0001 COTIJUBA ISLAND WEST COAST

PART 4 TRAILS ALONG COTIJUBA ISLAND’S WEST COAST

(Saudade, Sossego and funda beach

Route along the west coast. Seven Beaches.

First, took the main lane to the west, and walked for about five minutes. Then I reached the Farol beach, along which I walked

For 10 minutes, then along Amor beach for about five minutes. The tide was coming and I took the trail which goes along the beach, past some cottages, till I reached the Saudade beach, after almost two kilometers. Then, I climbed down natural stairs and walked along the beach. Halfway along, I saw  fishing boats.

                        View back of Saudade beach. Fishing boats

After that, I saw another fishing boat on a sandbank. The tide was coming quick. There weren’t much people, except for the fishers.

Although city people are afraid of sting rays in the lagoons, fishers’ children run around and play in the lagoons. There seem to be many myths about the island. Mind you, you can spot bones of stings on the sand. It looks frightening for outsiders.

Fishing boat on the sandbank. Tide coming quick!

Saudade Beach stretches for about 1.900 meters, slightly forming and arch. Behind the dunes, lie small creeks, where fishers catch shrimp. There are also some mangroves, as well as small ponds, some of them, almost inaccessible.

View ahead of the final part of Saudade beach. Wild appearance

The final part of the beach is narrow and stony. The beach is sided by a low-vegetation area, where trees are aligned.  Then you are faced with a higher bank, upon which stands a hut

Stony patch near the end of the beach

Some of the trees are very close to the shore: an evidence that the tide is really in. The shadows of these trees are nice for camping. One can put up his tent here and spend some time.

However, I was so curious, that I could hardly stop. I couldn’t wait to see what lies ahead!

View back at the stony and final part of Saudade Beach

Northern end of saudade Beach. View to the forest: a suitable place for camping!

At the end of Saudade beach, I saw tumble-down wooden stairs.

They led to a trail on the upper land. Because the tide was coming quick, I decided not to dare going by the beach.

It was a real old set of stairs. More of a natural, if anything!

Natural stairs leading to the upper land

Partial view from the top of the stairs. At the northern end of Saudade beach

And here’s me at the top. In the background, final part of Saudade beach

Once on the upper part, I could have a better view from Marajó Bay. It’s a large bay and you’ve got Marajó Island, about fourty quilometers across. It takes some crossing! On this weekday,

I hardly ever saw anybody on my way, except for the eventual local person. Besides, it was about mid-day, which is when most people are in their houses. People around here tend to take a siesta at this time of they. They just tie their hammocks and fall asleep, feeling the breeze and quiet. Anyway, I looked ahead and

View of a grove  from the upper land.

I then followed the lane to the north, past countryside houses, some of them, wooden ones. Most houses are alone. People seem to come here more on weekends, or on a monthly basis.

View back of the northbound lane along the west coast beaches

Wooden shack of a local

As you walk further, for a couple of meters, it becomes a walking trail. It also approaches the shore and rises. Among the trees, you see mango trees, taperebá trees and Brazil nut trees. The latter is rather tall! In the mango season, you can pick up and eat a lot of them on the way. The same with the taberebá, a small yellow fruit which results in a juice, which resembles the maracujá (passion fruit).

Taperebá is my favorite, along with the maracujá and murici, all of them, yellowish juices!

Northbound trail approaching the next beach

A couple more meters further, and I reached a covered shelter, from which I could see another beach. They call it Sossego beach. It’s also accessible by the main road that crosses the island from south to north, up to the northernmost beach, called Vai-quem-quer beach. Most holiday makers get a wagon, which looks like a trolley, and is pulled by a tractor. It carries people for about 6 km, from the southern pier to Vai-quem-quer beach.

Shelter with a view to a small beach called Sossego

I walked along this beach, and another. The next one is called Praia funda (Deep beach). It’s really deep. The sand dunes slope down towards the water, like a tobogan. Because I was worried about the tide, I preferred to stride ahead. It had been about two hours now and the sun was really beating down. However, I was pleased with this parade of beaches, trails and forests before my eyes, along with the countryside atmosphere of an off-season and off-the-beaten-track hike. I must mention the smell of flours and fruits, along with tang of the Marajó Bay water.