23:09.38 S, 044:08.27 W

 

We set off at dawn from Rio and motored for a few hours past Copacabana and Ipanema but the wind filled in in mid morning and we sailed, albeit tacking, the rest of the 60 miles or so, arriving at Isla Grande just before dusk. Isla Grande is supposed to be the best cruising in Brazil with hundreds of tiny coves with peaceful anchorages. It was certainly peaceful although where we tied up there was a floating bar. We didn’t even have to set foot on land to get a beer at lunchtime. There are no roads on the island; there are tracks through virgin rainforest. We took a stroll to the west of this bay and were entranced by the trees and foliage. you can walk here with no shoes on as long as you watch out for snakes. The most incredible noise started up at dusk. At first we thought we could hear a medley of chainsaws or lawnmowers but actually it was a troupe of howler monkeys way up in the forest. There were also the large beach vultures, tiny capuchin monkeys and many of a bird we have seen everywhere that we know as a “winky woo” from it’s call. It has a bright yellow belly, there’s a link below to a web page with soundtrack and better pictures than we could get.

 

Boobies clustering around the mast as we left Rio

 

Approaching our anchorage

 

 

In the floating bar. Note the glass is a sawn-off vodka bottle !

 

Beach (1 of 102 on this island !!)

 

Wild forest next to the beach

 

Wild inhabitant