Rio de Janeiro from the sea is one of the great sights. Sugarloaf Mountain, the Corcavado with the giant statue of Christ on top, miles of stunning beaches, volcanic rocky islands around its natural harbor, all make this a truly world class city. Entering at mid-day, we easily locate the marina, situated right in the heart of the city and well protected both from the sea and from the many criminals who ply their trade here. […]
This night we lie at anchor in a well protected cove surrounded by low mountains just off the town of Cabo Frio and prepare to leave for Rio early tomorrow.
On this day, we arrive at the much-heralded town of Buzios. Long a favorite resort for rich South Americans, the place hit the headlines long ago when it was visited by Brigitte Bardot, an event the place has never quite shaken. It is the LaJolla or Nantucket of Brazil, full of fine shops, beaches, pousadas (inns) and homes with stunning views of the sea. […]
Leaving Porto Seguro, we head some thirty miles out into the open Atlantic to a Brazilian national park, a group of four windblown nearly bare rocky islands called Isla dos Abrolhos, where we anchor in a protected harbor. The islands are uninhabited, and generally uninhabitable, but for a few park personnel who conduct scientific research and operate a lighthouse on the largest of the islands. […]
When we were in Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic, I met and befriended Bruno Massida, an Italian tenor and flute player who plays gigs around the islands and in Brazil. Bruno had mistakenly invited me to visit him at his home in Porto Seguro at which we arrive today. The port is secure alright (Seguro means secure), but only if you have a shallow draft boat that allows you to get behind its protecting reef. […]