Cumbuco

Well we got here with all 120 kilos of gear and it’s incredible. We have got into a repeat pattern of getting up, eating boiled eggs and waiting for the wind to kick in at about ten. We then both saddle up on our 9m PD2s launching straight in front of the apartment and trot off downwind.

On the way downwind there is a mixture of chop, various waves and flat sections. I normally head for the waves and smack the lip about 50 times on the way down to the lagoon. The down winder acts as a relaxed warm-up to aid egg digestion and shake off any Caipirinha induced hangover. It’s about 30 or 40 minutes, but I usually get distracted if the waves are particularly nice, and wave ride for a little longer.

So 6 km downwind, you hop out of the sea, walk across a small stretch of sand and you get to Cauipe. It’s a mid size shallow lagoon, which is perfect for freestyle. This is where all the Pro’s hang out, and it can get a bit hectic, but hit it right and you can have a really good session. All that flat water is great for progression, and being surrounded by ridiculously good riders also helps push you a bit. You can also get a plate of fried cheese balls for about £3, beer, fresh coconuts and other local delicacies.

When it’s time to go home, you hop in a beach buggy. These are a bastardised VW beetle which look like something out of mad max. Our latest driver took us the back route home by the sand dunes as he was avoiding the police.

I think we are really going to enjoy it here. We are looking forward to a bit of a road trip north in the near future.