Nomad

Summer in Recife can be so hot, I got severely dehydrated. After a bad seafood experience I had two convulsions, cured solely with magical coconut water.

That day, however, Recife reminded me of its Dutch origins - rainy, almost cold. The dense fog covered the entrance to the Recife port - the mouth of the river that originates at the Eco Reserves of Manassu, Mata de Mussaiba and Mata da Jangadinha. I played with the bright yellow binoculars when I saw a boat arriving. "It must have come from far"- I thought, cause no one would go sailing on a day like that. I looked it up again. The bowman saw the yellow piece and waved. I waved back.

When I woke up the next day the gringos were anchored beside us. They came rowing  to ask if we knew where to sell whiskey. We didn't. After a few days we moved to Cabanga Yacht Club, on the other side of the Brasília Teimosa slums, where we could have a bit more comfort, such as fresh water.

While we waited, the word came of a great show at Campina Grande, in the state of Paraíba, where Brazilian artists Gilberto Gil, Caetano Velloso and Chiclete com Banana would play. I invited the gringos who had also moved beside us. They all went, but my captain stayed. He didn't want to leave the boat unattended.

The show house was right in the middle of nowhere and as we arrived, the local girls managed to invite each of the gringos for a dance at bullet speed. I was having loads of fun watching the totally embarrassed guys trying to dance forró, a quite sexy Brazilian dance. It basically requires you to couple your legs between the girl's legs and shake your hips. The American was the funniest. The other men came from Belgium, Wales, South Africa and the skipper was Australian.

When we returned, people sang MPB (Brazilian Pop Music) in the bus. The music had an effect on me, cause I suddenly saw myself involved in a romantic flare with the South African guy - Paul. He was the one who waved at the bow. That lasted for a few days and had obvious consequences, and also an unexpected outcome: he invited me to go with them. I was just 21.

So that's how I joined the Berg Wind crew. Our destination was Cape Town. On the way to the southern seas, we left towards Rio under the command of Robert Hossack, and later, down to the "roaring forties".

Miss Global got to the Caribbean later, with a new crew member - Fabiana.

And I became a nomad. I've been a citizen of the world ever since.

That is why I want to nurture it.

 

This telegram says: 

Letters received on the 4th. Convulsion is normal. Avoid dehydration.

The sea is not large enough to bare our love for you. 

Good winds, good luck.