23 July 2012 Itacare.
We have been here in Itacare now for a few days and have familiarized ourselves with the surroundings , the strong current that flows up to 5 knots at times and with the huge "islands " of water lily's that come floating down river. The islands can be 6 square meters big and could be a threat when snared in the anchor chain due to the shear weight. One night we worked for a ½ hour to cut one of them free from our chain.
We took guided trip with the Brazilian family up river to a very beautiful waterfall. After a few km at speed up river, we entered a very small and narrow tributary where our guide pushed the boat along with the paddle touching the shallow bottom. On both sides many color full crabs where scuttling around in the mud banks we also saw exotic birds sitting in the very lush vegetation. We did not see Any Anacondas that are supposedly to be around here as well. To enter the waterfall area we had to pay a small entrance fee, the surroundings are kept very clean and tidy with lots of Coco bean trees and other tropical fruit and Spice trees. The last day we where there a little French boat joined us in the anchorage he told us he was looking to buy land.
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17 July 2012 Itacare
We left the next morning at 6am with a light SW wind of 7-10 knots and had to motor sail all the way in order to arrive on a rising tide at Itacare. The entrance is not as easy as the book shows, in fact once you pass the lighthouse I had to find my own way following the flow of the river. It appears that the sand banks have shifted since the book was written 6 years ago. We made it with out touching bottom and we are now anchored about 2 miles up in the Rio das Contas. Yacht 'SOBA' is still here so that is nice, since we did not have much time in Santo Andre together.
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7 July 2012.
Santo Andre. We decided to stay here and celebrate my Birthday.
A bottle of champagne was cracked open with our breakfast of egg tomato and bacon sandwiches, to give us a good days start. Afterwards we walked 3km to the ferry station to catch the ferry across the river to Cabralia. At the local bakery we had coffee and cake as on our first visit to Cabralia. The visit to the market was okay we should have gone earlier. We intended to depart on Monday the 9th. Up bright and early, took one look outside and went back to bed. It was 8-8 overcast with heavy rain and strong winds, gusting 30 knots. After this weather we had a couple days NE, no good to go north, so on the 14 we departed just after low water. The reef exit was uneventful but still had the adrenalin going. We had to motor till lunch time to find the predicted easterly of 12-15 knots, but from then on it stayed with us thru the night.
It was a magic sail with millions of stars out and the last quarter of the moon coming up at 3am. Due to our slow sail from early morning on with lots of rain about and no wind we decided to go into Ilheus as we would not make Itacare in good light. The anchorage was a first very rolly ,but during the night the wind shifted to off shore and pushed the stern into the swell which made it a lot more comfortable.
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Santo Andre.
This is a picturesque village developed along the shore of Joao de Tiba river, near Santa Cruz Cabralia, some 90 miles south of Ilheus. There are some bars and lodges here not much shopping around so going into Cabralia tomorrow. The anchorage is in a channel sheltered from the wind and from the sea. A double line of reefs protects the entrance and a magnificent beach.
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30 June 2012.
We departed at 1500 for an overnight to Santo Andre, what first looked like a wet sail turned out to be quiet a magic sail. None of the threatening black clouds got us. By 3 am we had to slow down to 2 knots as one can only enter at low water to see the Reef. The Joao de Tiba River is only 200 meters wide but the entrance is tricky with only one way point outside then it goes straight for the beach, up the back of the Reef, there one passes about 5 meters from the reef the water is 20 ft deep before one enters the actual river and from there it is 2.5 meters average depth. We are lying in front of some nice houses and a good restaurant. Met two local yachts here, unfortunately they left the same day, but we will meet up again in the next anchorage.
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26 June 2012 Caravelas to Cumuruxatiba
After spending many relaxing days and meals together with Mauricio and friends we are finally ready to leave with so many fond memories of this beautiful river anchorage. On Saturday we had a lovely sail on Sanukstar out to the reefs for fishing and spear fishing Visibility unfortunate not so good, on Sunday we spent most of the day in the comfort of Mauricio house it rained all day and we watched the formula one and I made us all lunch.
26 June 2012 Tender up and motor on bracket, for an early start next day. But in the morning it rained and the wind was very strong so we played games and did lots of reading.
28 June 2012 Departed at 9am with a nice South breeze down River had a good Sail out to the Reef anchorage for the night, to shorten the distance tomorrow. We both jumped in and cleaned the bottom of Snatch, it had a few barnacles to many. Next day up early and on the way to Comuruxatiba arrived at 1500. Tide was still pretty high and difficult to spot the opening in the Reef to head in. We then noticed a fisherman waving frantically with his hat in hand. He passed us on to a friend once we got to him, that had a sailing dinghy and he sailed ahead of us to the anchorage. This was a very touching moment for us. There is no charts for this area and the cruising guide is not very clear with no way points or bearings. The evening was a bit rolly as with most anchorage behind a Reef the swell does come over a bit at high tide.
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