Monday, March 10, 2014

Logistics, drought, Rio Paraibuna, Carnival and Rio Cubatao do Parana

So after immediately hitting gold with the Rio Preto, Ari and I were then hamstrung by various things. But we maintained a good attitude, drunk our fair share of Cachaca and cervaja and made it through it all! That said, we did see some stellar country, spent a few days on the amazing beach at Itamanbuca and definitely left our mark on Sao Luiz do Paratinga (or vice-verse) during carnival. Just before carnival we did a spec-ops poach of the Rio Paraibuna, but unfortunately it was a low flow. The river would have been phenomenal with more water but the spotting of numerous capivari, monkeys and a massive snake help ease the burden of the low water. We still got a clean 30 and 20 footer and some fun slides, but it was only a tease for what could of been. Here are a couple of snaps for that trip.
 
 Tip-top Katie Scott about to get her first proper taste of Brazilian
white-water
 
 This 20 flow out of the pool of the 30, then slides galour. Just not
enough water to bring out the true potential.
 
 Alex capturing a cool angle
 
 
After this we rallied to Sao Luiz and partied our lives away, literally. Im surprised Ari and I came through unscathed... but we did and we rallied to Garuva to line up a trip down the Cubatao do Parana. The heavens opened and is rained like hell, perfect! Mac pimped us a shuttle somehow and we would be doing a cruisy multi-day. Hard white-water but short days. Turned out to be awesome, with some cali like camping on granite slabs (thankfully as the jungle is moist and scary) and great white-water. We were all stoked on it that's for sure, and if you're setting your own shuttle the logistics are pretty damn easy just a long shuttle. Here are some pics from it.


 
 



 





 Paddling Katie (Ka-ch-e) Love, Katie mobbed into this seemingly simple boof but got instantly back-looped, beaten and then swam to china... down for 40 seconds and popped up down
stream about 20metres!

 
From here Ari and I decided to split from the rest of the crew and continue our charge south, while the others would begin their march north in the hope of rain and then their departing flights. Turns out... Ari and I made the right decision to head to Santa Catarina, more so to Jaragua do Sul!


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