Homenaje a los navegadores de Lagos.

Homenaje a los navegadores de Lagos / Tribute to the navigators from Lagos. 

Gil Eanes es el más reconocido. Escudero del Infante D. Henrique, dobló el Cabo Bojador en 1434 por primera vez. Además de la familia Eanes, otras como los Dias, los Freitas o los Gonçalves han contribuido con varios marineros.

Aquí queda el homenaje del Paraguaçú para los que «con su coraje y espíritu emprendedor, han dado una gran contribución para las 3 revoluciones de la época: la de la técnica náutica, la del saber geográfico, y la de la evolución cultural». Así reza el monumento a los navegadores ‘lacobrigenses’, delante de la Marina de Lagos!

 

Gil Eanes is the most known. Escudero of the Infante D. Henrique, he crossed the Bojador Cape in 1434 for the first time. Besides de Eanes family, others like the Dias, the Freitas or the Gonçalves have contributed with several sailors.

Here is the tribute of Paraguaçú for those who «with their bravery and entrepreneur spirit, have given a great contribution to the three revolutions of the era: the navigation technique, the geographical knowledge, and the cultural evolution». This is how it is written on the monument to the ‘lacobrigenses’ navigators, in front of the Marina de Lagos!

90 years since the first south Atlantic aereal crossing

In 2012 commemorates 90 years since the first aereal crossing of the south Atlantic ocean, by Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral. The two aviators started in at Belém, Lisbon, on the 30th march, on board the hydroplane ‘Lusitânia’. On the first day they reached the Canary Islands. On the second stage they managed until Cape Verde. When they were aproaching Fernando de Noronha island, the problems started… They were forced to stop but the plane resulted damaged. After beeing rescued by a ship they had to use a new aircraft to proceed: the ‘Pátria Brasileira’, but it's engine failed after just a few hours! Than, a new engine was ordered from Portugal. It came by ship and the new craft was called 'Santa Cruz'. It was in this manner that both aviators reached Brazil. They stoped on a few coastal cities before finishing at Rio de Janeiro, on the 15th June!

It is a similar route that the Paraguaçú intends to navegate trough, pretende reconstituir, homenageando o espírito dos aviadores pioneiros. Mas o Paraguaçú (‘mar imenso’) é portador de uma mensagem: ‘Eco-eficiência’ é a expressão que pretende transmitir a necessidade de conseguir uma maior eficiência energética, através do estabelecimento de políticas mais firmes de sustentabilidade e conservação de recursos. De 3 formas: racionalizar os recursos energéticos; proteger o ambiente; poupar as florestas (em especial a Amazónia)!

En Lagos / At Lagos...

Thanks to / Quiero agradecer al Marco Firmino (www.atlgrafico.web.pt) por su esfuerzo extra con las nuevas pegatinas; a Pedro Santos y Rita por el contacto con el Jornal da Região, y a Jorge Ferreira por el articolo http://jregiao-online.webnode.pt/products/quatro-meses-sozinho-a-remar-contra-a-crise-/; al personal de CNA (www.cnalges.pt) por la guardia del Paraguaçú; al Costa Motta por la disponibilidad para el transporte del barco; y a la Marina de Lagos (www.marlagos.pt) por la excelente recepción e infraestruturas…
All the support, even if it looks insignificant, is very important / Todos los apoyos, por insignificantes que parescan, son muy importantes.

En estos momentos, las negativas y contratiempos solo me dán más fuerza para continuar: "Fuerza y Honor", me dijo Alberto!
Como escribió mi hermana Isabelinha: “una vez que vá de todas formas, que vaya con los mejores...". Este puede ser el grito para motivar los apoyos mayores (los menores están en el dia 4Jun. de http://paraguacu2012.blogspot.pt/2012_06_01_archive.html). El presupuesto de la chica alemana (con un barco gemelo del mio) que cumplió un cruce identico fue el doble del mio, y integralmente cubierto por “buenos sponsors” (como me escribió).

At Lagos I go out rowing every early morning to avoid the north winds. On the first day everything was going fine until I was almost runned over by a touristic boat! It is curious to observe how skippers from sailing boats have a totaly different atitude then pilots from motor boats... / En Lagos entreno por las mañanas para evitar los fuertes vientos del norte. El primer dia llegué a Alvor y volvi… todo bien hasta que iba entrando en la Marina y me chocó el barco turístico ‘Mananita’ (que no recomiendo para nada), sin prioridad, y cuya brutalidad de su mestre y tripulación me han dejado triste. Además de brutalidad popular también desfilan vanedades, por parte de pilotos de barcos de recreo con motor que no pueden pasar sin dejar marca de su presencia. Curioso es observar como es tan distinta la actitud de los skippers de los veleros…

On the 4th day I was doing an exercise of launching a drogue and I was surprised by the quite presence of 3 dolphins... My reaction was to sing a melody to try to get their attention. Go figure! / El quarto dia hice un exercicio lanzando el drogue para estudiar como este frenaba el arrastre del barco por el viento… La satisfación me quedó pegada en la cara cuando cerca mia, silenciosos, se han cruzado 3 delfines… con una actitud muy distinta a la del mestre del barco turístico! Lo unico que se me ocurrió para que se acercasen fue cantar el tema Ukelele de la pelicula Arizona Junior! A saber porqué!!!

Why?

The question people ask me the most, especially during the Feira Náutica do Tejo, is: "why crossing the ocean?"

Besides wanting to spread the message of ‘eco-efficiency’ and pay homage to the spirit of adventure of portuguese people from other times (more details in the first messages of this blog), I have another goal which is very personal: to finish a new book called ‘Essay in loneliness’! This one will reveal the worrys of such an undertake as crossing an ocean on a rowing boat and the reflexions in a state of loneliness, as well as determine until which point the themes that I focused on were real.

Bolsa de valores y ambiente…

Las acciones de Galp han bajado porque… el precio del petróleo bajó (TSF, 28.06.12)!!! En el ridículo de esta economía liberal de carroussel la Galp beneficia con la subida del precio del petróleo!? Es decir: una empresa gana cuando todos los consumidores pierden o, si los precios del crudo soben la Galp gana más porque el aumento de los precios de su gasolina es más grande que el aumento de sus costes!!! No sorprende, pues, que constantemente esta esté tirando de los precios para arriba!

Las últimas fotos (3) colocadas en facebook enseñan situaciones en las que pocos ganan cuando muchos pierden!

El mensaje del Paraguaçú pretende beneficiar a todos y es por eso que, haciendo un “little bit”, defiende el dicho de Desmond Tutu:

Failure at the Rio +20 Summit

Un millón de almas sufren de extrema pobreza. Otro más sufre de mala nutrición... y la Cumbre Rio+20 termina en un gran fracaso. Los que más producen polución no quieren admitir la necesidad de más esfuerzos para mitigar la pobreza y los problemas del ambiente...
Vivimos un nuevo paradigma y necesitamos más cooperación y no más competición pero los lideres mundiales no miran estos cambios y insisten en un sistema fallido que favorece unos pocos y marginaliza a muchos... (recomendo la lectura de http://www.bubok.pt/livros/4919/As-Manias-da-Paula-e-as-Maiores-Tolices-do-Mundo).
El mensaje del Paraguaçú hace un alerta para algunas consecuencias de este estado de cosas: la necesidad de racionalizar el uso de energias fósiles y proteger el ambiente.
Todas las fotos del Paraguaçú en facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151172521039778.542293.613684777&type=3

One million souls suffer from extreme poverty. Another million suffering from deficient nutrition… and a huge failure at the Rio +20 Summit, where the biggest polluters did not want to admit the need to direct efforts to fight poverty and to protect the environment…

We are living a new reality where more cooperation is needed instead of more competition but, the actual World leaders refuse to recognize this reality and insist on an old system, liberal capitalism, that protects a few and marginalizes a lot by allowing the capital to be more important than the people (I strongly recommend the reading of http://www.bubok.pt/livros/4919/As-Manias-da-Paula-e-as-Maiores-Tolices-do-Mundo).
The messaje of Paraguaçú alerts for some of the consequencies of ignoring this paradigm and for the need of rationalize fossil fuel consumption and protect the environment.
All pictures of Paraguaçú on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151172521039778.542293.613684777&type=3.

How can I participate on the Paraguaçú’s crossing!?

Now you can also participate in this ocean crossing by supporting the message of the project and having your name written on the deck as you contribute with cash, items or contacts of sponsors. Choose one of the possibilities:
1- with a minimum of 50 euros you’ll see your name written on the Paraguaçú’s deck (you may sign it personally) and referred to on the future book of the crossing: ‘Essay on Loneliness’.
2- with 100 euros or more, you will get a short phone call from the middle of the ocean straight to your mobile, besides having your name written on the boat and book.
3- you may also contribute specifically to/with some of the following items still missing, and have your name written on the boat’s deck.

Bank transfers to BPI, IBAN: PT50 001000003760922000147, Swift code: BBPIPTPL)

Subject/Reference: ‘Paraguaçú’+person’s name+item (in case the contribution is made to buy a specific item). Please confirm with e-mail (zgiraldes@gmail.com), and refer your mobile number for choice ‘2’.

25 boxes Almond bars,                                 73€
25 boxes Strawberry bars,                            73€
1 life rescue raft Cruiser 4p,                         963€
1 Marine Tech invertor,                                45€
1 radio VHFICM33,                                      158€
1 radio station,                                            200€
1 binoculars 7x50,                                       49€
200 dried (lyophilized) food                      1000€
67 packs of 6 cereal bars, aprx.                    67€
1 Jet Boil pan                                              70€
1 500 min. credit card sat phone Iridium,      625€
1 battery sat phone Iridium,                         115€
Pharmacy items                                           75€

The Atlantic crossing – Paraguaçú’s route for the environment

The message this project aims to transmit is one of alert to the consequences of the excess of use of fossil energies and its reflexes on Climate Change; also to stimulate a permanent search for eco efficiency, using alternative energies such as solar, and the protection of the forests, in particular the Amazon forest.

“Paraguaçú”, the name of the boat, meaning ‘immense sea’ (was also the name of the Tupinambá indigenous girl… more on older posts), wants to pay homage to the 15^th century pioneer navigators, but also to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of the first South Atlantic aerial crossing, accomplished in 1922 by Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, and also the grace of the Brazilian people, our brothers, by sending them a warm salute. The route (the same made by the aircraft ‘Santa Cruz’) will be done rowing solo, from Marocco/Canary Islands/Cape Verde to Natal/Brazil, in an extension of more than 2700 nautical miles of open ocean. The expected duration is 110 days (starting December 2012)…

Thank You!