Description of Rio to Polynesia, a classic in nautical adventures
Rio to Polynesia is the story of two foolish young lovers who firmly believed that a simple existence surrounded by safety and over-protection against the odds of bustling megalopolis was not worth being lived. They worshiped instead an alternative way of life different from what society expects from each one of us. They thought that if they didn`t follow the rules of the establishment, nothing really bad would ever happen to them, no matter how reckless they were. They took for granted that successful outcomes would always crown their achievements no matter how wacky were the means to achieve their endeavours.
Roberto was a typical Latin boy from Rio de Janeiro, never wishing to take life too seriously, while Eileen was a British girl brought up to love the sea by her father and dreaming of the beautiful islands in the Pacific. Notwithstanding, either for blind passion, or for lack of fear of the sea, although not liking blustery cold fronts, she decided to go for the most challenging accomplishment of her life, impelled by her strong spirit of adventure, accepting the risks of sailing a twenty-five-foot cruising boat deposed of auxiliary propulsion for a good part of the trip, to take her to the other side of the world in an almost three years long journey.
This voyage to the South Seas took place during the last years of the sixties, a time when man was stepping on the moon, while cannibals were still to be found in the most remote parts of the planet. This magic moment in history was the background for this story, and in this aspect, they have been privileged, since several fantastic places they had the chance to visit are unrecognisable nowadays, while many experiences they had witnessed are denied to the ordinary sailor of today, like travelling with empty pockets and making their earnings during the stop-overs, always finding a way to replenish their kitty. Some of the tales they refer to are hard to be believed if they weren`t illustrated with photos taken on the occasion.
However, a major factor made them change their plans: the birth of their baby in Tahiti. That was the end of their light-hearted dreams, since from then on, the wellbeing of their daughter was above anything else, and it was out of the question to put her life at risk. And that was the end of the Rio to Polynesia story.
Rio to Polynesia is the story of two foolish young lovers who firmly believed that a simple existence surrounded by safety and over-protection against the odds of bustling megalopolis was not worth being lived. They worshiped instead an alternative way of life different from what society expects from each one of us. They thought that if they didn`t follow the rules of the establishment, nothing really bad would ever happen to them, no matter how reckless they were. They took for granted that successful outcomes would always crown their achievements no matter how wacky were the means to achieve their endeavours.
Roberto was a typical Latin boy from Rio de Janeiro, never wishing to take life too seriously, while Eileen was a British girl brought up to love the sea by her father and dreaming of the beautiful islands in the Pacific. Notwithstanding, either for blind passion, or for lack of fear of the sea, although not liking blustery cold fronts, she decided to go for the most challenging accomplishment of her life, impelled by her strong spirit of adventure, accepting the risks of sailing a twenty-five-foot cruising boat deposed of auxiliary propulsion for a good part of the trip, to take her to the other side of the world in an almost three years long journey.
This voyage to the South Seas took place during the last years of the sixties, a time when man was stepping on the moon, while cannibals were still to be found in the most remote parts of the planet. This magic moment in history was the background for this story, and in this aspect, they have been privileged, since several fantastic places they had the chance to visit are unrecognisable nowadays, while many experiences they had witnessed are denied to the ordinary sailor of today, like travelling with empty pockets and making their earnings during the stop-overs, always finding a way to replenish their kitty. Some of the tales they refer to are hard to be believed if they weren`t illustrated with photos taken on the occasion.
However, a major factor made them change their plans: the birth of their baby in Tahiti. That was the end of their light-hearted dreams, since from then on, the wellbeing of their daughter was above anything else, and it was out of the question to put her life at risk. And that was the end of the Rio to Polynesia story.
