Salvador, Recife, FdeN Day 10
Salvador, Recife, FdeN
Day 10 - Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - Flight from Fernando de Noronha to Recife to São Paulo, São Paulo, BR
The hostess of the pousada was kind enough to have breakfast ready for us before our 6:20 trek to Atalaia Beach.
We packed most of our things the night before so we had a bite to eat. Right on schedule, Sabina met us out in front of the pousada. She knew all of the shortcuts to get to the beach.
The path through the dense foliage was very rocky and the air was still. We were very happy that we were on the first tour as it was going to get hot!
One must schedule this excursion a day in advance as the tours are limited. Only once a day during low tide five groups of less than 20 people are allowed to snorkel in the tide pool.
A guide must accompany each group and a Ranger is on duty during the low tide. We were given a list of rules before we even began our hike to the beach. No lotion, no flippers, no touching of the shallow pool floor.
As we were the first group to enter, the shallow water was crystal clear. We could see many species of small fish, and a few larger fish having breakfast on the little ones caught inside the reef in the low tide.
We also saw three sharks, two small ones and one about four feet in length. After our brief 30 minutes were up the next session was ready to enter the pools.
As we walked back to the Ranger Station, we could tell the day was going to be much warmer. The temperature was 87° and the humidity was 80% with no wind, establishing the Heat Stress of 103°.
Our original thought was to do the long hike to the top of the sea cliff. Because of the heat and the fact that we were leaving early this afternoon, we opted to complete the 2.5 hour hike instead of 4.5 hours.
Arriving back at the pousada we discovered that there was a slight internet signal. We were able to post the Day 8 journal and check our mail.
We finished packing and then vacated the room at 1:00. The airport transfer arrived at 2:00. We arrived in only 15 minutes, it is a short drive.
The gate agent would not allow us to check our bags all the way to Sao Paulo, but the flight was on time and an easy hour over the Atlantic to the mainland.
We left at 4:00 and arrived in Recife at 4:00 – not bad, we were making great time! We collected our bags, changed our watches, and then rechecked our bags and received our boarding passes for the TAM flight to Sao Paulo.
After having a light snack we went through security. Our flight was on time so we sat and waited in the gate area. Even after the boarding time had come and gone, the sign still said we were leaving on time.
The flight was about 45 minutes late and we arrived at Guaruhos at 11:35 and the luggage took forever to arrive. Luckily, our driver Nilson was there waiting for us patiently.
Traffic through Sao Paulo was light at that time of night and we arrived at Renata and Dominic’s home at 1:30. Of course, we had to stay up a little to have a piece of cake and to talk.
We unpacked a few things and then got to bed at 2:15. As the remainder of our days will be with our family for the Christmas Holidays, this will be the last day of the GarciaTrips Journal.
We will return to Chilly Colorado on December 29th. We wish you all a very safe and healthy holiday season.
Accommodations: Renata & Dominic’s Home!
Comments
Post a Comment!Hope you have a great Holiday with family. Fun reading of your adventures in warm places. 15" of snow yesterday! All the best!
White Plumeria/Frangipani
Atalai Beach Coral Pool
Swimming with a Shark
Fish in Coral Pool
Man and Cart in Vila do Trinta
Featured Journal
Day 13: Azores & Madeira: Portugal's Unspoiled Archipelagos
Day 13 - Saturday, April 22, 2022 - Depart for U.S.
The hotel prepared a box breakfast for us as we had to be in the lobby way before the breakfast room was open.
Last night we found out that our departure flight back to...
