Sometimes you don’t have to go far to have an adventure. I had mine walking along the rocks on the coastline between Daniela and Praia do forte beaches to reach the São José da Ponta Grossa Fort, a popular attraction in the north, close to where I live.

It is only possible to walk easily along this way if the tide is low, which was not the case on last Tuesday. It wasn’t high, but high enough to make the crossing quite difficult, plus the sea was ruff and I didn’t want to fall in the water.

So me and my wife went for this great walk. It was an adventure for the fact we had to solve a puzzle jumping and climbing rocks. In about an hour we reached Forte beach for a cold beer and after resting we walked up the hill to visit the fort.

The São José da Ponta Grossa Fort started to be built in 1740, and was part of the defense triangle of the Northern bay. In the XVIII century, it had 31 cannons to protect the fort against a possible spanish invasion which happened in 1777. Ironically it was never used and consequently it was abandoned for its lucky over the years. In 1938, the fort Fortaleza was set a National Artistic and Historic heritage. In 1992, it has been administrated by Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). The entrance fee is R$ 4 ,00.

It is a very nice way to spend a day for the superb views and pleasant walk for anyone. But wait for the low tide…

For more information please visit the website Fortalezas Multimidia.

Last night I watched a documentary about seo Chico, a farmer on the last traditional flour and sugar cane mill still in activity in the island. The documentary is a vivid portrait of a man who lived with simplicity and wisdom, indifferent to the facilities of urban life.

Francisco Thomas dos Santos was an authentic descendant of Azorean immigrants, a true “manezinho”, as locals are called. He was born in 1932 and lived all his life in a region called “Sertão dos Indaiás”, in the southern part of the island.

Seo Chico was the last remaining hero of his era. A man who defied civilization as we know today, living in perfect integration with his surroundings, man and nature, working hard for his living and cultivating self-satisfaction.

He was murdered in 1996 under mysterious circumstances. Why that simple man would have such a tragic destiny? After many years of investigation, a family member came out was the prime suspect but so far the person waits for judgment in liberty.

For those interested, more information about Seo Chico movie can be viewed on the website Seo Chico . The film was displayed on Cineclub Sol da Terra, located in Lagoa da Conceição.