SpiderMan in Buzios; the fine art of climbing concrete piers

If you are not into sailing comments, tips etc, then you can skip this post.

For those of you sailors,  who plan to spent some time in Buzios here are some practical comments, hints and tips:

* Best ancorage location:
- Actualy, there isnt one... Sorry... The winds, usualy coming from the NE (24-28 knots is more like the rule, than exception...) makes it a bumpy place. Your best place is near the Yacht Club of Buzios, at the praia dos Ossos. Here you are kind of protected from the winds. Praia de Tartaruga, or Porto da Barra offer no protection at all. If you come from the South, then praia de Ferradura is your best option. The entrance of this horse-shoe type bay (hence the name of this beach: Ferradura) is kind of tricky (swell) but once you're in, you are good... calm waters..

* To get to land:
- In Buzios: There is a public pier (near the Rua das Pedras...fancy shopping and high end brand clothing shops... ) and you can tie your dinghy there. No, there is no guard, no nothing, just dont let stuff in your dinghy. When the tide is low, you better put your spiderman gear on, as you will literaly have to climb to get on  to the pier. You can always beach your dinghy, but that is not our personal favorite.
There is also a concrete pier near the end of the Bardot Boulevard, where the small local fisherboats dock. Some climing may be needed. The up side is, you can get ice and fresh fish.
In praia de Ferradura no other option than to beach your dinghy (at ancor) and just hope for the best.

* Fresh water and Fuel:
- There are at this moment (2012) no petrol stations/locations near the water front, nor the Yacht club. So, this means you will have to walk for aprox 20 min to the nearest gas station. I have done this twice on the same day, and No, that was not funny.(Hint: if you can, you can go to Cabo Frio, and right at the entrance of the canal, you can fuel up (and fresh water) at the Yacht Club of Rio de Janeiro (they take credit cards).
- Fresh water: unless you want to pay a day fee to the Yacht Clube of Buzios (R$ 50) for access to water, you can go to the pier next to the Club and get fresh water. (R$ 5/100 liters). You would want to do this only at high tide (and less wind as possible). This pier is used mainly by escunas and the tenders from the cruise ships.. so they have these wonderful big black old rubber tiers who will get your nice and white hull looking like a tank of war...
No fresh water option in praia de Ferradura, unless you want to purchase a 100 m hose (Sr Roberto will hook you up...)

* Groceries:
- Two options here: ancor out in front of the pier at Manguinhos (you cant use the pier as there is not enough draft, plus the pier itself is useless as there is nothing to tie your boat with (not even metal rings to pass a line...). So, once ancored safely, go with your dinghy to this pier and perform your spiderman act again... Nearby the end of the pier (a little to yr right) there is a supermarket called Princess...
The other option: in Buzios: go  to the smaller grocery shops, pay more (for less quality and choise), or take a van (R$ 2/pp) and go to the above mentioned Princess supermarket.

Armaçao de Buzios: Nautical Heaven or Nautical Hell? Well, if you are a die-hard sailor, or you are spider man, you are in heaven... Strong winds, and hardly any swell.. If you are live-aboards cruisers (like us) because of the lack of minimum nautical support this place sometimes apears to be a nautical hell. (as in: try to get back to your boat, dinghy full of supply, against a 28 knot wind... )...

The upside: we can wheigh our ancor anytime we feel like it...