Bracuhy to Buzios

28th May 2013 to 8th June 2013

Piet gave us a lift to the airport as he also had an early morning flight. The 11-hour flight was spend enjoying different movies. Due to a later departure and unfavorable Jet Stream our flight arrived an hour later than scheduled in Sao Paulo. This caused us to miss our connection flight to Rio de Janeiro. Fortunately we managed to get onto the next flight with a little bit of more complications:

The bulk of our luggage were not clothing but varying from fishing tackle accessories, boat spares to the nice luxury food items not freely available in Brazil. We were carefully loaded to the maximum for an international flight on each bag. Our four-bag total came to a hefty 88 kg without hand luggage (computer bags, ipads and an additional camera bag) and off course Zack had to purchase 2 off Johnny Walker Black Labels as additional carry on luggage because it was tax free and he reckoned he had a few fingers to spare. Keeping al our stuff together was like trying to manage a kinder garden class in a public place. Once our baggage where stack piled (with good balancing tricks and only doing gentle movements) we literally had to move a mountain every time we moved from point A to B. 

Missing our connection flight became an extra expensive exercise when our connection flight weight limit were only 40 kg max for the two of us together!

We only landed 21h30 instead of 19h00 in Rio and waited an additional hour for our luggage. We where relieved when we finally emerged from the terminal and found Manoel still patiently waited for us. He taxied us the final 200 km stretch to Bracuhy. It was raining and at one stage we were only doing 40km/h. We arrive at 2h00 the morning. A long trip but safely back home on Vagabund. The following morning we unpacked al our luggage and tried to remember where we have stored away certain things on Vagabund. 

We had a warm welcome by our dear friends Teresa and Assis welcoming us back in Bracuhy. Teresa looked after our boat when we were in South Africa. It was so comforting knowing that somebody was caring daily over Vagabund. Everything was in tiptop condition when we returned. She obviously, although she refused to admit, did some cleaning as well. Thank you Teresa and Assis.

We met Silvio and Lilian of Yacht Matajusi. He is the organizer and sponsor of the BR rally group (Brazil Rally Group). We joined up with 20 other foreign boats and after he handed us our BRally flag, hats and sticker we were officially part of the BRally group.

We also had the privilege to meet some new British arrivals on there boat Lynn Rival. Paul and Rachel Chandler shared with us their horrific experience of being abducted in Seychelles and held hostage in Somalia by pirates for more than a year. They still sail the same yacht with and we inspected the gun hole through the boom. One can learn so much from them. They are forever thankful for surviving their ordeal, not overcame by fear, they are still living their dream by sailing the not beaten track of the oceans. 

Another eye opener for us was that they were abducted in October 2009 a one-day sail East of the Port Victoria (Seychelles capital and the main Island Mahe). Still vary much inside Seychelles waters and not in Somalia waters as what was initially reported to avoid panic under tourist visiting Seychelles. We chartered a catamaran in Feb 2010 in Seychelles and enjoyed good fishing North of the outer Islands, a two to three day sail, totally unaware of the close proximity of the pirate attack.

Late afternoon on our first day back on Vagabund we cycled outside the marina to the local market to get some fresh fruit and vegetables. While crossing a narrow bridge I had an accident leading to three hospitals and good medical care. You can read my Testimony about my “Brazilian Scar” on the Top Menu: Magda Spiritual. 

We decided to spend the next seven days in Bracuhy for me to recover. Zack spend most of his days preparing the different navigation systems for our trip sailing north. With our previous visit to Bracuhy we met Ivan and Igle. He is a very experienced sailor and his notes were previously used by several rally’s going up North.  Ivan has provided Zack with valuable information and waypoints for our trip. Ivan tips is on “Sailing the Brazilian Coast” is on the Top Menu: Voyage. 

 Friday the 31st Theresa and Assis picked Zack up at 9h00 to go through to Angra to Receita Féderal (Customs). Teresa is again going to act as interpreter. During our return to South Africa, Bracuhy Marina accepts the responsibility of the yacht. When you return, you once again visit and have this (and other documents) stamped by the Receita Féderal to take back responsibility for your yacht. 

Late Sunday morning we went for an early lunch to BowTeco a stone trough from Vagabund.  They have free Wi-Fi. We were still enjoying lunch when some of the local yachties started to arrive.  Teresa and Assis came visiting and could not found us on Vagabund and joined the party. We met Ivan, Sabrina and their son Oscar of Milo One. They are a French couple that will be sailing North in a short while and is also part of the BR Rally. Perhaps we will see them later. We ended up having dinner at the restaurant as well and got back to Vagabund after dark.

What are very special about Bracuhy are the friendly helpful people. The regularity of their social gets together. One is called happy hour: Everybody is invited to meet each other for a drink and a chat every second night.

The few days of free Wi-Fi at the price of a meal at BowTeco gave us the opportunity to update the webpage, talk to family back home and just to become me again. 

Wednesday was our last day in the marina. That afternoon we did go and say good buy to Teresa and Assis. Special friends that invite us into their lives, hearts and home. I trust that we will see each other in the near future again. I dedicate the following poem to them. They are very special to us. 

People in your life

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person..

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support,

to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,

things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson,

love the person and put w hat you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of our life! Whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

On our way out of the marina they were standing on their yacht waving us goodbye. A special thank you. Bracuhy and the people of Bracuhy will always have a special place in our hearts and we have very special memories.

For our first night outside the marina we anchored at one of our favorite anchorage spots at Itanhanga only a few miles from Bracuhy. We enjoyed having Vagabund swinging around the anchor only dictated by wind and current again.

Early Thursday the 6th June we pull up the anchor to leave for Angra dos Reis. We fill up with diesel and water. Loaded with the necessary groceries from the store and now what was left was my stitches and the Capetania. Between two points it is not always a straight line. Zack drop me at the emergency care at the hospital. Eventually a doctor removes the stitches. The scar is not very bad. Zack went to the Capetania, had to go to Customs and was send back to the Capetania. At four we got our Saida. 

We left at 17h00 Angra dos Reis and on our way we past an oil rick coming in for repairs. Cruising through heavy fishing boats busy dragging nets we were safely anchored at 19h30 at Praia dos Mangues. Spending our last night in Ilha Grande before sailing north.

7June 2013 Friday

The water was coming alive with a school of dolphins swimming in the bay. They were playing around Vagabund as a final greeting of special time in Baya Ilha Grande. One specific dolphin came meters away from the boat, stopped, lift her head up out the water and looked at us for a few seconds. What a moment and way of saying good-bye.

With the start of our engines another surprise. The log showed 10 000 nm on the clock. We started our journey with a prayer with a special thankful heart to the Lord for protecting us, during these times on Vagabund, for the friends and family that could share with us her presence, and especially those that are supporting us regardless with their prayers. Thankful for Knowing that we are not alone.  

The wind has turned South East and it was time for us to start our journey North. Zack was enjoying himself with all his fishing equipment. Just to have a line in the water again. To feel the water under Vagabund. From Ilha Grande to Cabo Frio it is an almost due east course.  A light wind was blowing for the whole day.

8^th June Saturday

Around midnight we passed Rio de Janeiro with her lights bright at the background.

Traffic was hectic and we experienced a rush hour in the proximity of Rio. We altered our save AIS alarm to less than 0,5 nm as it was continuously going off. It was fishing vessels, trawling vessels, small traveling cargo vessels amongst dangerous rocks and oil rigs. The radar with it MARPA tracking was working full time and then you had to zoom out to sea the AIS targets of the big boy tankers, pilot boats and cargo ships shooting past the screen with barely enough time to react. It felt like something out of a space game only difference this was for real.

With the sun ricing we were close to Cabo Frio. The sea was calm enough for us to pass through a narrow cap between two hills instead of going around the cape. The water was a blue torques colour and a beautiful bay lay ahead of us with a beach of white sand. On the left side in the corner was Cabo Frio.

We motor the 20 nm distance to Buzios with fishing lines in the water. When reaching Cabo Frio the real was screaming. Zack caught a bonny. Fresh fish for our deep-freeze. 

 We phoned Clube Armação de Buzios  (22 26231493) to ask permission to pick up a mooring buoy. Safely moored we visited the club to sign in. At the restaurant we had lunch and let all the loved once know that we have safely arrived. 

We spend the evening on the front deck enjoying the sunset of this charming little village.