Macapa, on the north bank of the Amazon, is the official port for clearing in to the Amazon, to go up the river. It is here where we (well the crew…) needed to do all of the paperwork including getting a river pilot. It is one of Brazil’s least populated regions, surrounded by uninhabited forests and hills.The city lies exactly on the equator and hosts a monument to this, knows as Marco Zero (“Zero Mark”). It gained international notoriety in December 2001, when the international NZ yachtsman Peter Blake was murdered while anchored on his explorer yacht Seamaster off the Port of Macapa.
We were given a berth at a dock, which is nicer than having to wait for tenders. However, the dock was over 100 feet shorter than the boat, and we were going to share it with another boat – the captain wondered how we would get off the boat, but everything worked out, with a very steep gangplank (real slow going with all the old folks!). There is also a very big tidal range here.
Once again we docked about 20 minutes outside of the town – this time in a yard that was making sawdust out of old trees! We are definitely in expedition mode now, and living the river life (in luxury!) and visiting places off the beaten track that rarely see cruise ships.
We took the shuttle into town. After a short trip around town, we took a taxi to the Marco Zero (“Zero Mark”). We took the obligatory photos (one foot on either hemisphere for Charlotte, Jimmy in the southern hemisphere and me in the northern (or the other way round…))
and then headed back to the boat again. An early departure as we had a lot of miles to cover to the next port, up river against the current (the ship can do 18 knots – not like Heat Wave!).
and then headed back to the boat again. An early departure as we had a lot of miles to cover to the next port, up river against the current (the ship can do 18 knots – not like Heat Wave!).
The boat is still on CODE RED but good news is that no new cases have been reported in the last 30 hours. If no new cases by tomorrow morning, we will be off CODE RED (a few of us are thinking of camping outside the medical centre now so no one can pass in to make a new report J). 2 weeks of washing piling up! (as the self service laundry has been closed)
Charlotte continues to enjoy her freedom around the boat.