Weekend with Brazilian sailors one of food, fun

In town with their ship, the Cisne Branco, for Americas' Sail 2002, the men enjoy a feast, a game of soccer and new friends.

By ANDREW MEACHAM
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 7, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- Brazilian sailors wined, dined and danced here for most of last weekend, and who could blame them? Their ship, the Cisne Branco, had won the race from Curacao to Jamaica. A cluster of Coquina Key neighbors organized a Saturday soccer game and cookout. Then on Sunday, their country won soccer's World Cup.

About 35 midshipmen arrived by bus on June 29 at Coquina Key Park, where volunteers had prepared a soccer field. Someone used American flags -- prized possessions for the sailors -- as markers in the four corners. The Clearwater Chargers cleaned their clock, 6-2, but no one seemed to mind.

The Brazilians then arrived at a tent set up in Coquina Key Arms South, where the Mahaffey Company had supplied hamburgers and hot dogs. Donations from Pepsi-Cola and Yuengling Beer rounded out the afternoon, as cadets sang with a marimba musician and played the batucada, a type of drum.

"They'll dance until they drop," said Liz Armas, a recent arrival to Coquina Key Arms. Armas saw an item about the event in the Coquina Key Arms Neighborhood Association newsletter and offered her services as a Portuguese translator.

Though Americas' Sail 2002 brought the "tall ships" into Bayboro Harbor, this event was all-neighborhood. Ruby and Will Grant got the idea of welcoming cadets while attending a dinner for the Council of Neighborhood Associations. They approached Jane Link Zahn, the director of Coquina Key Arms, and the Mahaffey Company, its corporate owner, to secure a site and sponsorship for the luncheon.

Volunteers multiplied when the Coquina Key Cruising Association and the Coquina Key Arms Fishing Club jumped on board. The Coquina Key Neighborhood Association volunteered its clubhouse for a breakfast.

Cadets relished the hospitality, Armas said. She took notes while Gilberto da Silva, an officer on the Cisne Branco, remarked: "The Americans were extremely warm. They have a way of doing things right. It was incredible for the community to put this together."

There was one surprise: baked beans that included sugar, an ingredient Brazilians do not use in bean recipes.

"They said, "What happened? These beans have sugar in them!"' Armas said. "They couldn't get over it."

Armas saw the cadets Sunday, while they high-fived each other over Brazil's 2-0 victory over Germany in the World Cup final, then saw them off early Monday. The sailors took all of the American flags with them. As the vessel, nearly 100 yards long, sailed away Monday, each of 10 officers dropped a white rose into the water, as is their custom.

Armas and friend Anita Scheublein of Coquina Key presented the departing cadets with a red, white and blue bouquet.

"We made lifetime friends," Scheublein said.

Meetings

CAMPBELL PARK: 7 p.m. Association office, 1525 16th St. S. Annual cleanup.

DISSTON HEIGHTS: Tuesday, 7 p.m. Gladden Park Recreation Center, 3901 30th Ave. N. Demonstration on police dispatch.

EAGLE CREST: 7 p.m. Wednesday. St. Petersburg Catholic High School cafeteria, 6333 Ninth Ave. N. Plans for a library at St. Petersburg College.

FIVE POINTS: 7 p.m. Wednesday. Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 301 37th Ave. N. Getting your home ready for appraisal.

HIGHLAND OAKS: 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Sanderlin Family Services Center, 2335 22nd Ave. S. Incorporating the neighborhood.

HISTORIC KENWOOD: 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Albright United Methodist Church, 2750 Fifth Ave. N.

MEL-TAN HEIGHTS: 6 p.m. Tuesday. Bristle Temple Church, 2901 18th Ave. S.

NORTH KENWOOD: Monday, 7:30 p.m. Edward White Hospital auditorium, 2299 Ninth Ave. N. Touch-screen voting demonstration.

NORTHEAST PARK: 7:15 p.m. Monday. North East Park Baptist Church, 3737 First St. NE. Touch-screen voting demonstration.

OLD SOUTHEAST: 7 p.m. Thursday. Society of Friends Hall, 130 19th Ave. SE. Assistant Chief of Patrol David Dekay.

WESTMINSTER HEIGHTS: 10 a.m. Saturday. Agape House, behind Central Christian Church, 48th Street and Third Avenue S. Block party, neighborhood cleanup.

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