14 December 2014; Outward bound to Sea.

With 2 to 3 knots of Amazon current in the stern we were flushed down the river to approach Macapá pilot station to disembark our pilots. As the Brazilian authorities had already left us in the previous port, we only had to slow down briefly to match the pilot boat speed and we were on our way again. I had aimed to be passing Macapá at 0900, which was high tide there. That means that we would have 3 to 4 knots of ebbing current with us, until well clear of the river, followed by going against the flood current for the next period of time. By that time we would be out of the “narrow” part of the river (e.g. less then 5 miles wide) and into the wide part (e.g. about 50 miles) and thus would have less flood against us than Ebb with us. Also it would mean that we would arrive at the bar at high tide and thus would have maximum clearance under the keel. Mother Nature was obliging and high tide came in as predicted. We had 4 knots of current with us and we arrived 20 minutes after high water at the bar. I always like it when my planning works out.

At the Bar, Barre Norte in Brazilian, we slowed down to 10 knots to avoid squat and then spent the next two hours sailing over this very shallow area. This time there was more water than last time and the echo sounder never indicated less than 12 feet. That is good going for the Bar. Plus the outgoing tide gave us an extra knot of speed free of charge and it all helped to get us back in the North Atlantic Ocean by 18.30 hrs. That did not mean that we were then out of the influence of the Amazon. It took until midnight before the last of the brown water was gone and the deep blue of the north Atlantic was all around us again.

The one thing that always puzzles me is what happens to all those trees that float down the river. The moment we pass Macapá they are all gone. One would expect that they would float to open sea but past Macapá we seldom see them on this last stretch of the river. Whether, there is a “tree hole” somewhere, where they all disappear into, or that they strand somewhere, I do not know. As the Amazon gets wider and wider, the sand banks also increase in size and block off most of the river, so maybe they just run aground and disintegrate in the water. I really do not know the answer but it is certainly a strange thing.

This was the hottest Amazon trip I had made thus far. There was very little wind on the river and also very little rain, although it was the rainy season. As normal, Santarem was the hottest day with a noon time temp. of 38oC / 100oF but this time Parintins came in close 2nd with 35oC / 95oF. That was measured on the bridge with a free air flow around it and thus it must have been even warmer ashore in areas where the wind does not reach. This makes an Amazon cruise a challenge but then we all know that the river flows on or near the equator so hot weather is to be expected.

We saw a lot of unique things again with plenty of bugs on the deck, pink dolphins, Indians, an Opera house, piranha’s, colorful river craft and this amazing big city of Manaus straight in the middle of the rain forest. The Amazon will never cease to amaze and impress me. Still I was glad to feel the North Atlantic Ocean moving under the ship again, as it indicated the end of 8 days of 6 hours on, 6 hours off standby’s on the bridge plus the regular day’s work.

Tomorrow we will be at sea, King Neptune will come for a visit and I will be able to catch an afternoon nap…… Who says that the small things in life are not worthwhile to look forward to……….