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Beaches of Brazil Exploration Dispatch

October 8, 2008 – Sand Dunes And Tides

We are travelling north along the wild northeastern coast of Brazil. This is the land of small colourful boats and simple sea life; white sand dunes, clear warm tropical water and endless skies makes this one of the most scenic and appealing travel adventures one can imagine.

A fresh water lagoon

A fresh water lagoon

On October 6 we started north from the small village of Cumbuco. The first day alone we drove more than 180 km. We drove mostly on the sand along the beach at low tide. Even though this was low tide, we frequently had to travel over water crossings where there was always a makeshift barge. This allowed us to get across the water and back onto sand. Even though it was low tide we frequently had to cross water.

This dry coastal area has one unique and beautiful feature. Trapped between the dunes are lagoons of fresh water. Life here revolves around fresh water, fishing and tradition. The battle with the shifting sands is constant. The same winds which keep us cool here in is this hot, tropical climate, at just 3 degrees south of the equator, are constantly moving the sand.

Yesterday we visited a church that had been built in 1712 and disappeared under the sand. It was forgotten for centuries. About eighty years ago, the sand dunes started to shift and the church is now cleared away and in use again.

The 1712 church which was buried for centuries

The 1712 church which was buried for centuries

We also stopped along the way when we saw a man removing sand by wheelbarrow from his house that was drifted in. We were told this man has been working for months to get his house back.

Surprisingly, small boats come into this coastal area from the high seas where they fish. They come in, sometimes having been at sea for days. Men will go out and stay on these boats as many days as necessary to catch enough fish to bring back to their families. When they come in they are usually met by boys with round logs who help them bring their boats back onto the beach and they unload their fish.

As I said, life is simple, the sky is endless; the coastal area is unimaginably scenic. Today we are going to continue on. We will have a lot of beauty and adventure along the way. Please stay tuned, we will report as we continue north along the Brazilian coast.

Our Jeep makes another crossing

Our Jeep makes another crossing

A small fishing boat returns from the sea

A small fishing boat returns from the sea