Depart Florianopolis
27/11/12 23:39
Up early this morning as my coach to Buenos Aires leaves at 10:15.
The new sprayhood fully installed. It fits well and just needs some small adjustments to the outer flaps. In hot weather the removable window is a welcome modification.
Although the moorings did not fail I have added more chafe protection and a third line just in case.
Two marina mooring lines are each secured with a line over the bow led back via fairleads to deck cleats. This gives some separation and helps avoid twisting.
A boat moored nearby with lines over the bow. Her lines were twisted and one had chafed through.
I'm travelling today with the Brazilian coach company Pluma Internacional. The coach is comfortable but lacks onboard service. Instead there are regular stops at service areas along the way.
Our route goes along the coast via Laguna then turns west to Porto Alegre and on to the Argentine border at Uruguaiana/Paso de los Libres the southish to Buenos Aires. Total distance around 1650 km
Landmark bridge over the strait at Florianopolis. Not used for 30 years and still under repair.
Disused railway bridge at Laguna.
Our coach seems to be making frequent deviations to bus stations along the way. It is not a direct service.
Late night crossing into Argentina at Uruguaiana/Paso de los Libres. where our passports are taken and returned a short while later duly stamped.
The new sprayhood fully installed. It fits well and just needs some small adjustments to the outer flaps. In hot weather the removable window is a welcome modification.
Although the moorings did not fail I have added more chafe protection and a third line just in case.
Two marina mooring lines are each secured with a line over the bow led back via fairleads to deck cleats. This gives some separation and helps avoid twisting.
A boat moored nearby with lines over the bow. Her lines were twisted and one had chafed through.
I'm travelling today with the Brazilian coach company Pluma Internacional. The coach is comfortable but lacks onboard service. Instead there are regular stops at service areas along the way.
Our route goes along the coast via Laguna then turns west to Porto Alegre and on to the Argentine border at Uruguaiana/Paso de los Libres the southish to Buenos Aires. Total distance around 1650 km
Landmark bridge over the strait at Florianopolis. Not used for 30 years and still under repair.
Disused railway bridge at Laguna.
Our coach seems to be making frequent deviations to bus stations along the way. It is not a direct service.
Late night crossing into Argentina at Uruguaiana/Paso de los Libres. where our passports are taken and returned a short while later duly stamped.
Porto Alegre to Tigre
08/07/12 16:23
Crossed Brazil Uruguay border at 03:30 and arrived in Montevideo at 08:15. I had hoped to catch the 08:30 Cacciola service but it was full.
This meant a 7 hour wait but I did discover free wifi upstairs at Tres Cruces coach station.
At 16:15 we left Montevideo for Nueva Palmira. Water levels in the Rio de la Plata are very low and there was insufficient water for our ferry to get into Carmelo.
Arriving at Nueva Palmira around 20:30 we were unloaded and told to queue outside the tiny terminal building in windy conditions with the temperature around 4ºc. The incoming ferry was nowhere to be seen.
I failed to see the merits of this and got aboard one of the waiting coaches. All nice and cosy. A comfortable seat with the heater running.
We eventually got away aboard a much smaller Cacciola ferry at around 22:00 and arrived back in Tigre at 01:15.
Total Trip Cost
Cacciola Tigre/Montevideo/Tigre Arg$375 (US$82.63)
EGA Montevideo/Porto Alegre Urg$1,896 (US$86.57)
Santo Anjo Porto Alegre/Florianopolis R$82 (US$40.30)
Santo Anjo Florianopolis/Porto Alegre R$70 (US$34.40)
TTL Porto Alegre/Montevideo R$158 (US$77.64)
-------
Total US$321.54
====
Luckily I didn't choose to Fly on Pluna. They went bankrupt on Friday.
This meant a 7 hour wait but I did discover free wifi upstairs at Tres Cruces coach station.
At 16:15 we left Montevideo for Nueva Palmira. Water levels in the Rio de la Plata are very low and there was insufficient water for our ferry to get into Carmelo.
Arriving at Nueva Palmira around 20:30 we were unloaded and told to queue outside the tiny terminal building in windy conditions with the temperature around 4ºc. The incoming ferry was nowhere to be seen.
I failed to see the merits of this and got aboard one of the waiting coaches. All nice and cosy. A comfortable seat with the heater running.
We eventually got away aboard a much smaller Cacciola ferry at around 22:00 and arrived back in Tigre at 01:15.
Total Trip Cost
Cacciola Tigre/Montevideo/Tigre Arg$375 (US$82.63)
EGA Montevideo/Porto Alegre Urg$1,896 (US$86.57)
Santo Anjo Porto Alegre/Florianopolis R$82 (US$40.30)
Santo Anjo Florianopolis/Porto Alegre R$70 (US$34.40)
TTL Porto Alegre/Montevideo R$158 (US$77.64)
-------
Total US$321.54
====
Luckily I didn't choose to Fly on Pluna. They went bankrupt on Friday.
Florianopolis to Porto Alegre
07/07/12 16:04
It blew quite strongly from the south overnight and the moorings were choppy.
After the boat was tidied and secured I dinghied ashore. A schooner moored nearby had made an unplanned trip ashore during the night.
After stowing the dinghy I went round to have a look.
The schooner had used stout lines...
and a large shackle.
The chain from the shackle to the mooring was much lighter and had corroded badly.
One of these links failed.
Then I got a lift down to the bus station and took a Santo Anjo coach at 12:50 for Porto Alegre.
My TTL coach for Montevideo was due to leave at 20:00 but we eventually got away at 20:40.
After the boat was tidied and secured I dinghied ashore. A schooner moored nearby had made an unplanned trip ashore during the night.
After stowing the dinghy I went round to have a look.
The schooner had used stout lines...
and a large shackle.
The chain from the shackle to the mooring was much lighter and had corroded badly.
One of these links failed.
Then I got a lift down to the bus station and took a Santo Anjo coach at 12:50 for Porto Alegre.
My TTL coach for Montevideo was due to leave at 20:00 but we eventually got away at 20:40.
Santo Antonio
06/07/12 22:19
A good check around the boat this morning. Batteries were fully charged. Moorings were sound. Only a tiny bit of water in the bilge.
The widow over the chart table had leaked a tad.
Installed my new spray hood. This was a final fitting with only a few adjustments to be made.
It looks really good.
A number of improvements have been made over the original. An opening front panel, grab handles, interior pockets, zip closures for installation and removal, superior fabric and reinforcement in way of the snap fittings.
The widow over the chart table had leaked a tad.
Installed my new spray hood. This was a final fitting with only a few adjustments to be made.
It looks really good.
A number of improvements have been made over the original. An opening front panel, grab handles, interior pockets, zip closures for installation and removal, superior fabric and reinforcement in way of the snap fittings.
Tigre to Florianopolis
05/07/12 21:27
On time arrival at Porto Alegre. Raining and overcast.
Took the time to book my return tickets for the weekend. Florianopolis to Porto Alegre on Santo Anjo and TTL Porto Alegre to Montevideo.
Left Porto Alegre aboard a Santo Anjo coach at 09:00. Weather improved as we travelled north and was lovely and sunny on arrival in Florianopolis at 15:30
Thereafter a R$40 taxi ride up to Santo Antonio. All well aboard Kiriwina.
Took the time to book my return tickets for the weekend. Florianopolis to Porto Alegre on Santo Anjo and TTL Porto Alegre to Montevideo.
Left Porto Alegre aboard a Santo Anjo coach at 09:00. Weather improved as we travelled north and was lovely and sunny on arrival in Florianopolis at 15:30
Thereafter a R$40 taxi ride up to Santo Antonio. All well aboard Kiriwina.
Tigre to Florianopolis
04/07/12 21:03
Up early to take a Cacciola ferry to Carmelo from Tigre with an onward coach connection to Montevideo.
At Tigre Argentine customs initially refused to allow my sails to be loaded. They said sails were prohibited imports. I pointed out that nothing had been said when I bought them in back in April and that they had been repaired by an Argentine company and I was now exporting them. After taking me aside and making some phone calls they let me board with a warning not to do this again.
Immigration in Carmelo was pretty quick today and the Cacciola coach was on time. Their coaches are a bit tired and showing their age.
In the evening I took an EGA coach from Montevideo to Porto Alegre. I like EGA and tonight their coach was almost brand new.
This was a pretty tortuous way to get to Florinopolis but it had the advantage of a generous baggage allowance. I was carrying two sails and a spray hood plus lots of little boat bits. The Uruguayan airline Pluna which I have taken in the past has complicated pricing making it difficult to calculate the exact fare when baggage is involved.
At Tigre Argentine customs initially refused to allow my sails to be loaded. They said sails were prohibited imports. I pointed out that nothing had been said when I bought them in back in April and that they had been repaired by an Argentine company and I was now exporting them. After taking me aside and making some phone calls they let me board with a warning not to do this again.
Immigration in Carmelo was pretty quick today and the Cacciola coach was on time. Their coaches are a bit tired and showing their age.
In the evening I took an EGA coach from Montevideo to Porto Alegre. I like EGA and tonight their coach was almost brand new.
This was a pretty tortuous way to get to Florinopolis but it had the advantage of a generous baggage allowance. I was carrying two sails and a spray hood plus lots of little boat bits. The Uruguayan airline Pluna which I have taken in the past has complicated pricing making it difficult to calculate the exact fare when baggage is involved.
Santo Antonio
13/04/12 22:16
Still weatherbound in Santo Antonio.
Looks like no chance of a 4 day weather window for at least another week. This is the forecast for sunday.
Problem is the weather changes very quickly and what appears to be a promising window narrows to two days followed by opposing winds.
Looks like no chance of a 4 day weather window for at least another week. This is the forecast for sunday.
Problem is the weather changes very quickly and what appears to be a promising window narrows to two days followed by opposing winds.
Ilha Bela Anchorage
31/03/12 22:48
Angra dos Reis
20/03/12 22:01
Ilha Bela to Saco da Ribeira
27/02/12 20:50
Ilha Bela Yacht Club
25/02/12 22:46
Caiza D'Aco
15/02/12 21:20
Caixa D'aco and Porto Belo
13/02/12 22:43
Lovely day today. Went for a 5km walk into the nearby town of Porto Belo.
It's a smallish holiday town set on a long beach with an Island just offshore. In between Caixa D'Aco and the town there is a large fish processing plant set next to a very smart looking yacht club.
One can also anchor off the town but there is no real point given the superb anchorage at Caixo D'Aco.
Later I went over to one of the floating bars and met some of the other yachties anchored here. There are boats from Spain, Panama, Brazil, Germany, Belgium as well as Kiriwina.
Weather forecast does not look good for the next week. No wind or northerly winds.
Without wind the batteries are now barely managing to last one day.
It's a smallish holiday town set on a long beach with an Island just offshore. In between Caixa D'Aco and the town there is a large fish processing plant set next to a very smart looking yacht club.
One can also anchor off the town but there is no real point given the superb anchorage at Caixo D'Aco.
Later I went over to one of the floating bars and met some of the other yachties anchored here. There are boats from Spain, Panama, Brazil, Germany, Belgium as well as Kiriwina.
Weather forecast does not look good for the next week. No wind or northerly winds.
Without wind the batteries are now barely managing to last one day.
Caixa D'Aco
12/02/12 22:44
Return to Buenos Aires
23/01/12 23:43
Up early this morning to prepare for departure.
We took Jackie to the airport for her flight to Santiago. Then we returned to the boat to move from our courtesy buoy to a secure anchorage.
Lots of last minute packing and preparation before we got a lift ashore, stowed our last few bags in the car and set off for Buenos Aires.
We took Jackie to the airport for her flight to Santiago. Then we returned to the boat to move from our courtesy buoy to a secure anchorage.
Lots of last minute packing and preparation before we got a lift ashore, stowed our last few bags in the car and set off for Buenos Aires.
Jurere
08/01/12 22:02
Jurere
05/01/12 21:28
Florianopolis
02/01/12 21:23
New Year in Florianopolis
01/01/12 23:24