Breves

As we go further into the Amazon Basin, we have been motoring during the day (watching for logs and large clumps of water hyacinth) and anchoring in the late afternoon to enjoy our evening meal and get set for the night. The afternoon is hot and we look forward to the sunset. It is the rainy season, but we have seen very little rain. Last night we have a great lightning show, but again, very little rain.  Yesterday afternoon when we anchored, we had a number of Amazon pink dolphins around the boat. It was exciting to see such an animal. They were still around the boat when we departed this morning.

Today we turned off the Rio Para onto the Estreito de Breves. We passed the town of Breves where there are a number of lumber mills. It is sad to know that all that lumber comes from the deforestation of the rain forest.

The local people are very interested to see a sailboat pass by and are very friendly, waving and greeting us. Children in canoes come out to see the boat. We are definitely an unusual sight.

Belem

We spent a few days moored off Belem at the B & B Marina. We have explored parts of Belem going through all the formalities of checking in with the Port Captain, looking for shops with charts and boats items and sightseeing.

We rise early as the small river boats with their very loud engines start at 5:30 am.
We have toured the Teatro da Paz. A beautiful old  neoclassical theater built around 1869 with the goal to rival the theatres of Europe. The marble columns, parquet floors and ceilings paintings and were impressive.
Fresh produce provisioning was done at the Mercado Ver-o-Peso, a large waterfront market that sells just about anything you would want. Fish, produce, medicinal products, animals, clothing and more. One end of the market is covered by a structure called the Mercado do Ferro. It is an iron structure that was brought here from Britain and assembled in 1901. Part of it is currently under restoration. We had a good local lunch at one of the stalls in the market.
The Basilica Santuario de Nazaré is beautiful and is the focal point of Brazil's largest religious festival, Cirio de Nazaré, which takes place in October each year. It involves a small image of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, which is believed to have been sculpted in Nazareth and to have performed miracles in Portugal before being lost in Brazil. It was rediscovered in 1700 on the site of the Basilica. In October it is brought out of the Basilica to a location 23 km away and carried in a river procession back to Belem, to the Cathedral da Sé and then returned to the Basilica. Up to 2 million people participate in the festival. The Basilica is beautiful with mosaics, stained glass, sculptures, and marble columns.
Our stay in Belem took an unfortunate turn. On Sunday the 20th, as Suza and I walked from the restaurant where we had lunch toward the Estação das Doca, two guys came toward us and mugged Suza. Why they did not grab my bag, I don't know. We are both okay, there were no injuries and we lost very little since we had been warned about crime. The camera was the only item of value. We will be even more cautious now and will not go anywhere without Rick.
We have left Belem and are now heading down the Rio Para to go further into the Amazon River Basin.

I will post pictures when I have a better connection. 

Fortaleza and on the move

After 24+ hours of travel I arrived in Fortaleza on May 8 and took a taxi to the Marina Park Hotel where Voyager was docked. It was great to see Rick & Suza and relax over a nice dinner. On the 9th Suza and I spent a little time in Fortaleza visiting St. Joseph's Cathedral, the Mercado Central and trying to see Dragão do Mar, a cultural art center,  which unfortunately was closed. Fortaleza is one of Brazil's largest cities and is popular for their beaches and nightlife (though we did not explore either of those). It was back to the boat to get ready to leave the next morning for the Amazon Basin, our next port is Belem on the Rio Para.

The 10th through the 15th was a downwind sail along the coast of Brazil. Rather rolly and not the most conducive to sleeping. I have the 2 am to 6 am watch. Very early on the 15th we entered the Amazon Basin on the Rio Para (Para River).  After 659nmi, we anchored on the 15th off Ilha de Colores (Colores Island) a little way from the city of Vigia. It was a beautiful calm night and we watched brilliant scarlet Ibis and parrots fly by while we had dinner on deck.

On the river we are motoring and our progress is influenced by detours around fishing nets and the currents. Due to the fishing nets and floating logs that we need to avoid, we will only travel during the daylight while in the Amazon Basin.  On the 16th we anchored off the Ilha do Mosqueiro, 38 nmi from our last anchorage. There was a light rain the last few miles, just enough to wash the salt off the boat. It is the rainy season here, but so far we have had very little rain.

St. Joseph's Cathdral

Interior of Cathedral

Need to buy a hammock?

Colorful buildings at Dragao do Mar

Marina Park Hotel

Voyager (see Rick's feet?) at Marina Park Hotel

Next stop is Belem, reported to be one of the rainiest cities in the world. We plan to be there about a week, hopefully having  some sail repairs completed, provisioning and sightseeing. Once we leave Belem the plan is to explore the Amazon Basin by motoring around the Ilha de Marajó, stopping at Macapá and exit via the Rio Amazonas.

Brazil!

I am off to meet my friends Suza & Rick in Brazil. We will meet in Fortaleza and sail from there up the coast. We hope to explore a little of the Amazon and continue north along the coast of South America. I am looking forward to spending time with them and seeing new places. I will update my blog as internet access permits.

Majuro, Capital of the RMI

   I am at the end of a short (originally unplanned) stop in Majuro. For the last few days I have been working with a group of people that run the Canvasback Kumit Wellness Center. Diabetes is very prevalent in the Marshall Islands, over 50% of adults have Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes.
The team here has developed and implemented a diabetes reversal and lifestyle change program for the Marshall Islands. They have intervention and education programs, exercise programs, a cafe that serves healthy breakfasts and lunches, and they even grow many vegetables they use in the meals they serve.  It has been great to see what they have accomplished with a small team of people.  I just wish I had more time here!

Part of the team at the Canvasback Kumit Wellness Center

The link for the center's website:
http://pacificdiabeteswellness.com/diabeteswellnesscenter_002.com
The Canvasback Kumit Wellness Center would appreciate any support!

Mission accomplished!

Canvasback has finished the orthopedic and dental missions on Ebeye and Ennubirr (Third island). It has been a great experience. The orthopedic team performed 30 surgical procedures including 8 knee replacements and 3 hip replacements.It is the first time knee replacements have been done on Ebeye.
The dental team saw almost 700 patients in two weeks, they were working non-stop and were ready for a little rest. On Ennubirr there is no air conditioning and working outside was a different experience for most of the team.
For me this was a great opportunity to be part of a team that gives to the community where many of the people I worked with live. Ebeye is an island in Kwajalein Atoll, near Kwajalein Island, where most of the Marshallese people who work on Kwajalein live. Ennubirr is the island where most of the Marshallese who work on Roi reside. It had been a few years since I had been on Ennubirr so it was interesting to see the changes.

Next, I will be stopping for a week on Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands. Canvasback runs a Diabetes Wellness Clinic there and I will see what I can do to help. Diabetes is a significant issue in the Marshall Islands and they are working to help people understand how they can change their diet and exercise to improve blood sugar levels.

Some of the ortho patients and the medical team

Anne Alrick assisting dentist Victor Au-Yeung on Ennubirr



Some of the kids on Ennubirr and me



Jacque Spence, co-founder of Canvasback Missions

If you are interesting in learning more about Canvasback Missions, their website is http://www.canvasback.org/


Back in the Marshall Islands!

It is great to be back in the Marshall Islands!

I am here for a few weeks volunteering with Canvasback. Canvasback Missions, Inc.is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 to serve remote Pacific islands with needed health care and health education. Volunteer medical professionals provide various kinds of medical and dental services to the people and they send several medical mission teams to the Marshall Islands every year. I am working as a team coordinator and am fortunate to be working with such amazing people. We have been working on Ebeye for one week now and it has been wonderful to see what this orthopedic team can do for people with such need. They have performed 5 knee replacements, two hip replacements, numerous arthroscopy (and other) procedures in the first week. It's great to see people who have been wheelchair bound, walk again. The medical team are some of the most talented, kind, giving and fun people I have ever met. I have been able to observe a knee replacement and a hip replacement surgery. Now that is something to see!

A dental team just arrived and will be working on Ebeye this coming week and then on Ennubirr the following week. More on that in the next post.