Vagabond: A Maritime Journey Around the World

Chapter 04 - Leaving Port - Passage 01 450mn

The vastness of the ocean transforms any human emotions or feelings. We let loose the moorings of the marina and after a few hours of sailing everything was just the blue of the sea under the gaze of the firmament. We decided to leave behind the land and the bonds. We started to not see the coast anymore and that was a relief under the full moon and staggered (we left 80 km of the coast)

At sea, every day is unique. This Friday, after a day of adaptations – seasickness -, and without news – wind NE in the face -, exactly in my quarter of hour, just before midnight, happens the following fact: a seabird, maybe a seagull, He approached Vagabond in despair. I stood still – I did not want to frighten or frighten the poor animal – and waited for his clumsy landing upon the main awning. The creature was distinctly exhausted – perhaps it had already erred for hours in the endless sea. Terrified by taking a beautiful ride early in the morning. Rested his body for the long return and another day of fisheries. I liked having helped that little – and remarkable – to be.

3 and 4 days

The sea remained poorly stable throughout the day. Sailing required a more refined crew technique. The NE wind prevents a smooth advance of the boat and the waves also hinder the performance. All the while we've been adjusting the cloths and electronics to stay on course. The full moon – 98% – allowed us a 360º night view inside. We took the opportunity to do one or two filming. We rehearsed together for the first time: Marô (voice, guitar); crisa (voice, percussion); Preu (percussion).

The taste of fresh fish is nothing like that. By the way, fishing, treating, cooking and tasting fish as noble as tuna was a unique experience. It was two fish, caught within 15 minutes, about 50 km of the coast, about the time of Maceió. The second, of 2 kg, gave work: it fought a lot until being hoisted and immolated in the cockpit of the Vagabond.

I have no doubt that Sunday was the day of marine life. We were far from the land, between Maceió and Recife, when we were intercepted by a legion of dolphins. They were more than 20 individuals. agile and curious. They followed the boat for a few minutes and resumed their routes

5th day (arrival)

After 4 days and 4 whole nights we arrive in Recife. Arriving and meeting a goal is also a rewarding sensation. We sight the beach of Boa Viagem to port until we enter the channel. The arrival in the marina is complicated. It is necessary to go to the right of the channel (on demand), at a distance of 10 meters of the riverbank. It is best to arrive at full tide. I thanked God after tying Vagabond up at 8:00 in the morning at the Cabanga marina in Recife.

We are 7 days anchored "at" reef. We want to return to the sea. Navigate is necessary! My body adapts slowly to the new spaces of everyday life. My head needs to be lightly tilted when I am inside the deck. Unusual situations! Starting tomorrow (Monday) we will start the departure procedures – something that can last 2 or 3 days. Until then: wait!

Today, December 5, 2007, during the preamar (full), we will leave Recife to go until Christmas after 10 days of work and testing. And that tests! We went to the Port of Suape, 20 miles south of where we were anchored. A 3-hour sailing. With some information obtained in the marina and with detailed instructions in a nautical guide – and more the help of our Orixás, mainly the seafarers – we went to that locality. There are reports that the construction of the harbour has caused a kind of environmental disaster with regard to the world of sharks. Now, the "Mouthmouths" – as the esteemed Neca – are living an astral hell, they live in a food shortage; since the intervention in Suape, regrettably and perhaps out of revenge, they have included human flesh in their diet. But there are those who say that this problem is old.

The sea, turquoise blue, gave an artistic tone to the event. The ocean in this part of Brazil is quite different. Here we are on the most eastern lands of the continent. At these latitudes the Atlantic Ocean is pushed by Brazil and hit by Africa, at the time of the Ivory Coast. The compressed waters form a powerful channel, like a huge herd that funnels into a corral. At least that's the feeling I got from sailing those seas.

We arrive to windward (wind in favor) and enter by a narrow channel, protected by gigantic reefs and symmetrically aligned for more than 2 km. Amazing how nature could carve something like this, a natural port with a large bay, a poetic scenery – all this only during the low seas, however there being excellent points for anchoring. Suddenly I heard: Marô! Hold tight; it will run aground! – I was safe in the guard, in the prow of the Vagabond. The probe passed inches from the bottom and immediately stopped the vessel. We needed to produce new guidelines, or simply come back. But fate wanted us to visit sheltered paradise. A practical man who claims to have spotted us two hours ago approached us and guided us into the bay to the tranquility of the most protected waters. Received R $ 10, ""tie!

We returned by the same complicated and winding path and passed through the channel with the tide filling. We doubled the "Cabinho" and gained height towards Recife. We arrived in the dried and saved Cabanga. Yes, the boat decided not to let the saltwater bathe its entrails. It was a relief to know that at least in normal conditions there would be no leak problems in the Vagabond. One job less, by the way, an arduous and complicated task to unfold. At last, we have a star shining in our directions. Of course, we have learned the lesson of never penetrating places not known without previous agreement with a local practice. The mundovagabond thanks the help of the Gods and the patience of you readers.

I am still confused by the texts of this module (message in the bottle) and of the logbook. There (in the diary) I would like to express personal feelings and narrate the days at sea. In this here (mg), I want to expose and share diverse information with the netizens of mundovagabond.com. I hope I don't confuse the readers with this beginning of work. I promise I will adjust these edges.

And finally, I will narrate an interesting fact that proves what I'm talking about the difficulty of doing the routines on a 36-foot sailboat. I was responsible for the task of replenishing the diesel oil stocks. The nearest gas station was 20 minutes from the Cabanga, by boat (motor), and we needed 80 liters – understand: 80 kg of load. Right at the exit he threw me the key of the boat, there from inside the cockpit of the Vagabond. He missed the target. When trying to make a difficult rescue, falls into the water; worse: unsuccessful and morally lowered. The key of the boat ended up in the marshy bottom of the marina. Wet, I still needed to use a plan "b". We requested a dinghy in the administration and we went, me and an employee of the place until the pier of Santa Rita, a commercial and old center in Recife. The place did not accept card. I bought 55 lts because – thank God I had brought what we had, "in kind" – but anyway, I knew that there were more than 60 lts stored in the armory. Anyway, the adventure lasted over three hours. We soaked the whole boat when we put the oil in the tank: it was already night and the hose made many curves – it interrupted the flow. I paid the boy, washed the boat, kept everything and saw that it was still all dirty and stained with oil. Finally, I bathed and the smell didn't come out. "Ai, ai, how I miss Bahia..."