A late start, it had been raining all night and was still pouring down so everyone took advantage of a lie-in.

By 11:00 the skies brightened though low cloud shrouded the hills around Praia de Ubatubinha

Coffee, breakfast a swim and the day is planned. Lars wants a route march through the jungle to

Lagoa Verde a big bay over the headland and Thomas is going to give a refresher course in diving to

ves and Karine. I volunteer to do the mountaineering.

Lars and I dinghy ashore and set off up a near vertical mud track most of which had been streams during

the earlier rain. This made the going even more difficult as the surface was like walking on ice. Despite all,

we made good progress battling through the undergrowth where gigantic stands of bamboo had collapse

over the path until we reached the top. The rain forest opened here at the head of a gully, although we could

only see the sky.Then as we ascended it was back into the gloom.

Suddenly we could hear sounds of music and soon we stumbled on clearing and wattle and daub type hut

made from mud and bamboo with an outside loo as well as washing up facilities complete with umbrella for shelter.

Someone had been planting in the cleared area and a peep through a hole in the wall showed two beds and clothing.

                            Hut                                               Kitchen sink                                                   

It had started to rain again, making the steep track treacherous, as we carefully worked our way down.

Then we came to a street light! Soon houses, a bamboo fence and then a concrete pathway as we walked though a village down to the waters edge.

                              Main Street                                                           Street light

A study of the map showed we were in Longa a fishing village just before Lagoa Verde.

As we walked along the beachfront toward the dock and where fishing boats were being repaired

we were approached by a friendly native guided us to the shop. Here the proprietor rose from his slumbers

and promptly opened up producing two crispy cold beers from his fridge. You can’t keep a good entrepreneur down.

                      Native man                                            Bar man

Word had got out and a few more locals joined and we engaged in them in our two words of Portuguese and lots

of “Charades” as we managed to hire one of the fishermen to take us back by sea to Dawnbreaker. A great relief to all, well to me anyway.

So clutching a fresh beer for the journey we embarked on a somewhat leaky and basic craft but a saviour none the less.

                           Deliverance

On our return we caught up with the diving group along with Onzo who was rowing Rocky the dog around the bay.

                           Enzo and Rocky                                               Thomas Karin and Yves

We booked into the restaurant on the beach and duly arrived at 8pm for aperitifs, followed a great fish feast

accompanied by our own wine which they allowed us to bring along and so ended another fun filled day of adventure on the Ilha Grande.

Bob the Blog