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”.
