Armação do Búcios

Day 45 Armação do Búcios

Brazil

A nice sunny approach this morning brought us around this peninsula to the North side and we anchored at 0745 off Centro market area. The bay is filled with fishing boats, water taxis and motor schooners for the tourists. So again we boarded a ship's boat for a ride to shore.

This is a tourist and vacation area with many rental homes and small hotels built on the hillsides. Narrow winding roads make serpentine trails about. We took a open air truck with bench seats up the hills to viewpoints of the beaches and rocky promontories. We spent a little time at a beautiful beach just wading in the cold water (fed by antarctic current on the South side of the point) and taking snapshots. On the way back we stopped at Ponta da Lagoinha to see the rocks where it is believed the continents of South America and Africa were once joined. Back through neighborhoods and into Centro again. On foot we walked along the waterfront shops which mostly offered resort wear, swim wear, souvenirs and restaurants.

In Rio the people hyped Carmen Miranda. Here it is Brigitte Bardot whose visit with her Brazilian boyfriend in 1964 brought fame to the formerly sleep fishing village.

A nice breeze was blowing from the North which helped the day considerably. Centro was full of passengers and crew from the Prinsendam, families from the area resorts and people of the vacation home rentals. There were Argentinians, Chileans, Brazilians and a mix of other nationalities. Young families with their children in tow. We went back to he ship at 1400 having experienced enough.

At 1700 we sailed.

Noon position: 22° 44.80'S and 41° 53.48'W. Sunrise 0538, sunset 1823. Air temp and water temp the same at 28°C or 82°F. Total distance 11,292 nautical miles. Distance covered from last port 116 nm.

Outlook for tonight, North East wind 32 knots, on the nose. The ship should expect some regular pitching of a light nature. The next day is a sea day as we head up the horn of Brazil.