Any recommendations for SUPing in Rio de Janeiro?

[Bulky]

Headed to Rio in August.  If going to the Olympics weren't thrilling enough, I'd love to get in a session or two.  Love any recommendations on rentals and breaks.  Will probably need to be pretty close to the city--Barra area.  Looking for fun waves--doesn't need to be extreme.  I'll only be there briefly, probably won't ever be back and wouldn't know enough Portuguese to give away any secret spots.

Any Zoners there?  Anyone ever visit?

[Bulky]

Just giving this post a quick bump.  It looks like I may have found a rare subject that falls outside the collective Zoner wisdom.  Would love any recs for breaks and rentals.  Something to break the monotony of watching world class athletes...

[Badger]

Something to break the monotony of watching world class athletes...

You can say that again.

[Wetstuff]

Bulky,  I'd skip the Limp'ics and search out this Adriano guy ..just watch his stick work and the traffic he navigates.



Jim

[stoneaxe]

Good luck, have fun....hope you don't catch any superbugs, get robbed, raped, or murdered....and that's just dealing with the police.

[PonoBill]

Rio is such a magic place. there's always been an element of danger there, in part because of the huge Favela. As a young, stupid sailor I did some things that could have gotten my throat slit, like hanging out with some people I met in the Favela, going to a huge dance place in the jungle, and talking to all the beautiful women on the beach, whether or not they had guys with them.

Fantastic place though. Be careful, have fun. The only two recommendations I have beyond that is try Guarana--the local soft drink, and of course there's great beer.

[Bulky]

Thanks, guys!  I'm really looking forward to it.  Given the itinerary there probably won't be a great deal of time for any questionable forays--but I'm OK with that.  Should be very memorable.  Just hoping to get a session or two in--event if it's just on a beater SUP I rent on the beach.

[PonoBill]

There used to be a zoner who lived right on Copacabana beach. You might look back a few years and see what he said. I remember he did a lot of fun videos.

[comeu]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153789775922544&id=107733757543

[comeu]

Rico de Souza made the longest SUPboard at 33ft. He's from Copacabana.

[Trout_Creek_Outdoors]

Any tips? Yeah, don't drink the water! Don't get Zika. Don't carry anything on you you don't want to get robbed. Surfers and paddlers in Brazil are very territorial and being in the wrong place can literally be a matter of life and death. Other than that, have a great time! 

[Bulky]

Just got back.  Didn't end up getting a session in.  Moving around the city required a great deal of effort and the couple times I did get near the ocean it didn't look like conditions were all that agreeable any way.

As for Zika/water quality/safety, don't believe everything the media tells you.  I wouldn't wander into a favela but never felt any less safe around any of the venues than I would in an American city.  Didn't see a single mosquito the whole trip.  My goddaughter was a competitor and even the US athletes stopped using any bug spray after about the second day.

An unforgettable trip!