The good winds that blow to the south of Ceará, in Fortim

I recently traveled to Ceará for a few reasons, including: trying to expand the world record we broke in 2019 at Winds4Future, the biggest festival of innovation and sustainability in Latin America, and facing one of the greatest adventures of my life in 300 kilometers of sailing on a board hanging from a kite through the back of Maranhao 🇧🇷 Piauí and the own Ceará 🇧🇷

As a matter of agenda, I thought it was a good opportunity to fine-tune some fundamentals of the kitesurfing, in addition to resting and doing everything I could for work before spending about a week sailing and with very little connection.

The challenge therefore became choosing where to stay in these pre-tournament days. I wanted a place that would allow me to improve and revive Kite’s skills, that wouldn’t be crowded like cumbuco (in the city of Caucaia), which had good cuisine, was close to Fortaleza, accessible without the need for a transfer and, preferably, a new place, which I had not yet been to.

After some research I found blockhouse 🇧🇷 south of the state capital, destination full of French people who settled there and invested heavily a few years ago, creating a nascent infrastructure, but already quite developed.

While researching the options of Kite schools I found PKS – Pontal Kite School , Davi’s school, one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever met in this field. He is dedicated, decisive and willing to take risks, characteristics that rarely lead to failure, as those who possess them usually do not give up on their goals.

With Kite, my main target, resolved, it was time to find a refuge that would accommodate me with the training routine for the Half IronMan 70.3, one of the medium distance triathlon forms that I intend to participate in the first half of 2023.

That is, I needed a swimming pool, gym and running space, as well as good food and comfortable space, anticipating the potential perrengues of crossing three states in some quite uninhabited regions and, therefore, with little accommodation infrastructure as well (I will tell you details of this adventure in a next issue of the column).

I researched a lot and, despite the fact that there are some options in the region, I find it difficult for any of them to beat the hotels of the JMC Group, among which I chose the Jaguarindia Village 🇧🇷

Inaugurated just over a year ago, it is so new that there are still some adjustments and touches — which do not interfere with the stay at all — being made.

With a great leisure structure, huge and very comfortable rooms, good cuisine, a swimming pool that challenges us to find faults and exquisite service, made by people who are happy to serve well, and some pampering and subtleties that maximize the experience, I can , even without knowing the rest of the region, it is hard to find a better option in Fortim.

I would even say that it is among the best options on the entire coast of Ceará.

Fortim, kitesurfing and the hotel

Fort is close to broken Canoe a destination that had its heyday in past decades and received numerous excursions over the years, which has deteriorated a little.

The natural beauty of the region is unique (Brazil is full of these singularities, that is to say). A beach with a river mouth, a barrier of stones and corals in the background, sandbanks and the traditional coconut trees that adorn the sand strip create a very beautiful scenario, pleasant to the eyes and body, always embraced by the strong wind practically day and night.

Despite the fact that it is not the best wind position I have ever sailed in and there are some restrictions in relation to the tide — it is very difficult to sail at high tide and when the volume of swells increases — Fortim was the scene of an important evolution for me and that guaranteed part of success in the journey that would follow, largely due to Davi’s didactics and dedication, who instructed me in this process.

Kitesurfing is a challenging sport that promises us constant challenges, not only physical, typical of all physical activity, but also mental, as frustration is often recurrent and requires resilience to overcome each stage.

Thus, having an instructor who knows how to motivate you when necessary and charge you when necessary is essential. I’ve sailed in four different countries (Arab Emirates, Spain, USA and Brazil) and I’ve seen a lot of absurdity in relation to the safety of practitioners (especially in Tarifa, Spain).

The school staff is deeply concerned and attentive to this issue, which I often ignored, because, let’s face it, procedures and steps that stand between you and something pleasurable are always seen as annoyance and “unnecessary” bureaucracy.

The truth, however, is that without these “re-lessons” I would have had problems within the next 300 kilometers and also evidently in other future forays.

Therefore, I am happy and grateful for the persistence and insistence of the instructors in demanding and ensuring that the protocols were followed, especially at the beginning of our journey together.

Ensuring that our sport remains safe is to increase the chances that we will not have restrictions on its practice, as is the case in many beaches around the world, such as the USA.

After an intense sequence of trips, lectures, records and running around, I rented a car and drove for two hours until I arrived in Fortim, worn and tired.

Jaguaríndia has a very interesting system – which is starting to become more frequent in Brazil, in which it contact guests via WhatsApp collects some information in advance, in addition to the expected arrival time.

So, when we arrive, in addition to a receptive drink with local ingredients (which I didn’t drink, as I don’t drink alcohol, but it was super aromatic) you are received with the best that anyone wanting to relax could want: agility and courtesy in guaranteeing speed upon arrival to the quarters. And what rooms!

There are several interesting options, including one that I want to try with the whole family, like what we already did in São Miguel do Gostoso, in Rio Grande do Norte. There is a kind of complete apartment for rent, with three bedrooms, a living room with a large balcony and a small kitchen.

Very interesting for larger groups; there are also bungalows with a private pool, ideal for couples, very private, some even with an annex room for the kids. I, however, opted for a bungalow, facing the sea to capture the wind and wake up with the light of the dawn sun. I couldn’t be happier with the choice.

There are half a dozen details to evolve, such as, for example, placing screens on the rustic and beautiful wooden shutters, allowing us to avoid air conditioning during the whole day and use only the wind — more than enough and indeed pleasant — to cool the air. environment, or even greater attention to minibar products, as some were expired.

Nothing that detracted from the visit and everything was remedied promptly by the team. The only suggestion is that this should be prioritized and adjusted, since the consumer profile of this type of accommodation will certainly be more sensitive to any slippage, which is justified by the promise and rates of the accommodation.

I stay between approximately 40 and 50 different hotels a year, so the basis for comparison is quite large and apart from these small details that will certainly be reviewed, I can say without fear of being wrong that it is one of the most comfortable hotels I have ever stayed at. hosted.