Archipelago do Fernando de Noronha
CARANGO AMEL 54 #035
PETER and VICKY FORBES
Wed 8 Mar 2017 10:53
02:32.62S 037:35.58W About 240 miles off the North East coast of Brazil lies a little archipelago of islands which have become a National Park for nature. Fernando de Noronha. These islands are not on the World ARC route but Vicky had made up her mind that we were to sail there as a diversion. The swell in the anchorage was forecast to be bad and we would have to anchor in about 18 meters of water [much chain needed] , it is well out of our way, the next leg includes the doldrums and we have limited diesel but Vicky had made up her mind……………….. so we went! We sailed in company with three other similarly minded crews, The Finns in Merra Nieide, The Oyster 62 Wishanger II with Brian, Claudine, Ben and Sam (Sam is joining the marines when he gets back) and our new American best friends Mike and Marybeth on Paradise Found.  The main island is about 8 miles long by about 3 miles wide - there are a few roads and lots of beach buggies for hire - the main business is tourism. I went for a dive with others from our little fleet - nice coloured fish but nothing to write a blog about; none the less interesting as my first open water dive since I left the army 38 years ago - no problems mask fitted OK and oxygen flowed. This islands includes the TrailFinder "Best beach in the World"
 Visiting this beach, which was spectacularly beautiful, involved climbing down a set of fixed ladders through the rock cliffs - Vicky nearly baulked at this but was very brave and with some persuasion from the ladies in the Finnish party made it through the laddered tunnels. The island can be seen from quite a long distance because of this absolutely massive volcanic ‘plug’ which stands out hundreds of feet on the coast.We have left the archipelago now and are sailing along the North coast of Brazil towards French Guyana and devils island where Dreyfus was wrongly imprisoned, we may stop there for a rest or continue direct to Grenada.  One night out and we hit this vigorous storm - the red shading on our starboard quarter was the centre and it hit us hard about 30 minutes after this photo was taken. The wind rode from about 12 knots to 37 knots in less than a minute abut having seen this on a radar scan we were well prepared, sails reefed and hatches closed. Carango took it in her stride. |