Natal
23 July 2011 | Brazil
Ashore we went to “check in” with the yacht club. They told us that we had to check in with the Policia Federal, Receita (customs) and Capitana dos Portos. As we are at the moment now 2 weeks “illegal” in the country we assured them that we would be going to see all the officials (ummmm not quite) For us to have to go do all the officialdom after already checking out of the country and our exit papers say that our next port is Tobago, is just not worth the paperwork. There are obviously just reasons for us having to stop and generally reason to stop being either weather, mechanical or illness are all justifiable. But, for now we will dodge the officials and hopefully leave in the next few days.
One of the rules of staying at the club and accessing their facilities was that we could not use the pool – try and explain that to the girls when they sea a big blue round swimming pool. I told the office that this was the first yacht club in the whole of Brazil that we had been to that would not allow the visiting yachties to swim. They uuhmmed and aaahhed then said – OK just the children. So the girls took over the pool while we took over the free wireless!
On Friday we went exploring to Punta Negra which is a typical Brazilian beach resort which is apparently very popular with Italians who arrive in droves during August. It was the usual beach scene – Mom and Dad sitting under a brolly with cold Skols while the girls played in the warm water. On route back to the Iate Club we did some stocking up on fresh fruit and veg. So now we have to wait for the weather while the girls enjoy the pool.