can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Exody - Days 404-410: Buggies, Beaches, Beautiful People



That's Fernanda de Noronha for you! The VW beetle based beach buggies are ubiquitous for locals and tourists alike - the characteristic engine noise swiftly bringing memories of my student days dismantling and rebuilding beetles! Beaches - reputed to be amongst the top in the world and plenty bronzed young couples enjoying them for this is a top honeymoon destination! There is also the dramatic volcanic landscape, the tropical vegetation with half the island and its waters as a fully protected national park. The main village has characterful cobbled streets and the island boasts one five star hotel and 105 poussadas (guest houses). Apparently visitor numbers are limited to 420 at a time in addition to the 2,600 permanent residents.

Exody was anchored for five days in Porto St Antonio where the heavy swell, and frequent rain showers ensured broken nights not dissimilar to some of those at sea. By the time we left the evening before last, Thursday 25th, six other World ARC boats had arrived and Makena had left the day before.

We made the most of the short stopover. We all took the island shuttle bus to the Sueste beach in the nature reserve, taking a guided snorkel to see turtles, lobster, octopus. David crammed a one-on-one PADI course with Atlantis into two days plus an evening finding the course, the instructor and the dives all worth the considerable mental and physical effort! He took a room ashore for three nights. Marian and I took the bus again, this time to the renowned Sancho beach, accessible only by two steep ladders through a narrow rock crevice. First we walked the delightful boardwalk loop to the viewpoint over the Bay of Dolphins (Golfinhos) chatting with the resident biologist observing and counting the spinner dolphin activity. Returning by the spectacular cliff path to descend to the beach for a swim and snorkel - then back up taking the cliff path north to view the two sisters islands and the anchorage beyond. The well organised nature park facilities both here and at Sueste provided welcome fresh water beach showers and snack lunch. Thursday we collected David to gather his belongings from the fo'c'sle and enjoyed a farewell lunch at our favoured bistro Mergulhao- harbour view, English spoken, great tapas - style food! Leaving for his plane, eight weeks since joining us in Cape Town, he later texted that it had been cancelled! We are yet to hear how he made it home to Scotland.

Tonight, Saturday 27th at 22.00, we have the loom of Fortaleza 50 miles ahead and the half moon just risen astern. Five boats are converging for an early morning arrival there tomorrow and Chat Eau Bleu is just a mile behind. The 370 mile passage has been straightforward though with heavy rain and cloud for part of each day. After the first night, we packed the mainsail away and sailed under heavily reefed genoa alone - this to slow our speed down to the 6 knots I had calculated to assure a daylight arrival for the fishing boat and wreck strewn approach to Fortaleza. The increasingly favourable Brazil current started at just under a knot and peaked at nearly three earlier today - far in excess of what I had allowed. With full sail we could probably be making 9 knots over the ground! It has felt odd and ironic to be managing boat speed downwards! Lets hope the same current will help us optimise our speed north west on the last leg of World ARC to Grenada next week.


Peter (Skipper)


Previous | Next