Salvador

ratCATcher
Andre and Alison Stroebel
Tue 28 Jun 2011 12:59
12:53.28S  038:41.26W
 
Itaparica, Salvador.
 
We left Gamboa do Morro on the falling tide at 08H45 on the 12th June. The outgoing waters would help us exit the river mouth. The day was overcast with a distant threat of rain.
 
We had no sooner got onto to open sea when the first squall hit us, heavy rain and wind. This continued the entire 9 hour trip to Salvador. There were 20 minute breaks every so often when the sun teased us that it was shining a short way ahead only to disappear behind clouds again as the next squall hit.
 
Sailing in the rain on rat CATcher is a wet business. The solar panels on our bimini are set into a recess (some bright-spark designers idea) so they fill with water, then as the boat rolls the entire contents of the recess; probably a good two huge buckets of water; are dumped right over the helmsman’s right shoulder.  As a result you are constantly wet. The temperature is still high so foul weather gear is too hot to wear to keep dry. By the end of the trip I was kneeling on the helm seat so that I was only drenched from the waist down
J Sailing is fun.
 
We approached Salvador first anchorage at Yacht club Bahia at about 16h30 in rolling seas, only to be met by their courtesy boat and told to move on as the sea was too rough to anchor there. After a brief discussion we decided not to try any of the other anchorages at Salvador as they were likely to be the same and headed straight for Ilha de Itaparica.
 
It was full speed ahead and we anchored at Itaparica at 18h15. The rain, wind and seas continued to crash through the anchorage and the next four days the boat bucked and rolled and bounced on the anchorage. It was the first time both Andre and I have felt sea sick!
 
The third day it had calmed down a little and family Iza, whom we have been travelling in convoy with, invited us over for coffee and cinnamon bread. Nicci is an awesome cook and baker and does the most amazing things in her little galley! So over we went at about 11h00. Coffee turned to wine at about lunch time and wine turned to Cacchasa with cool-aid that evening. We were joined by another South African boat family, Johan and Marlene on the Catamaran Catlyn. We were given Brogoh (sp) -chicken soup - for dinner and the party finally broke up at about 23h00. A most enjoyable day and evening!!
 
The weather finally gave us some respite on the following Tuesday and we took the ferry to Salvador to do the official check in with the authorities.
 
We had been warned that the one person we must hope not to get in the Policia Federal (Immigration ) office was THE lady!  Who should be sitting behind the desk when we walked in? The one and only! She briskly motioned us in and demanded papers. We had been warned she was looking for the check out papers from Angra, which we thought we did not have! I slowly paged through all our papers, feigning ignorance, when she suddenly grabbed an old paper from our Rio pile and waved it at me with a “here it is, stupid” attitude. Phew. I was then told to sit as she processed everything.
 
She then asked a question and we understood she was asking why it had taken so long for us to reach Salvador from Angra. We were supposed to check in and out at every port, which, as you can imagine is a pain, so we told them in Angra we were heading straight for Salvador without stopping. We were permitted to stop for weather and other emergencies but we were not sure if there were any time limits.
 
I instantly launch into an explanation of heavy winds (blowing hard) and big seas (waving my arms around in wave motion) and needing to hide (curling myself into ball looking frightened) to explain why we had taken so long. A local, also on the bench, obviously understood what I was saying and was translating for me. The lady shook her head and asked again. Once again I launched into an explanation accompanied by said actions. She repeated the question again. At this point Andre realised she was asking “From February?” No, no we explained, from April. She then pointed to the papers which showed our check out at the end of February. We explained we had since been to Angra and Ilha Grande and Parati. She gave a laugh and with actions said she thought we had bloody rowed the whole way.  
 
Everyone roared with laugher, it seems the dragon lady has a sense of humour.
 
How do I explain Salvador, well the areas we have seen? Our impression is a broken down slum. The buildings are falling apart and tatty. Opposite “Terminal Nautico” where we stopped is a multi-million Rand elevator right in the middle of broken down burnt out buildings. This elevator takes you up the side of the cliff to Pelourinho; the historical centre of the old city. This whole area has been restored, the old colonial residences with beautiful pastel-coloured facades now housing shops and museums.
 
Salvador has 365 churches, one for each day of the year. The church of Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Petros, in the historical city was built in the 18th centaury by slaves, at the end of their work day.
 
We did not go to any of the other areas of Salvador so my impression of a slum is not really fair! However Salvador is known to be desperately poor and the crime rate is high. We had been warned not to wear or carry any valuables at all. Our friends Wilem and Robyn, ex-South Africans and owners of Amigoes BBQ on Itaparica were robbed twice in one night when they arrived. They had been to a show in Pelourinho and on exiting the elevator on the lower level heading back to their boat they were held up with knives and robbed. They then went back up the elevator to the police to lay a charge. Once they had made the report they asked the police to escort them back to their boat but were refused. Half way back to their boat in the lower city, which btw is about a 10 min walk from the elevator, they were once again robbed and the remainder of their possessions were taken.
 
On that note I have a wonderful story to share that makes me very proud to be a South African. In the Cape to Brazil race before ours (it finished in Salvador) there was a development boat team crewed by youngsters from the Cape flats!
 
The story goes: One evening a couple of them went out for the night and were held up and robbed. No problem for our Cape boys; they go back to the yacht club, collect the rest of the crew and a couple of broken bottles and head back to the place they were robbed. There they found the Brazilian guys who had robbed them and took back all they had had stolen! WHOOOHOO go Cape Flats boys! Man I love the story so much!
 
Itaparica.
 
We were anchored at Itaparica Marina on the north-west part of Itaparica. We confess we had been expecting it to be the type of Island we had found in all the anchorages South of here. Fairly small; quite rural and edged with beaches. We were surprised! Itaparica is 30 by 20 kilometres in size and is about 10 miles from Salvador. Just in front of our anchorage a huge sandbank appears at low tide. It is a favoured spot for yachties to beach their boats for a clean, which we took advantage of. We couldn’t believe the marine life and barnacles attached to our hull; especially considering we have scraped her off at just about every anchorage. The other benefit of the sand bar is at low tide we dug for and picked up clams for dinner.
 
The other highlight of Itaparica is Amigoes BBQ. Wilem and Robyn sailed over 3 years ago, got to Salvador, fell in love with Itaparica and stayed. Their restaurant is very popular with yachties and locals and their food is divine. Robyn’s daughter Natalie and her boyfriend Daniel have a Pousada, Muito Muis (guest-house, “much more”) just up the road. Natalie makes the most divine chocolate from scratch. If any of you visit Itaparica, Amigoes and Pousada Muito Muis are a must.
 
Having spent quite a lot of time on the boat at Itaparica I have been practicing cooking and baking and have a recipe I just have to share with you:
 
Baked Chicken
 
Here’s a chicken recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing - imagine that!
It is perfect for people who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is cooked but not dried out.
Give this a try.
 
4-5 lb chicken
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing -
1 cup uncooked popcorn
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush chicken well with melted butter, then rub over with salt and pepper.
Fill the chicken cavity with prepared stuffing and raw popcorn.
Place in baking pan with the neck end towards the back of the oven.
Listen for the popping noise.
When the chicken’s butt blows the oven door open and the chicken flies across the room, it’s done.
 
And you thought I couldn’t cook!  :) :) :)
 
Taken from YSSAT magazine:)

More from Salvador when we stop to re-supply and check out of Brazil.
 
The view of the street below the elevator.



The Palace at Pelourinho

Traditionally dressed “Aunties” get paid to have their photo taken J

Pelourinho is beautiful old buildings perfectly restored!




We got included in a Capoeira demonstration. I would love to learn this art!


Itaparica
2014 Football stadium ? :)



Rat catcher on the sandbank