One good day and one not so good day

We picked up the hire car around 11.  Maria somehow managed to negotiate an upgrade to 2 cars above our class which was pretty cool.  Our saloon seems to take the board fairly comfortably in the back.  We headed towards exiting Rio, however we were held up because the hire car company had given us the wrong documentation- so ended up waiting in a filling station in Flamengo for a guy to turn up and give us the correct paperwork.  Exiting Rio was not too bad except for the missing Niteroi bridge the first time and heading towards the airport.

Actually it was the drive beyond that proved difficult.  Brazilian drivers are not the best, so for me it was quite stressful.  Maria was surprised as Brazilian driving is probably better than in Colombia.  It seemed to take forever.  We stopped in a kilo restaurant, which was good because I could pike on the meat.

 

The drive beyond was not so fun.  We ended up skipping Saquarema due to time and headed towards Cabo Frio.  The drive was not that special- in fact the area was kind of weird and flat- a bit like a Brazilian fenland.  Eventually we got to Cabo Frio stopped at the beach for a bit.  The town was a bit of a dump and we got stuck in our first traffic jam.

By the time we got to Bouzios there was another traffic jam and we were stuck again until we got to our Posada up the hill.  Clearly this was a high season time and all the Brazilians like to drive.  We headed out for dinner that night and it took a while to find a parking space after getting stuck in mandatory traffic.  The town was really packed.

It’s quite a strange place, very clean and very rich.  Clearly wealthy Brazilians come on holiday here.  The centre is almost American in that it has new shops and almost a fake feel to it (though not necessarily in a bad way).  There were Brazilians of all ages out on the streets.  We went to a seafood restaurant that was recommended.  It was pretty good and not too expensive, as in Bouzios generally things are really pricey.  The journey back also involved getting stuck in a lot of traffic.

The next day was better.  We woke up to breakfast at the Posada which was really good. Selection of fruits and eggs with the view we have across the peninsula.  The Posada is English run and though not cheap the breakfast and the view are great. 

The surf was not forecast so great, with a small short period swell.  We headed to a beach on the edge of the Peninsula called Tucuns which is also one of the surf beaches.  Actually it was better than I expected.  Although small and quite a few close outs I got some fun little waves and it is always nice to surf in boardshorts.  There were plenty of good surfers however the beach was not overly crowded which was a bonus.  Maria had an umbrella on the beach and the vibe was pleasant.  She was able to shoot the below sequence (of me!).

Later we headed back via the supermarket.  The afternoon consisted of walking to a nearby beach, where they have snorkelling as Maria wanted to check out the possibility of this.  We were able to watch sunset on the terrace and stayed in so I could drink some beer (can’t drink anything and drive in Brazil). 

 

 

 

The plan is now to stay in Bouzios- although somewhere walkable to the centre and slightly cheaper.  Now most of the Brazilians are heading back after Easter but before everything was full.  Personally I wanted to head to Saqua for Tuesday’s swell but Maria seems to like it here.

Back to Rio

Headed in taxi to Heathrow and checked in the board without any hassle at all.  No queue at Bag drop.  Then headed through security really fast.  Terminal 5 was okay but not mind blowing good.  In fact it is weird how departures is split over two floor and you have to get a metro thing to the plane.

Fortunately on the plane I was blessed with my own row of seats which was good considering the seat pitches on BA are not amazing.  On the way we flew over Quiberon- I looked out the window and it seemed flat.

 The flight was very long at 11 hours.  Although we were fed quickly and well watered throughout the flight- the meals were at the start and right at the end so was feeling pretty hungry in the middle.  Managed to watch two films- Wolf on Wall Street and Mandela which was worthwhile.

Touched down in Rio and picked up bags really fast- only to find Maria was not there.   I was feeling a tad pissed off however she arrived in a bit explaining about the traffic and 3 hours it took her to get to the airport.

We grabbed a taxi to Leblon.  Maria had put a few Bohemia beers in the fridge which was a welcome treat.  Later on headed out for a quick dinner at Frontera, one of these Brazilian kilo restaurants.  They had sushi as well as the usual beans and chicken.  It was late on so the food was not so amazing but alright and filled a hole.  Also a Bolivian football team called the ‘Strongest’ were playing on TV- I was interested because I am always if football is on and also that my mother had bought me one of their shirts when I was younger.  They lived up to their name winning 2 nil with the second goal a great strike. 

We woke up this morning early, because as Maria is learning winds are better in the morning for surf in Brazil.  We left just after 7 getting a bus down to Barra, bit closer to Rio than where I surfed before and the site of CT comp in May.  Actually started off by having a really crap session- could not find a wave that did not close and having not surfed in a while found it a bit fast.  There were some locals scoring as you can see from the pics.  Got dragged down the beach by the current.

However I went back in and scored a few nice lefts with victory fist-pump on the first one for good measure. We sat for a while on the beach, enjoyed the vibe, had a coconut.  It was really sunny and hot.  Maria got tanned crazy fast.  Bonus of surfing in boardshorts- been a while.

We headed back by bus to Leblon.  At the beach I decided to have another quick surf and jumped in and scored a nice little right followed by a shower (there were no showers at Barra).  Following this grabbed a snack lunch with massive Acai at one of the places I used to eat a lot when I last stayed in Leblon.  Was a nice afternoon.

Following was sightseeing.  We were both keen to see Parque Lage- which neither of us in our times in Rio had got too.  Basically it is an old mansion built in the 1920’s, by a rich shipping merchant.  Nice pool at the top.  We went downstairs to a prison- really weird as underneath the mansion was a full on jail with a solitary confinement cell that had a door like a safe.  Turn’s out this was actually where the slaves lived- pretty shocking really as this was less than 100 years ago.  It was like a dungeon down there.

The gardens of the house were really nice, probably better than the Botanic gardens.  You could swing fro the tree ropes semi Tarzan style. 

Around there was various follies like a tower and lake hut.  There was even a waterfall coming from the Corcovado which supplied the house with water, with a cave to the side.  All of this under the watchful eye of the ‘Christo’.The last thing was the stables- the house now houses an art school and the y had some crazy lighting exhibitions going on which were fun for photos.  

Slept the rest of the afternoon as so tired and headed out for sushi and drinks.

Some pics from hossegor

Thanks to Dan for sending.  Memories of good times after what has been a rubbish winter for surfing here in the UK.

Surfing in Brazil

Surfing in Brazil
I left Portugal to go to Brazil mid to late November.  It was clear that I was not chasing waves soley- in fact when I left Portugal the surf was forecast to be perfect for 2 weeks straight. I knew there was a strong chance of this when I booked, but going to Brazil was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

General
Straight up you do not go to Brazil purely for waves.  It is not a world class surf destination like Indo. Mainly beachbreaks- kind of European style- think SW France. However there are quality waves to be had- the highlight of my trip was Matadeiro, but no denying the quality of Saquarema.  So it does offer the chance to surf decent waves, has an amazing beach culture (probably the best in the world), see awesome sites/ cities as well as one of the most significant surf scenes in the world.  Brazil also has a strong surf culture and is having a massive impact on world surfing- just think Adriano de Souza, Gabby Medina, Alejo Muniz, Felippe Toledo and Miguel Pupo to name a few.


THE SURFING
I only visited three places along the coast.  I never made it to Itacare and Fernando do Norohna which are also major, famous surfing places in Brazil.  In fact there is a whole uring coastline mostthe length of the country- other cities like Recife stand out.  So this is  a summary of what I saw and found.

Florianapolis
I had heard good things about this place-as much for the nightlife as the surfing.  But the surfing also.  It turned out to be good.  I surfed 4 places- Just next to Barra da Lagoa- start of Mocambique, Praia Mole, Matadeiro and Joaquina.  As metnioned it was summer but there were always sizeable waves when I was there.

Barra da Lagoa stretch was mainly close outs (although hollow and a bit powerless)- had the bonus of having dolphins jump out next to me- un real!

Matadeiro was the best- a really scenic place, with world class waves.  The first time I went there was hollow beach breaks people getting pitted everywhere.  Not too much of a paddle out.  Overall my standout break from Brazil- truly awesome.  You probably need a car to get to it.  Once there follow the other surfers round river and headland.  It will be better than it looks from a distance.

Praia Mole was a standard beach break with some hollow sections.  Cool place, paddle put is a nightmare.

Joaquina- first few times I saw this was blown and did not look special  This is the most famous spot- they have big contests here. Paddle out can also be hard going.  Quality wave- gets crowded by the rock.  This also had shelter from N winds.  Nice sections, there are barrels to be had going down the middle when conditions agree.  Secure parking is a problem from what I hear.

Rio
The WCT stops at Rio.  I think this is as much marketing as anything else.  But there are waves to be had.

Ipanema, Arpoador and Leblon- none of these really impressed me.  There was an 8ft at 14 sec swell when I was there which is big, esp for this time.  WInds were dodgy.  I founf generally these beaches closed out a lot and were quite dirty.  Famous Arpoador is crowded, agro and closeouts- kind of a surfing hell.  Got a few waves but never impressed me.  Having said that there ware plenty of locals who surf fast and will rip these waves along here.  Personally I think these beaches are better for strolling, taking in Rio beach culture, staring at things and working out on the many pull up bars.

Barra posto 5 and 6 were exposed breaks that I could get a 50real taxi from Rio to go to.  It will be bigger than central- not crowded- in fact a bit eerie in the morning.  The main problem was backwash.  Quite steep waves, nice drops but backwash and rips running through the middle are a problem.  With regards to this place and the Rio city breaks- the sandbanks were not good.  I have seen awesome pictures fom all places so it could be the timing of my visit

Praia da Recreio and this area.  Best waves I found in Rip.  Stayed at Recreio in a hostel.  The banks seemed to be good, even with wind this place could handle it.  Was generally impressed- but it will be crowded.  there is a longboard wave called Macumba next door- never surfed there.  You are also close to Grumari and Pirahnia- these are meant to be quality.  i tried Grumari once , but there was really too much wind, hence went back to Recreio.  Despite being close to national park the area is more dodgy than I imagined.  It is also one hour and a half from Rio by bus.

The 'surf bus' from Rio along the coast never worked out for me.  I tired calling and emailing- no response.  However when i was walking along the beach I saw it once- quelling rumours that it does not exist anymore.

Saquarema
Another very famous spot in Brazil- calls itself Brazil's surf capital.  That might be a bit far as commercially there is not much there.  They do have a fair share of contests though.

The waves- yes they are good.  Again I do not think the banks were as good as they could be, but there were some nice waves.  I stayed at Ituana which is the spot in Saqaua.  There is the point- which is always bigger than forecast.  In fact I found it quite challenging rips and hot locals.  Some of these locals were absolutely shredding.  It is the only long wave I saw in Brazil- but you have to work it.  it was very rippy and bouncy when I was there.  There is also the beach which has fairly steep, hollow waves think hoss.  I enjoyed surfing here.  The other end by the church is a bit sheltered and can handle some wind.  This is also where surf school and restaurants are.

When I arrived I chatted to a local.  He asked me if I had brought a good wetsuit- I had my 3/2.  He was right to ask- the water is cold.  I had already read this- it is due to very deep water.  There is a similar phenomenom at Joaquina in Floripa but it is stronger here.  I surfed on 31 degree air but the contrast with the water could not have been stronger.

BRAZILIAN SURFERS

Dickheads in the water- no question. They 110% deserve the terrible reputation. Expect to be dropped in on, snaked, shouted at. They make great competitive surfers but treat every surf session like it is a comp. Brazilian surfers will paddle for every wave like it must be caught. The only way to get waves sometimes is to join them and shout people out. I am not saying all Brazilian surfers are twats- I have good friends who are Brazilian and very polite. There were also some freidnly ones- but the general impression is not good. If ever a Brazilian came to the UK and behaved like that, I think there would be a lot of people ready to deal with them.

EQUIPMENT

Surfboards are cheap in Brazil- I had heard this already.  You can get really cheap boards, new as well although I am not sure if they were the best quality.  I was offered a Brazilian board new cheaper than the Spanish I bought but did not like the shape.  Overall I think it makes sense to buy a board- but you may get ripped off in touristy areas or if do not negotiate hard.  

TRANSPORT

Brilliant.  Although having a 5'10 made it easier, to travel with a surfboard in Brazil is straightforward. Airlines do not charge, nor do you have to put with oversize luggage at check in.  No problem on coaches, city buses and also taxis.

How to get 2 surfboards through as one

Airline charges are expensive, coffin bags are expensive too.

Solution:

You will need:

2 boards in their bags, padded in the usual manner, with fins removed

Duck tape- at least a roll

Bin/ rubble sacs

Scissors

Patience

1. Place the smaller board on top- rocker up
   
2. Duck tape several times around the tail, middle, middle to nose and nose
   
3. Tape one handle down- you don't want it to look like 2 boards
   
4. Bin bags- took three in my case- nose, tail and one cut out warpped around the middle.
   
5. Duck tape so not loose- will also hold the board together
6. Put a lot of strips at the tail- see below
   
7. Voila!

Bin bags hide two boards- you can always say it protects from the dirt

Watching Waves and Leaving Lisbon

Last night didn't amount to much.  I headed to Santos but was too early for much to happen.  SO tried the chorizo bread and soup place that I had been unable to go to the night before because of the queue. Th Portuguese guy I had hung out with said it was unmissable.  Actually I did enjoy it, despite being sober and also having an earlier dinner.  Got a taxi back promptly so was in bed just after 12 (early by Lisbon standards).

Actually woke up kind of later than intended at 9.  Meant a last surf session was pretty much off the agenda.  Just as well because it took a while to wrap up my 2 boards (see separate post).  Got to my car to find this- someone parked right on top of me.

Did the usual drive down the N6 along the Lisbon coast.  Easterly wind today so Santa Armao was big enough but blown.  Carcavelos, big and clean but not many out.  No one out at the point and reef- massive.  Big waves all the way down.  But my destination pre flight was around Cabo Rosa which is more exposed- I wanted to see huge waves.  And I guess I did.   Was aa bit of a drive around stupid Portuguese one way systems.  However waves were crashing on the rocks up to Guincho.  Got loads oof photos around Cabo Rosa- although this is a crazy surf spot nobody was out there.  It was quite a site.

Headed back to the airport along the A5 toll road (1.35 Eur).  Returned the car after having to call the guy to meet me.  Had a beer and snack before checking in.  Now using the half hour free wifi at Lisbon airport.  Destination Heathrow- taxi supposed to be waiting for me at the other end.  Trip almost over.

Surfing Carcavelos- Again!

Had a bit of a heavy night last night- went drinking with one of the guys who works at the hostel and some of his friends in Lisbon.  Ended up getting back at 5:00 and felt a bit hungover this morning.  Ended up getting up late around 10.  

Headed up the N6 again.  There were people out at the point although it was massive and some caught some alright sections.  However I did not paddle out as it looked hard work and there were lots of close outs.  There were more people on the inside sections.  Headed to Carcavelos- had a quick surf but got quite smashed.

Was hungry and still a bit hungover so headed into Carcavelos town.  Got a steakm sandwich and p

Pastel de Nata.  The only problem was getting out of Carcavelos took ages, really confusing with a stupid railway lne in the way.  Lisbon is a nightmare to drive in.  If it was warmer  would have considered just using the train to Carcavelos.  Checked the point and reef (below).  Was still big- couple of guys on the reef- but was really a bit too big (pushing double head).

In the end went back to Carcavelos.  Was nice as no wind but still crowded.  Waves overhead and hollow on the sets.  This time I went back to the 6'4 and was rewarded with my best wave of the trip- a nice right.  Does get into waves a lot easier than the 5'10.  Still got slaughtered by the rips and smashed.

Had a big dinner of beef, sausage, chips and rice- not quite as good or cheaper as the Brazilian equivalent, but was starving- followed that with 2 Pastel de Natas.  Satisfied for now.  Heading back to UK tomo.