
Paraty one of the oldest Brazilian Cities , and was a gold loading port on colonial times as well as one of the ports of entry for slaves brought from Africa. The town is a national monument. Will post some photos on the blog when I catch up. On high spring tide days the sea floods the city streets near the harbor. We saw some of it today.
Very successful day today got Bert's computer working again so now he is up and running on wifi. Found a nice supermarket and bought as much as we could possibly carry, will for sure make a return trip tomorrow and stock up a bit more specially on the Beers good prices. We have had some strong winds today at sunset and the aluminum boat dragged anchor for about 100 meters. Tomorrow we will go across the bay to the beach and spend a few days, had enough of the stone streets here . Very uneven and just to much schooner traffic. They do not have good boat handling skills and don't care to much about yachts.
We have got a new propeller on the outboard now since a bush had worn our on the old one after a good couple of years. So now we can get places a lot faster. Also we have been doing Wi fi from the boat with the directional antenna. But unfortunately it is to weak to do skype.
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