Where is Nesi right now, you’re wondering? What’s life aboard like?? Since our Atlantic Crossing in January we’ve been in Brazil 🇧🇷 .
We spent nearly 3 months in the Rio de Janeiro & Angra do Reis region running co-op trips with 5 groups of members. It was a blast!
Then we started a 1,500 nautical miles, 1.5 month passage up from Rio’s bustling city to the crown jewel of Fernando de Noronha. Here’s the Map Overview:
We left in mid-May and had to ride burly cold fronts with their blustery & rainy south winds, in order to head north against the predominant winds (which blow NE in this stretch of coast). This is considered a good time of year to head north, because the cold fronts bring south wind during Brazil’s fall & winter (May to September).
Atlantic Crossing via St. Helena & Martin Vaz in January (read posts); landfall in Rio de Janeiro by mid February; then heading north by mid-May.
Below are a series of Reels showing the journey. They are 1-2 minute vertical videos best for phone viewing. If the Reels don’t sure, open the blog post in the browser.
Rio to Abrolhos: 3 day passage, 450nm
This passage was technically very difficult ! Timing the cold fronts is quite challenging — pick one that is strong enough to sail, but not too strong and chaotic… We did ok, motoring ahead of a cold front for 12hrs in total calm, then riding the frontside of the front for 1 day of beautiful sailing, before the low pressure caught up to us. Then it was wild & wooly with rain, gusty winds, and confused seas for 2 days, nevertheless, pushing us in the right direction. Complicating factors were the contrary currents off Cabo São Tomé , and the hundred oil rigs and oil supply boats in that coast that act like a minefield. We arrived in Abrolhos sailing with 15-20kts of SE wind and sunny weather — ready for a rest!
Abrolhos: 5 days in this marine national park
The Abrolhos National Park in Brazil is the kind of place sailors like us love to visit. Boat access only, way offshore (almost 40nm), with lots of marine life and historical significance. We spent 5 days exploring the archipelago. Since it is highly regulated, we were allowed to anchor in 3 places: the Ilha Santa Barbara north & south sides, and between Ilha Siriba and Redonda. All the anchorages were rolly and exposed. Snorkeling was good with large fish — but the most amazing were the birds!
Itacare: grooviest surf town in Brazil!
After a light wind 2 day + 1 night passage, we entered our first rivermouth: Itacaré. It is hair raising to go through sandbars with waves breaking on either side — happily we had a fisherman pilot us in. We LOVED our time in Itacaré , dancing to samba, eating açai, and met up with our friend Carola (who sailed on Selaví in Fakarava with us 2 years ago!), who sailed north with us to Maraú.
Peninsula de Maraú: the dreamiest spot on Brazil mainland
Our goal was to arrive in time to celebrate Sam’s birthday (Kristian’s sister). We also managed to accomplish this in Mazunte, Mexico on Aldebaran in 2015, visiting Sam for her bday there! It was a special time, spent with the Beadle family in their beach side house. Our new boat school teacher Meggane from France also came aboard. Bienvenue!
Sailing to Recife: 3 nights of glory and pain
This next stretch 3 day passage to Recife, in north east Brazil, also proved challenging. We did exactly the same technique as when we left Rio — ride a cold front with southerly winds up the coast. The first two days were glorious. Then it was rough and wet! 25-30kts of beam wind, sideways rain. Worse, we discovered that our starboard engine had a MAJOR issue — the massive bracket that holds an alternator sheared off. So we couldn’t use the engine, and had fingers crossed that we would fix it in Recife.
Sailing to Fernando de Noronha: with co-op families
This was a super memorable trip! Taylor and family from Santa Cruz came back, they joined us last year in Madagascar and now were ready for an overnight passage to Brazil’s most famous island. First time visitor Dan from San Diego is also a co-op member with lots of sailing experience, which was a big plus. We visited Olinda’s colonial town, the super tricky river entrace of Maria Farinha, and then set sail 2 nights… bumpy, fast, and great weather. Taylor’s kids were troopers — they earned their offshore badges!
Next time: see the highlights from Noronha and our travels on the north coast of Brazil hunting for kitesurf spots and the biggest sanddunes next to the water’s edge we could find!
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