Letter From Brazil - No Shrink Wrap Here

One bad move and I was sure to fall into the churning, gurgling Atlantic, raked against the jagged boulders that were supposed to be my safe landing.

A quick hop from the bobbing row boat onto the slimy barnacle-laden surface and boom I went down. I realized the power of my grip immediately as my hands served as iron grappling hooks. Slowly I climbed my way up from the edge of the rock called Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Araçatuba, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

This former fort constructed by the Portuguese in 1739 through 1749 now lies in ruins from years of deterioration, neglect and weather. It served as a protective garrison between the island of Destorre, now called Florianopolis, and it sits at the southern most point between the continent and the island. Equipped with cannons, thick abutments and a wide array of former living quarters, service here must have been lonely and harsh.

My day didn’t start out so ominous. I thought is was going to be a simple sunny Sunday pecking on computer and following Tiger Woods attempt to capture his 15th major title. As things would have it neither of those events occurred.

If you want to have fun in Brazil, all it takes is a little effort.

No sooner had I started jimmying around on youtube did my dependable phone ring with an invitation - To a place that I still can’t pronounce properly.

I scooted over to my host’s house and was astonished to arrive at a house built into a boulder. A big boulder. My friend calls it a big tree house but it welcomes at every level. The dogs, Buddy and Missy attacked me with passion. This joint overlooks the inland lake, called Lagoa da Conceição, in Florianopolis with a white water view of the southern Atlantic. My apartment felt tiny now.

With multiple twisting stairwells outside and a symphony of staircases inside, I toured another one of this island’s treasures. My hosts, Price, Heidi, Lexi and Mandy showed me around a twisting turning four story abode made of rich Brazilian woods and stone. It’s humbling to find another jewel here.

The plan included a trip to the continent in search of this fort that is reminiscent of Alcatraz.

With scant directions, we bumbled around for a couple of hours poking at the eastern seaboard. Once we located the island we sot, it became a small matter of hooking a boat ride over. Now understand, there is no service, no ferry, no ticket booth – no shrink wrap here.

Price, who has mastered Portuguese like I have writing, finagled a fisherman to carry us over.

The ride over took nearly 45 minutes before we anchored some 50 yards shy of the breakers. I volunteered to be the guinea pig and the captain rowed me toward the Rock in the fiberglass dingy tethered to our transport. How we managed to get two girls under 10 through this adventure I will never know. It was dangerous, but very exciting.

For the next hour, we picked our way through the former fort and listened intently to our guide’s description of the forts history. I can honestly say not much was lost in translation.

This dot in the Atlantic was an oblivious deterrent to those who would seek to impede on Portugal’s colony from the south.

The fort was abandoned around 1850 as the need for protection waned. In 1980, the ruins have been recognized by the government in Brazil as a Natural Heritage site. Several attempts to restore the fort have been met with complications, including budgetary and logistical problems.

More information is available at:

http://www.fortalezasmultimidia.com.br/fortalezas/index.php?ct=fortaleza&id_fortaleza=11#centro

or

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortaleza_de_Nossa_Senhora_da_Concei%C3%A7%C3%A3o_de_Ara%C3%A7atuba

From the supply dock to the living quarters, every structure looked to have been made with indigenous rock mortared together for strength. I’m certain it’s a mixture of granite and marble.

The return trip went smoothly from the Island to the boat and from the boat to the continent. In all, the charge was about $50US for all five of us. Lexi suffered the only wound when her knee attacked a rock.

Wear grippy shoes and bring a lunch.

The route we took was BR-101 south out of the continent side of Florianopolis. We took a left at Palhoça and headed east to the beach. It was worth the experience and a lot of fun to see a wonderful historical place in an exotic land.