6.1 : Une Fleur au Brésil - Episode 1

After the Antarctic ice, Fleur Australe is ready for Brazil! 7,500 km of magnificent coastline to sail along the South Atlantic from north to south, all the way to the legendary Amazon River. June 4, 2014, Ilhabela. Betty the dog is back on deck, having come from Paris, as dogs are prohibited in Antarctica. It's winter, but temperatures are reaching 23 degrees Celsius, with occasional sunny spells and torrential rain. June 5, a stop in the small village of Paraty Mirim to buy freshly caught fish from boat to boat. Mosquito nets are essential, as the morning mosquitoes carry dengue fever, and the evening ones carry malaria! June 6: Managua, a small, idyllic village in a long fjord accessible only by boat. The villages of the Atlantic Forest boast immense biodiversity and seem frozen in time. Like Paraty, a jewel of Brazil, declared a Brazilian heritage site in 1966. Paraty, which once thrived on the gold trade, now lives off coffee and tourism. June 8th, in one of the most beautiful places in the world: Isha Grande. But the beaches are polluted by plastics from all over the world, brought in by the tides. Luckily, volunteers are fighting this relentless scourge on the ground! Then, off to Cabo Frio, a night journey between the anchored cargo ships. The family is alone, without a crew member, and has to take the watches themselves, including little Loup. In Cabo Frio Bay, a squid fisherman offers a taste of his personal recipe, cooked on his small boat, before a short visit to the seaside town, popular with Brazilians. Then, the town of Buzios, adored by the jet set, the town where Brigitte Bardot married a Brazilian. A statue of the actress (more or less a likeness!) has even been erected there! Praia Brava beach also has its distinctly Brazilian charms, like cachaça! Another night's sailing to reach Rio de Janeiro. A first for the children and Geraldine, who arrive at daybreak. The family lands right in the middle of the World Cup! Imagine the atmosphere in Brazil! Even the taxi drivers are watching the matches on TV screens… Ipanema, its beach, and its bossa nova. Corcovado, sculpted by the Frenchman Paul Landowski in 1923, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Loup, a huge football fan, is thrilled when he goes to watch a French national team match broadcast on Copacabana beach. Further north, Guarapari, with its beaches, some of whose black sands are rich in natural radioactivity. As everywhere in Brazil, music welcomes Fleur Australe. Then, an intense upwind sail at 10 knots in the swell towards the Abrolhos, the largest coral reef in the South Atlantic. Captain Filou even managed to catch a swordfish! June 26: Arrival in Itacaré, a former pirate haven. After a challenging approach, Fleur Australe anchored at the mouth of the Rio, this immense river that disappears into the jungle. Amidst the lush, abundant nature, the inhabitants of Itacaré are warm and welcoming, making a living from fishing, the coffee and banana trade, and, once again, tourism. June 27: On the 600 km long Rio de Contas, the family paddled a dugout canoe through the mangroves, a taste of the Amazon and its diversity. A final, magical swim at the foot of a waterfall confirmed that Itacaré remains one of the family's favorite Brazilian destinations.