SUNDAY 30 OCTOBER
After an amazing breakfast – you name it, it was on offer – salmon, smoked trout, eggs cooked every way, bacon, exotic fruits, cakes, 8 kinds of bread etc etc., we checked out and transferred to Ezeiza Airport for check-in to our Aerolineas flight to Florianopolis.

On arrival in Florianopolis at 1155 we were met by our minibus and transferred the 1h45 hrs to the Pousada Vida Sol e Mar in Garopaba (www.vidasolemar.com.br). The journey was on very good road except for the last quarter mile which is off-road. It is a very busy road and it is currently being widened. Accommodation is in 28 cottages with panoramic views of the sea ranging from studios (2 persons) to deluxe (6-8 persons). All cottages have telephone, fridge, TV with satellite and hammocks on a little balcony. The whole site can take 144 persons.

There is also the Itadega Chalet which is a luxurious house for 6 persons if you take the first floor and a further two suites that can either be combined with the first floor or sold separately housing 2 persons in each. There is a small pool attached to this chalet. They are in the process of building two more cottages which will be deluxe. One is almost finished and we had a walk around it. Building will now stop until the end of the season. Otherwise the Pousada has a restaurant and bar, swimming pool and two tennis courts and it is a short walk to a mile long beach which is famous for its surfing.

At 1900 hrs we met up in the bar for a caipirinha and a chat with biologists from the Right Whale Institute followed by dinner.

MONDAY 31 OCTOBER
Early morning start with breakfast, and were given a short pep talk regarding the whalewatching we were about to enjoy and were told if there was any likelihood of being sea-sick we should take the tablets they had on offer. The majority of us were intimidated into taking them! We were then transferred to the beach at Garopaba where we were kitted out in waterproofs and life-vests before boarding our Zodiac vessel. The people running the whale-watching have ‘watchers’ all along the coast so that they know approximately where the whales are at any given time. The season is from June to mid-October but this year they didn’t arrive until July which meant they were late leaving – luckily for us. The whales come here to calve before moving south as it warms up.

The boat zoomed out of the bay and along the coast for about ten minutes before we spotted our first whale. We then went a little further along the coast when we saw an whale with her albino calf followed by another 3/4 mothers and babies.

The whole whale-watching trip was amazing. The Right Whales average 17 metres in length/53 tons weight. They are called Right Whales because the whalers said they were the ‘right’ whales to hunt because they were richer in blubber. They have distinctive, personal markings caused by callosities (like barnacles) on their bodies. The IBF (Instituto Baleia Franca) monitor the whales and the same ones come back time after time to the same bays to mate and calve.

The boats are not allowed to approach the whales but if they approach you, it is OK. We were told that the whales are very inquisitive and that they ‘recognise’ the boats. I suspect they feed them in between times which is why they recognize them! The whales did approach us; in fact one actually went under the boat and up the other side. (When we got back to the Pousada they confessed that four days prior a whale did the same thing but this time came up under the boat tipping a tourist into the water!). Yes, the whales came very close and it was a fantastic experience. Earlier in the season apparently the whales can be viewed from the beach and cliffs.

Whalewatching over, we returned to a beach further along the coast where the minibus was waiting for us and we transferred to the historic town of Laguna. Laguna is famous for two things – Santo Antonio (the Patron Saint of those who want to get married!) and Garibaldi. On the eve of June 13 – Santo Antonio’s feast day – if you want to marry the one you love you deposit 13 coins at the feet of the statue. Garibaldi, on the other hand, had to flee Italy for creating insurgence and came to Brazil to help free them from Portuguese imperialism. He fell in love with a married lady from Laguna and together they help create the republic. They then went back to Italy and fought for freedom and became known as the Father of Modern Italy.

Lunch was at the Restaurant Boiao overlooking the laguna where we watch dolphins leaping and dancing in front of us. They are popular with the local fishermen because they drive the fish into their nets. We had a demonstration of the throwing of the local round nets (although they didn’t catch anything). The meal, once again, was wonderful …. Fresh fish (well it should be we watched the boats bringing in the fish) and seafood.

When we eventually got back to the minibus, the combination of the wine and the seasick pills hit home and of the six who took the pills (not me and I took a photo to prove it) five fell into a deep, deep sleep. In fact when we arrived back at the Pousada, it was difficult to wake one of them! At least no-one was sick (on the boat or off). We ate at the delightful restaurant in the Pousada (see right).

TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER
An early breakfast to allow for a surfing lesson this morning. I ‘volunteered’ to be the official photographer (in case anyone did actually get up on the board in the water). The participants were fitted out with their wetsuits and boards and taken down to a small laguna next to the beach where the lesson commenced, firstly on dry land. Then it was into the laguna to test their newly acquired skills (or not!). One or two did managed to get up on the board but then it was off into the rolling surf. Two of them successfully surfed the waves (and have photos to prove it).

We then took our leave of the staff at the Pousada and transferred back to Florianopolis where we had a fabulous lunch in a Sushi Restaurant. As you can imagine, the fish was excellent, especially the Sashimi AND a large plate of sushi plus a beer cost …. £2.94 … unbelievable!!

From there it was on to the airport for check-in to our return flight to ‘the real world’. On arrival in Buenos Aires we transferred to our onward TAM flight initially to Paris. Overnight in flight and I was lucky enough to have an emergency exit seat which meant I could stretch out my legs – wonderful. That said, the leg room on all the flights was excellent – better than BA!

WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER
We arrived into Paris Charles de Gaulle at 1000 hrs and transferred terminals for our Air France flight to London Heathrow.

Sandra travelled to Patagonia and Brazil in Autumn 2005

Cottage at Vida Sol e Mar














Whalewatching












Pousada Restaurant












Surfing on the beach