Morro de Sao Paulo, Bahia - Arriving in Garapua

We left Salvador on Wednesday morning, Nov. 13th, and headed to the island of Tinhare.  Tinhare is an archipelago about 50 miles south of Salvador.  We went by boat and it took 2 hours.  We landed in Morro de Sao Paulo, a tourist destination for many Brazilians because of its beautiful beaches and warm ocean water.  Once in Morro we walked about 1 mile through town to the transportation pickup spot.  Tinhare is an island with soft, sandy roads and few vehicles.  Most of the vehicles are jeeps, land rovers, and tractors.  We got a ride to the town we are staying in a jeep/tank looking car with all 7 of us, our luggage and a 10’ surf board (we rented a standup paddle board in Morro).  

Garapua is a small fishing town 10 miles south of Morro.  It sits on a crescent shaped bay with a sandy bottom, guarded by coral reefs.  The reefs keep the water calm inside the bay so there are only small waves.  The water is about 85 degrees and a beautiful blue-green color.  The beach in Garapua is soft white sand and very flat.  Because it is so flat the beach gets very wide at low tide and the entire town comes out to play soccer, foot volley, and dodge ball on the beach.  The beach is right in front of our house so we are in the middle of the action.  There are thousands of coconut trees around our house so we enjoy the sweet water from a freshly picked coconut a few times a day.  Carson has gotten pretty good at cutting them just right for us to drink.  

Since in Garapua we have experienced a much slower pace of life and it will take getting used to.  We have also been exposed to washing laundry in the sink, hanging clothes to dry on a clothes line, a house with no windows, hearing the ocean waves all night long, eating very simple but delicious food (lots of rice and beans), having sandy feet all the time, no tv, no internet and lots of free time.  

Hannah and Carson on the boat to Tinhare Island.

Walking through the town of Morro de Sao Paulo to get catch our ride to Garapua.

Some of the local transportation in Morro.

The beaches in Morro de Sao Paulo are number.  This is 2nd beach in the background.

Taryn, Maile and Derek in the back of the taxi with the surfboard on the way to our house.

View of Garapua beach from out upstairs balcony.  Most nights the locals come out to play.

Early morning shot of the beach.

Carson, Hannah and Taryn hanging laundry on the clothes line.

Our taxi to Garapua.

Derek with a sand crab on Garapua beach.

Stopping at the local market for an afternoon snack.

Carson cutting a coconut he just picked out of the backyard tree.

Our friend Lucas helping out.

Carson enjoying the tasty coconut water.

All the kids hanging out on the patio. 

Carson and Taryn swimming and playing on the paddle board.

Derek has made friends quickly.

Derek, Carson and Taryn were inspired by the Olodum in Salvador so they play some great rhythms for us every day.

Derek going for a swing in the hammock on the back patio.