Sailing north from Uruguay to Brazil in the middle of winter.
After 15 days and 1250nm we are back in Brazil. This is the story.
Piriapolis 29 May 2024
It was dark and cold this morning when the alarm went at 6.45. Even just a little bit hazy. The sun was rising at 7.40 and by 8 we had lines off the dock and were leaving Piriapolis.
We are heading out into a huge high pressure keeping the lows away. We know we will have to motor at first but hope it will give us time to make some northing before the next set of northerly wind comes.
Once around the headland at Punta del Este we expect the sea to be a little bumpy at first but expect it to gradually ease. Mid ocean its reported to be 7m !
This first stretch from Piriapolis to Punta is flat so we take advantage and have bacon butties to take us on our way. We passed quite a few fur seals. They are really funny the way they move with their flippers in the air. They looked like they were either waving goodbye or trying to hitch a ride.
We settle into our watch system and motor for 2 days and nights before the wind fills in. The sky is clear and full of stars, the sea glows with phosphorescence. There is a steady stream of cargo ships. Easy to spot on the radar. Harder to spot are the fishing boats, no AIS and the radar is only picking them up at about 3nm. Its a bit chilly the first night but gets warmer as we move north.
31 May
Then the wind fills in. From the NW at first allowing us to sail straight down our line and make great progress but eventually we get headed, just as forecast, and the tacking begins. Its lovely sailing close hauled in 10 knots of wind and Velvet Lady is flying along with her super clean bottom.
1 June
More and more wind until we drop the yankee altogether and sail with staysail and main in 40 knots. That wasn't in the programme but we have done it before and no doubt will do it again.
2 June
Then it stops, like someone turning a switch and everything is flapping. Motoring again but not for long, a gentle NE breeze returns but the strong wind has left bumps and potholes in the road. Should only be 3 or 4 more hours then we expect southerly winds.
3 June
Wham, I was just watching a glorious moonrise when behind me I saw the tell tale cigar roll cloud formation of a southerly buster. I frantically started winding winches thinking the last time I had seen one of these was off the East coast of Australia!
The wind was as promised from the south, and warm. From the isobars we expected 20 knots, not 35/40 knots again. Hour after hour we raced along with tiny scraps of sails in huge seas, gybing inshore regularly to get some protection from the land.
4 June
With a sigh of relief we reached the north coast of Santa Catarina island and headed inshore to Ganchos for a gale break. We never bothered to make the sails bigger and even with full protection from the island we still made progress at a steady pace of 5 knots with tiny scraps of sail. It was dark when we arrived so we were pleased to be entering an anchorage we knew. Nothing on the radar so we just dropped the hook a little further off than usual to be sure to be clear.
Piriapolis to Ganchos/Zimbros - 795nm on the log, 5 and a half days, 16 tacks, about 20 gybes in huge following seas. Much more wind than forecast, time for a rest.
We didn't rest for long, just 2 nights. Once the sea had died down we wanted to push on before the next winter storm got us.
6 June
This leg next leg should have been a beat in light winds. We didn't care about tacking, just wanted to push north.
In blue sky and sunshine we lifted our anchor and set off. After dodging a couple of fishing boats and islands we set the sails and were soon close reaching at 7 knots.
Yet again the forecast was wrong, but this time in our favour. Instead of the promised NE wind firmly on the nose we had NW wind allowing us to romp along, close hauled straight down the rhumb line. This lasted for 24 hours.
7 June
The wind headed us a bit but no problem. Our new course further east will keep us away from the busy shipping and rigs south of Santos and then a few tacks we hope. Then some fog, and light fickle wind. Horrible tacking angles so we motor.
8 June
The wind is back, lovely sunrise, off down the track again.
9 June
Early morning. South of Ilhabela it is pitch black with no moon or stars. Only the bright beam of the lighthouse piercing the darkness to show us the way. Eventually the wind died.
We had been doing sums and dipping the diesel tank and decided if we had to keep motoring then we needed a pit stop for fuel and headed to another anchorage we have been to before by Praia da Enseada. Dropping the hook just as the sun rose.
This bay is close to Saco da Ribeira where we know there is a floating fuel barge but first we need sleep. We rest for the day, its Sunday and so wait to fill up on Monday 10th June. Good job too. There was not a breath of wind for the rest of the trip.
Ganchos/Zimbros to Saco da Ribeira, 361 nm, 3 days, no gales
We are back on the beautiful Costa Verde.
The day time temperature is up, the sea is calm and the weather is balmy. We decide to day hop the last 100nm stopping at night to avoid the small fishing boats and nets that are hard to spot in daylight let alone the dark.
There was not a breath of wind for 4 days but we found some new spectacular anchorages.
In a straight line this trip should have been 900nm. The equivalent of sailing from the Spanish Rias to Gran Canaria.
In the end it took 15 days and 1250 miles from leaving Piriapolis to dropping anchor in Angra bay on 13th June, ready to check in to Brazil.
14 June
Check in was easy. Last year 3 different officials told us you can make stops for weather and emergencies (Fuel) without checking in as long as you don't go ashore, so, although we have stopped we have not left the boat since Piriapolis. Looking forward to exploring now. Finding more new places and revisiting some of our favourites from last year.
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