Wanderlino Arruda

Suddenly and unexpectedly comes the desire to write about things and
happenings that we remember, even though distant in time and not
having anything to do with expressing our own personal views, they
keep coming back to us. They are ideas and memories that float on the
limit of our consciences...and remain there, like clay, molding and
molded by our force of will, apparently arranging the date for its
birth, natural and definite. Many personalities live this way and live
among us, companions of the day and night, principally in hours of
meditation, or when relaxed, we lose the measure of what is real and
pragmatic. They are the dreams, the elaboration of thinking, the
readiness to transfer what happens inside us to paper. Perhaps it is
the only manner we know of, to share with you, dear reader, what we
have in our intimate selves.

In this way, the literary necessity to write about the Brazilian
pioneer Amyr Klink came to me. That young man from São Paulo, who
crossed the Atlantic ocean, leaving the African continent from South
Africa and coming by boat to Bahia, in South America...alone. I will
never forget the one hundred and one days of solitude borne by a man
so young, so courageous; to the point of realizing one of the most
exciting, difficult and dangerous adventures of our century. To tell
the truth, it seems that I, never having been solitary, I never could
stop from offering my solidarity to someone who is capable of
isolating themselves so far from their fellows and connect themselves
so close to nature and its dangers for so long a time. Amyr Klink,
author of " One Hundred Days Between the Sky and the Sea" is a modern
Brazilian folk hero.

They say that there is no sadness greater than that of solitude. I
don't really know if this is true, because, sometimes a little
distance can be very important to all of us. Sometimes there is
nothing better for us than a short period of personal isolation, when
we can let our thoughts vague ethereally, hovering over nothing in
particular, resting without ties or any other obligation. But the
sadness of solitude for Amyr Klink was quite different. There was the
sadness of the day, of the immensity of the sky, of the clarity of
winds splashed with salt water, and there was the solitude of the
nights, the fleeting companionship of stars, the black of the darkness
or brightness of the rays of the silvery moon playing upon the waves
of the cold, indifferent sea. The solitude of Amyr Klink was not a
silent solitude, not at all. Radio operators worldwide sent out words
of encouragement and solidarity, wrapped in the magnetism and
friendship of many different languages.

Amyr was in love with his precious boat, the Paraty, especially
constructed for the trip, which, of course, naturally followed the
ocean currents. Passing by South Africa, they would unfailingly bring
our sailor to the coasts of dear old Bahia...But Amyr's solitude wasn't
quite that lonely. Even though dolphins, seagulls and whales don't
talk, they liked keeping company with him. Exhibitionist dolphins,
curious seagulls and magical phosphorescent whales also traveled with
him, exchanging tales upon the salty waves, each at its own pace, in
an inedited crossing of seven thousand nautical kilometers, from the
deserted coasts of Namibia to the dancing beaches of Salvador, the
land of all
saints. There was also a solitary ship, which, with crew cordially
waving offerings of help to the adventurous sailor and was dismissed.

Of course, there were a good number of storms, lots of water coming
from the sky, much lightning and thunder, gale winds and waves much,
much bigger than the Paraty. But none of this could deter our intrepid
adventurer, the most solitary of all Brazilians and the most fearless
of all our sailors. And the voyage, the voyage was a wealth of
teachings, so comforting to the soul that, now with him so close to
his native soil, Amyr interrupted his charted course, rested, and
demonstrated that he hadn't the least idea of going on shore. Of
course, he was living in his world, the world of waves and sky!
A great hero is Amyr Klink, now author of "100 Days Between the Sky
and the Sea".

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