Paraguaçú´s message!

In the beginning of 2011, TVE reported the reduction of 40% on the ozone layer over the Arctic. By the end of the same year, the ‘i’ mentioned that the Arctic is 2 millions km2 smaller than it was by the end of the 20th century – the loss of ice registered since the seventies “is bigger than ever since, at least, 1450 years”.

According to the OMM, 17 countries registered in August 2010 records of highest temperatures. If anyone still questions that humans are creating the global warming, here are some objective data: “The 20^th century was the warmest of the last 1.000 years” (NCuatro, 06.02.11). The 13 warmest years registered on Earth, happened in the last 15 years; Finland had its warmest summer in 200 years (2011); Armenia had its record of the highest temperature in the history of the country: 43,7º; in eastern Kenya, western Somalia and south Ethiopia, rained less 50% to 80% than normal. In the southeast of Asia, the monsoon season (Jun.-Sep.) was wetter than usual (‘i’, 30.11.11).

The Amazon forest absorbs 1,5 million tons of CO2 (the equivalent to the USA pollution?), but the last big drought affected 3 million square km. The big forest was seen as the lung of the world, but now we understand that it is more than that- it fulfils the role of a kidney to the planet and the role of other regulatory organs, like in the human body. The problem now is that from a purifier the Amazon could turn to contribute to the pollution…

For this, the problem of forest devastation is of huge importance. If we heard some years ago that in Malaysia there were only 20% of the original forests, now it’s the illegal exploitation of timber in Serra Leona that is putting in stake the survival of the forests in the country – they could disappear within a decade and members of the government are involved in the business (‘i’, 30.11.11).

It is to make an alert to these facts, and to contribute to the awareness of its consequences, that I intend to take forward the Atlantic crossing on a row boat, in 2012.

Talking about statistics, the maritime transportation is responsible for 3% of global emissions, the equivalent to the German footprint, but this is not the case of the Paraguaçú!

'Immense sea'

Paraguaçú’, is the name of the transocean project: it means ‘immense sea’, in a native language of Amazonia. It was also, the name of a Tupinambá indian girl, or Catarina do Brasil after marrying Diogo Álvares - the first portuguese inhabitant of Brasil, after his shipwreck and rescue near that coast, in 1510. This name wants to pay homage to the umbilical relation Portugal-Brasil, and the ...pioneer spirit of the navigators from the XV and XVI centuries (Pedro Álvares Cabral, in particular), but also to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first aereal crossing of the south Atlantic, in 1922, by Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, as well as the grace of the brazilian people... 

Paraguaçú baptized...

Several friends were there. It was on a sunny saturday (26th Nov.) in Belém, at CNL (Clube Naval de Lisboa), a club that supports the 'Paraguaçú 2012' project. João Pedro offered the Quinta da Murta 'champagne'. Little Inês climbed onboard to check the area and get a few photos. Inês and Cristina 'washed' the boat with the nectar.
Reporters from the i newspaper were there sooner for an enterview and photos.

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Paraguaçú in Lisbon

Arrived! I have arrived from the expedition in Nepal! I’ve observed and got informed about 2 glaciers: the Khumbu, at the base of Everest, and the Gebrayak, right in front of Cho Oyu, on the Tibetan side. The results can reveal surprising (more details soon). But, the goal of these ‘Portuguese Glacier Watch – Cho Oyu 2011’ was also to climb to the top of an 8 thousand meters mountain and ski down from it. I have turned into ‘the first Portuguese to ski down any mountain of more than 8 thousand meters high’. Here are the links to some videos on the mountain: the advance base camp; arrival at C1; crossing the ice fall; descent on skis...http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=613684777 (my tent)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Y064EvoU8 (killer slope)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOuRhK3XQjM (serac)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRUM1xx18-s (ski)
Some photos on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150485890509778.459473.613684777&type=3 (album ‘Mountain art’)

But, what also has arrived (and that is the news) was my boat – the Paraguaçú! At the moment she will stay at the docs, in Belém, where she will be submitted to minor repairs and adaptations, and will receive the stickers that identify the crossing. If the weather allows it I will put it on the waters of the Tejo for some training, during this month of November. In the spring of next year ‘Paraguaçú’ will be taken to LAGOS (or Tavira), and daily trainings will take place, during all summer, in front of the beaches of the Algarve: a good opportunity for new sponsors to be seen!

The departure for the big crossing is scheduled for the end of 2012 (see last post) – that year will commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the first aerial crossing of the south Atlantic, by our Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral.

Photos: Amadeu discussing details of the crossing; camp 1; the mountain; on the way to camp 2 of Cho Oyu; Paraguaçú in front of the Tejo river (Lisbon);

20.07.11
Preparation for the great crossing
After the 3 Peaks Challenge, in UK – a ‘3 in 1’ that acumulates 3.400meters high (video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9UXfAwCg0s) -, I am preparing to face the highest summit of Norway (2.469m) – another one to my list of the highest of each country in Europe. After some more training in Sierra Nevada, I hope to be fit to climb Cho Oyu (8.200m), Himalayas, with the skis on my back. I am counting on the monsson snow to ski down from the summit.
This activity aims to focus on my next challenge: crossing the Atlantic, solo, on a row boat!
The purpose of this crossing, besides the book I am writing about it, as explained in http://travessiaoceanica.blogspot.com, are: pay homage to the portuguese navigators, following the route of Pedro Álvares Cabral to Brasil, and to the pioneer pilots, Gago Coutinho e Sacadura Cabral, 90 years after the first South Atlantic crossing in an airplain; bring a message of alert to the growing problem of ‘Climate Changing’, particularly to its consequences on the Amazon Forest and recalling the need to use more alternative energies; and send a hug to the brazilian people, the guardians of that Earth's treasure, for the links that unit us.
The route will be done, solo, between Marrocco – Canary Is. – Cape Verde Is. - and Natal/Brazil, with an extention of about 5.500 km of ocean and an expected duration of 110 days. The beginning of this trip is scheduled for the end of 2012, and during the summer of that year trannings will take place along the coast of the Algarve.
At this time, my new book, ‘Os novos exploradores e a aventura dos sentidos’ (http://www.bubok.pt/libros/3592/Os-novos-exploradores-e-a-aventura-dos-sentidos), sees the daylight and I hope to have the chance od presenting the ‘Paraguaçú 2012’ project officialy (the new e-mail is now: paraguacu2012@hotmail.com ). By the way, I am still looking for sponsors to joint this initiative.

Project Paraguaçú

Paraguaçú’, is the name of the transocean project: it means ‘sea’ or ‘big river’, in a native language of Amazonia. It was also, the name of a Tupinambá indian girl, or Catarina do Brasil after marrying Diogo Álvares - the first portuguese inhabitant of Brasil, after his shipwreck and rescue near that coast, in 1510. This name wants to pay homage to the umbilical relation Portugal-Brasil, and the pioneer spirit of the navigators from the XV and XVI centuries (Pedro Álvares Cabral, in particular), but also to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first aereal crossing of the south Atlantic, in 1922, by Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, as well as the grace of the brazilian people, to whom I would like to extend my open arms with the wish of seeing tighten the relations between the two brother-nations.
The message to transmit on this crossing, that does not depend on any polutant emissions, is one of an alert to the increasing problem of ‘Climate Changing’ and the need to protect the Forests, particularly the Amazon, instigating the use of renewable energies rather than the fossil ones, and the establishment of robust politics orientated for sustainability and conservation, and the implementation of more efficient and rational ways of exploring the natural resources.
Esta ‘cruzada’, apoiada em terra por uma reduzida equipa, reconstituirá a rota dos navegadores e a do ‘Santa Cruz’ (a aeronave que completou a travessia aérea), só que remando em solitário entre Marrocos/ilhas Canárias/Cabo Verde e Natal/Brasil, numa extensão de cerca de 5.000 km de oceano. A duração esperada da travessia é de 120 dias. A partida está prevista para Março de 2012. Durante o verão de 2011 está prevista uma preparação diária ao longo das praias do Algarve.

Paraguaçú 20.12.10

O Toledão apareceu na Pousada Tropical na moto do Sorvetinho, para me levar a ver o Oceanite (sobre a pensão não pretendo fazer publicidade porque na verdade, apesar de não estar mal, deram o dito por não dito sobre o preço negociado e queriam cobrar-me o dobro para a segunda noite. Está claro que… mudei de poiso!).
O Oceanite é um barco de construção francesa equipado para travessia oceânica. Mede 7,3 metros e pesa mais de 450kg. No terceiro dia que estive a remá-lo o vento deu-nos forte e eu mal conseguia movê-lo do sítio até que me ocorreu remar para trás e, de facto, a resistência é menor porque o cockpit corta o vento em vez de fazer de vela. Após a luta de 4,5horas passei a chamar ao barco ‘The Beast’! Porque arrastar este menino de volta para o ancoradouro provocou-me dores musculares (trapézios, deltóides e dorsais), sanáveis com um pain-killer tipo paracetamol, mas não desprezáveis.
A experiência deu-me uma nova perspectiva sobre a brincadeira… Qualquer distracção pode provocar-nos um desequilíbrio a que se pode seguir um mergulho forçado, um corte numa mão, ou uma contusão num tornozelo. Para não falar de algum escaldão no peito do pé, ou do cérebro zonzo durante dias, após uma noite mal dormida a bordo sob condições de balanceio constante. Na manhã do segundo dia antevi a facilidade com que me poderia vir a sentir como um ‘bicho’ em apenas alguns dias, quanto mais em meses! Refiro-me ao desconforto, à rotina higiénica e à exiguidade do espaço.
Acabo de chegar de Santos, no Brasil. O Toledão, José Toledo, é o dono do Oceanite (ele tentou a travessia em 2008 mas sofreu um percalço a 500 km da sua meta). O barco está agora a caminho do estaleiro para revisão e pequenas adaptações e vai mudar de nome para ‘Paraguaçú’ (explico porquê na próxima crónica). Em breve virá para Portugal num ‘contêiner’ (como eles escrevem), possivelmente para o Algarve.
Numa apresentação em Novembro, na Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior, anunciei por primeira vez, publicamente, a minha intenção de atravessar o oceano Atlântico num barco a remos, em solitário. Agora, após vários dias a experimentar um barco no Brasil, onde conheci gente muito simpática que sem me conhecer me transmitiu a ‘maior força’, confirmo aquele anúncio de forma ‘oficial’! A máquina está em marcha!
Às entidades patrocinadores e apoiantes, lanço o desafio de formalizar os acordos, de modo a poder referi-las nos posts e crónicas e a colocar os seus logotipos nos blogues, cartões de visita, t-shirts e autocolantes.

Ao pessoal de Santos (Douglas, fabricante dos kayaks de turismo e canoas havaianas Pili Ohana ou, ‘grande família’; Don e Dani, da escola de canoagem Rapa Nui, que organizam actividades com populações desfavorecidas; e Fátima), ao C. Motta e ao grande amigo Amadeu, que confirmou o seu apoio como uma espécie de ‘guia espiritual’ durante a travessia, um obrigado e um forte abraço!

José Tavares