For a long time I have been meaning to post the story and images of my Roraima Expedition. Ever since the posting of my South East Pacific Tour, I had in mind to make a similar report about the trip that my brother Andreas, my friend Christian Gaul, Kiko and I undertook to do the treck up to the Monte Roraima. This time with a happy ending.
The Roraima and the neighbouring chain of tepuis has attracted the attention of many travellers, since Alexander von Humbolt. Its high walls of yellow sandstone glare seductively in the afternoon sun. The glow has sparked the legends of the magic kingdom of "El Dorado", and inspired novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, like "The Lost World".
It was an amazing trip with all sorts of impressions, learnings, emotions and encounters. Just like a good travel trip should be. 
This is how public river transprt looks like in Thailand. Nice and colorfull also. The long swung canoes are powered with "longtail" engines. They have a long shaft with a fixed propeller, and travell at insane speed over the river and through tight channels. A quite entertaining trip!
Traditional workboats on the wharft, in Alcantara, Maranhão. The State of Maranhão has a rich workboat inheritage, with many sailing workboats still in use.
Big Marlin following in the wake of S/V Columbia in mid-Pacific Ocean
Imagine travelling into a universe composed of endless, absolutely flat, sweet water, an sometimes pyrotechnic sky, with a looming border of untouched rainforest in the distance.
Click on the image to get to see a slice of the globe.We spent 2 weeks travelling the Rio Negro, on invitation our our friend Walo Leuzinger and family. We travelled 3 days up the Rio Negro, into the Rio Branco and then into a secondary river to get to Caicubi. A tiny village, lost in the forest.
It is amazing to travel for days on neverending plains of sweet water. Since we went shortly after rainseason, great parts of the forest were submerged. Never ending, sweet water. A voyage quite different from any other voyage I did before.
Extrato do Diário pessoal
From the Ship's Log Boook:
As we left Easter Island, we set a course almost true south. One needs to venture into the high southern latitudes to reach the favorable West winds, that take one back to the South American continent.
This is a view down towards the port of Alcantara. I took this picture when I travelled by car to São Luiz, in the State of Maranhão, with my brother. A long and interesting trip. We crossed the river from São Luiz to the ancient town of Alcantara with exactly the same catamaran as seen in the video. Just we didn't have all these people with us.
Our stay in Galapagos was great. After 11 days on sea with an unknown captain and crew it was releaving to be alone for a short while, to hike and eat fruit. Stretch legs. We learned about the history and geography of the islands, dived and relaxed.
Seals are abundant on all islands of Galapagos. They are a great threat to dingis. They love hopping in and sunbathe. Try getting them off...
The Blue Footed Boobies did not enjoy our company.
The big turtles of Galapagos.
Tuna fishing is a business - still. Stock of seacucumber is declining rapidely due to Japanese and Corean fishers. And Peruvian, of course.
Lima was a stopover on my way to Equador. I had plenty of miles from my regular flights as business consultor. I booked a Varig flight from Rio, via São Paulo to Lima. After a two day's stay, for a short reconessaince tour, I continued to Equador via Quito, Gayaquil and, finally, Salinas. I would book the return flight depending on date and place of arrival.
The last day I decided for something different. I rented a quod, an agile 4 wheel bike. I pretended to explore the Rano Kau volcano and the Orongo, a holy place for the Rapa Nui. Orongo was built in ancient times as setting for the birdman rituals, which involved climbing down the steep and sharp slopes, swim over through shark infested waters to the small island Motu Iti, get a bird-egg, swim back and climb up again. Arrive with an unhurt egg, before your competitors do.
Driving the quod was great fun on the dirt roads and over the pastures. Most of Easter Island is open country, pastures, low bush and reforested higher vegetation. The trip was very much like the one on the video above. Except that quods in Easter Island seem capable of driving much faster.
I took the time to think about the situation on our boat. 2 crewmembers left due to "incompatibility". One more on the Captain's "black list": Laura. The matter had been discussed openly among the crew. Laura had had a dispute with the Captain, and was ready to leave. Katie was shaken but undecided.
As the more experienced sailor, I had a friendly relationship with the Captain. Despite the discipline and authority needed on such a ship's crew, for such a voyage, I didn't like the way of the Captain's attitudes, ways and many decisions. The crew noticed how he himself did not respect some of the "holy" rules of the boat; not smoking, not leaving the cockpit without an engaged harness,... and other minor. He thought we wouldn't notice him smoking, behind the genoa, resting in the pulpit, in the early morning, when he released the last night-watch.
I didn't like the idea of "abandoning ship". I felt I had a resposibility towards myself, to finish what I had started. And I also felt responsibility towards the rest of the crew. Since not much anchoring was possible between Easter island and Chile, I thought we might just as well get there safely. As for the social tension, I was confident to be able to take it.
After all, in the next leg we would take us into the roaring-forties. Which was one of the main reasons for my coming. I wanted to see the long pacific rollers and the soaring majestic albatrosses. Until now we didn't experience any challenges, as what regarded sailing. Minor gales had been battered without much fuss. Sure, I thought I had learned this and that about anchoring. A quick course, with many missing lessons still.
I had come to get a "Yachtmaster Offshore" certification and some serious offshore sailing. I had never dreamed myself into a paradise cruise, and knew that times would be hard. And I also thought there was still something in there for me. I would not be disappointed. Why duck?
So, "apesar dos pesares", "despite the despites", I decided to carry on with the South East Pacific Tour, on Columbia.
