#3: [21-Dec-15]

#4: [22-Nov-15]

#2: [30-Jan-07]

30-Sep-2001 -- 30 de setembro de 2001 (Cabo de São Tomé - RJ - Brasil) Manoel Vieira Jr e Odilson Salerno

altitude : 11 metros (GPS) accuracy : 8 metros

Soubemos do Projeto Confluência através de jornal que indica sites interessantes e desde então ficamos empolgados com a idéia. Comprei um GPS e fomos apenas com um mapa que informava duas coisas: a confluência que buscávamos fica no Cabo de São Tomé - pequena cidade litorânea do Estado do Rio de Janeiro -, e existem ônibus da cidade de Campos dos Goitacazes - cidade de mais de 300.000 habitantes da região norte-fluminense à beira do Rio Paraíba do Sul - para o local da confluência.

A viagem do Rio de Janeiro até Campos dos Goitacazes leva aproximadamente 3 horas e meia (279 quilômetros), e além disso, mais 1 hora até a rodoviária próxima ao Farol de São Tomé (50 quilômetros), o farol é um marco geográfico importante não só para os barcos e navios assim como para os helicópteros que voam para as plataformas de produção de petróleo e gás de companhia Petrobras, na Bacia de Campos.

O GPS indicava uma distância de 7 quilômetros até a confluência, distância desagradável para ser percorrida à pé. Perguntamos se poderíamos conseguir algum transporte alternativo por ali e finalmente conhecemos o Edevany, que estava passeando pela praia com Denise (e Thainá, ainda na barriga) e Gustavo. Eles nos ofereceram uma carona até um local mais próximo da confluência.

Seguimos pela estrada ao longo da praia até o local onde a leitura do GPS indicava 800 metros. Entre nós e a confluência havia uma barreira natural de mata típica dos terrenos arenosos: seca, dura, espinhosa e com muitos mosquitos. Depois dos primeiros 400 metros de mata cerrada, com cactos e bromélias espinhentas, já estávamos mais arranhados do que gostaríamos..., isto é o resultado do despreparo, de vestirmos bermudas e não levarmos um facão. Em determinado momento, ouvimos o barulho de um caminhão, isto nos incentivou a continuar até uma estrada de areia. Ah! quem dera tivéssemos um mapa mais detalhado para saber que a arenosa estrada existia...

A confluência está em uma área onde os arbustos pontiagudos deixam entre si uma distância razoável para que uma pessoa possa caminhar confortavelmente. O caminho foi duro. Se usássemos a estrada arenosa, teria sido mais fácil, mas o prazer da conquista não seria o mesmo, com certeza. Fizemos as fotos regulamentares e voltamos pela estrada que nos levou a uma rua que chegava até a praia. É um local que ignoramos na jornada de ida porque observávamos apenas a distância mínima no GPS.

Mas aprendemos a lição: calças compridas, facão, repelente para insetos e, se disponível, mapas atualizados. Ou então ir um dia antes só para sondar o local.

Pensem nisso: reservem um fim-de-semana para visitar uma confluência próxima de você.

English

September 30, 2001 (Cape of São Tomé - RJ - Brazil) Manoel Vieira Jr and Odilson Salerno

Altitude: 11 meters (GPS) Accuracy: 8 meters

"Cabo de São Tomé" means "Cape of St. Thomas" in Portuguese

We knew about this Confluence Project through a newspaper that indicates interesting sites and ever since we were thrilled with the idea. I bought a GPS and we just went with a map that informed two things about the confluence that we are looking: 1) it is in Cape of São Tomé - small coastal city of the State of Rio de Janeiro -, and 2) there is a bus from the city of Campos dos Goitacazes to the place of the confluence. "Campos dos Goitacazes" means Goitacazes Fields where Goitacazes is (was) an old indian nation, it is a city of more than 300.000 inhabitants on Northern Rio de Janeiro.

The travel from Rio de Janeiro to Campos dos Goitacazes takes approximately 3 and a half hours (279 kilometers), and an additional 1 hour to the nearest bus station to Farol de São Tomé - that means "Lighthouse of St. Thomas" - 50 kilometersaway. The lighthouse is an important geographical mark not only for the boats and ships as well as for the helicopters that fly to the oil & gas offshore platforms of Petrobras Company, in Campos Basin.

The GPS indicated a distance of 7 kilometers to the confluence, unpleasant distance to be traveled on foot. We asked if we could get some alternative transport over there and finally we met Edevany, he was going for a walk by the beach with Denise (and Thainá, still in the belly) and Gustavo. They offered us a ride to a place very close to the confluence.

We proceeded by the highway along the beach until a place where the GPS reading indicated 800 meters. Between the confluence point and us there was a natural barrier of forest typical of this sandy lands: dry, hard, thorny and with lots of mosquitoes. After the first 400 meters of dense forest, with cactus and thorny bromeliaceae (http://www.bromelia.org.br/), we were already more scratched than we would like, this is the result from our lack of preparation, bermuda shorts dressing and not carrying a machete. In certain moment, we heard the noise of a truck; this motivated us to continue until a road of sand. Ah! we wish we had a more detailed map so we know that this sandy road exists

The confluence is in an area where the sharp bushes have a reasonable distance to each other so that a person can walk comfortably. The way there was hard. If we used the sandy road, it would have been easier, but the pleasure of the conquest would not be the same, with certainty. We shoot the prescribed photos and we came back by the road that took us to a street that arrives to the beach. It is a place that we ignored in the going leg of the journey because we just observed the minimum distance on GPS.

But we learned the lesson: trousers, machete, insect repellent and, if available, up-to-date maps. Or, at least, check the place out, beforehand. Think about this: reserve a weekend to visit a confluence near you.

Alternate English translation:

(translated by Florencia Manovil)

30-Sep-2001 -- I heard of the existence of this project through a newspaper column that highlights interesting sites and I've been hooked to the idea since.

I bought a GPS and my friend Odilson came with me, with only a map that informed us that the desired confluence was in the Cape of St. Tome and that there are buses that go there leaving the city of Campos.

The trip from Rio de Janeiro de Campos takes aproximately 3hrs 30 mins, the 1 more hour 'til the rotary near the lighthouse of St. Tome.

The GPS indicated a distance of 7 km to the point; unpleasant distance to travel by foot. We asked if we might be able to find some alternate transport around there and Edevanny, who was taking a walk along the beach with Denise and Gustavo (and Thaina, still in the belly) accepted giving us a lift to a closer point.

We went on the road that runs along the beach until the spot where the distance was shorter to the desired point: 800m. Between us and the confluence was a grove barrier typical of sandy terrains: dry, hard, thorny and full of moskitoes. After the first 400m of tight grove, with cactuses and thorn-full plants, we were more scratched than I would have wanted, a result of us going unprepared in bermudas and without a machete.

At a certain point, we heard the sound of a truck, which incentivated us to continue to a sand street. Ah!, what we would have given for a more detailed map to know it existed...

The confluence is in an area where the pointy bushes allow a reasonable distance between themselves so that one can walk comfortably.

The walk was hard. If we'd used the street, it would have been easier, but the pleasure of conquest would certainly not have been the same.

We took the reglamentary photos and returned through the road which took us to a street that reached the beach, at a place that we ignored on the way there because we were only looking at the minimum distance in the GPS.

We learned our lesson: long pants, machete, insect repellent, and, if available, up-to-date maps or otherwise visiting the area in advance to get a feel for it.

Think of this: save a weekend to visit a confluence close to you.

Just about 1.4 km inland from the coastline of the Cabo de São Tomé.