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Taking time out for Maintenance, repairs and upgrades.

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  Today is the September Equinox marking the first day of spring here in Brazil. Only 3 months until the start of summer, when we want to be heading into the deep south. Deliberately we haven't moved very much in the last month. It's 2 years since we left UK and time to both give Velvet Lady a good dose of TLC and continue our preparations for sailing in Argentina and Chile. We have spent the past 2 months scouring chandleries for bits we might need. We already have most things to pass the Argentinian safety check - we just needed a fire axe which we bought in Buenos Aires. In Parity we bought 120m long floating mooring lines and fuel containers, but we haven't been able to find 12 strand dyneema or netting. Preparing for Chile we made some really big upgrades. Before leaving UK we installed a new heater and a new watermaker. It is disappointing that these are the things that have given us most trouble. Despite making sure we bought 'internation...
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Cruising the Costa Verde

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  The coastline between Rio de Janeiro and Santos is known as The Costa Verde and no wonder. It is so green. Everywhere you look you see lush green vegetation and deep bluey green sea in so many shades, depths and textures. Right at the heart of the Costa Verde is Ilha Grande and its surrounding waters of Baia de Ilha Grande. This is the cruising ground every one talks about. It’s the yachting hub of Brazil and surely a must see for visiting vessels. This is the second part of the series 'What's it like sailing/cruising in Brazil.' The previous part Salvador to Angra is here Baia de llha Grande The bay is huge, roughly 60 miles long by 12 miles wide with a reported 365 anchorages. Some of those are way too small for us, tucked into nooks and crannies. Some are just not deep enough but that still gives us plenty of others to choose from. If the wind let you, you could go from bay with golden sandy beach to next bay with golden ...
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