Ilha Grande—A Place Like No Other by John Hewitt JohnH@DeKalbChamp Imagine a tropical rainforest island with no roads, accessible only by boat, no light pollution, no air pollution, abundant natural beauty and wildlife, no cell phone reception, beaches with few others on them and stars so bright that it seems as if one can reach up and touch the Milky Way and the Southern Cross constellation. Additional descriptive adjectives do not begin to capture the serenity and beauty of Ilha Grande, Brazil. Prior to our trip, my buddy and his wife had told me for more than a year how much I would love Ilha Grande; a former penal colony and one of the few remaining intact Brazilian rainforests. The island is home to one of the richest ecosystems in the world and is a protected environment designated as Ilha Grande State Park. However, upon our arrival in Rio de Janeiro on an overcast morning, suffering from sleep deprivation and being shuttled onto a bus and through the not-so-nice areas of Rio on a two-hour-plus ride to catch the ferry, the first impression was not what I had imagined. As we neared the coastal town of Angra dos Reis, the clouds dissipated somewhat and the beauty of the area began to come into focus. Once our enormous amount of luggage and gear was unpacked from the bus, we made our way to the pier to board a boat that would take us to our final destination. As land came into view and my friend pointed out the tiny fishing village of Praia Vermelha in the distance, instinct told me that this place possibly is as great as had been described. Waking early on our first morning, it was if the heavens had opened to welcome us. The almost deserted beach, which is actually my friend’s front yard, was bathed in the warm glow of a golden sunrise. The layers of mountain islands in the distance peaked from the sea mist to reveal even more beauty. Tree frogs and exotic birds welcomed the new day with a symphony of sounds. It was time to explore. We decided to walk to the village of Praia Araçatiba, a reported 30-minute hike. Backpacks filled with the essentials and fishing gear in hand, we began the uphill climb immediately after leaving the sandy shore. My first visual impression was brilliantly colored impatiens growing randomly along the steep hillside, then corn plants, wandering Jew, bromeliads and other foliage that Americans see and buy at our local department stores. This and more exotic tropical flora grows wild and abundantly here. Around the next curve was a patch of giant bamboo, and then more tropical plants…and then an opening to the shore below. Appearing through the opening was Praia de Itaguaçu, an isolated beach with massive boulders, one abandoned beach house and one occupied home. It truly looks like the beach in The Blue Lagoon movie from the ‘80s. The beach was totally empty; not a person in sight. We trudged onward. Soon we met an elderly islander and inquired how much farther it was to Praia Aracatiba. He replied in Portuguese “20-25 minutes.” We had already been hiking for at least 20 minutes, were drenched in sweat, breathing hard and reminded one another that we had originally been told that it would only take 30 minutes to reach our destination. We continued onward, reassuring each other that we had gone about as high up the mountain as the path would go and that we would soon be descending. As we descended and neared sea level, we saw another basically abandoned beach that was previously the site of a sardine factory. The simple beauty of the overgrown, sun-bleached skeletal remains of a once thriving enterprise standing sentinel over the pristine blue waters and boulders beckoned; I had to explore. As a good excuse for a rest, we decided to test our fishing skills in the adjacent lagoon. Perched atop boulders, we could easily see large, brightly colored fish in the water below. Unfortunately, seeing the fish was all we did. Having virtually assured my friend’s wife and mother-in-law that we would bring lunch home; we left frustrated, humiliated and empty-handed. Another 20-25 minutes of strenuous hiking brought us to our original destination. Praia Aracatiba is a village of maybe 1,000 people and a handful of businesses that are mainly restaurants, bars, tiny hotels as well as tour and fishing excursion operators. The most striking feature is that the majority of the buildings appear to have been carved out of the side of the cliffs. To access businesses that are not beachfront, one enters from the trail above and must go down steep, awkwardly angled stairways or arrive by boat and enter from the piers. After refreshing ourselves with a cold Itaipava, apparently the No. 1 beer in Brazil, we concurred that perhaps a taxi boat would be our best option for returning home. We were hot, exhausted and hungry. On our third day we, along with our South African friends who operate a B & B on the island, and the only other two Americans in the village, ventured to Praia do Aventureiros on the open sea side of the island. To access Aventureiros, our rather large boat had to maneuver around a peak along the island’s edge. Apparently the bounce-back of the massive waves breaking against the rocky shore and then colliding with the next incoming wave was the source of quite a bit of aquatic turbulence. The boat bounced around like a toy in a raging river. When we rounded the cape, there again, even more beautiful than our previous discoveries, was what I will likely from this point forward refer to as the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen. Sugary white sands, breaking crystal blue waves perfect for body surfing, palm and almond trees lining camping and picnic areas. All this and no one other than our group anywhere around. Plus, a staffed restaurant at the camp ground. We frolicked in the breaking surf like children, waves tossing and turning us along the way. We enjoyed our ice cold Itaipava in the almond tree shadows as we waited for freshly prepared lunch of Brazilian calabresa sausages and Bolinho de bacalhau-cod fish cakes. Each passing day brought with it many new experiences, wonders of nature that are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and evenings filled with love, laughter, good food and friendship. We hiked, swam, fished, lazed in hammocks, read, talked, boated and laughed—in the rainforest—and life was good. My friends were correct, I love this place. Never have I a visited a location so remote, so beautiful and peaceful. Even though I was usually the only American, I was with my family by choice and was welcomed. My retirement location may have been finalized.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:09:17 +0000
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