Pira Veve: In the Making (and a little bit of what happened in between)

Christof Brockhoff
2 days ago
6 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

After years of sailing on bigger ships, I noticed something shifting in me.

Not a big realisation. More like a quiet feeling.

That maybe going forward doesn’t always mean going bigger.

And that maybe I actually missed something simpler.

That’s how Pira Veve came into our life.

She's a small sailing canoe.

The first thing you notice is how little separates her from the surrounding environment.

You steer using the paddle. Every movement is felt throughout your body.

You immediately sense changes in the wind. You feel the current's pull in your hands.

Sometimes we're sailing, other times paddling, and occasionally surfing.

It's difficult to describe, but it feels akin to something ancient, like traveling before everything became efficient.

Interestingly, it feels more precise than anything I've experienced on larger boats.

We started learning with her here in Bahia a few months ago.

→ Read older Blog Posts "Back to the Roots" and "From Big to Small"

First together with her master Cauê from CORE VA´A, and then mostly by doing things wrong and figuring them out. And we still are ...

How to transport her. How to set her up. How to fix things when they break.

Which they do.

Quite often.

The iakos (the wooden bars), the mast… and at some point, even Beatrix´s toe, but more about her later...

Not the most elegant phase. But very useful. We understand her much better now. Which is crucial, if you want to go far!

During Christmas, Raissa and I took her on our second extended journey.

Starting from Tapiua, we traveled down the Camamu River and ventured into the open ocean, reaching Serra Grande.

The journey spanned seven days, covering around 150 kilometers, which included 80 kilometers across open ocean and challenging beach landings.

We slept in hammocks, cooked over fire, and ate whatever we could catch or find.

There were no fixed plans, just choices influenced by the weather and tide. And the co-creative spirit of the crew.

We take only two people with us. It's a very personal 1:1 experience.

Not really as guests. More like… sharing a week of our lives.

Being in the moment, reacting to current events, and allowing genuine connections to develop among those on board. Connecting with nature, with one another, and with the untamed aspects of ourselves that many of us have worked so hard to control throughout our lives.

After a few days, something shifts. You stop adhering to schedules and begin to notice your surroundings again.

We named her Pira Veve. Flying fish in Tupi-Guarani. A creature that moves between water and air.

And when I look back now, it’s clear this didn’t start here.

Years ago, during Guerreiros Sem Armas, we met Beatrix Bliss.

Her name already says a lot.

She told us about Tres Hombres, a sailing cargo ship she had crossed the Atlantic ocean with.

Back then, it was just a story. A sailing ship without an engine.

Interesting, inspiring… but still far away.

Now it feels different. Like something actually started there.

Twelve years later, we’re sailing together. Bizzz and us! Which, if I’m honest, doesn’t even feel surprising.

Somewhere deep down, it always felt like this would happen, right Beatrix!?

Then there was Natalia Cerqueira.

She entered our lives about five years ago.

She participated in an art residency while we were still living on Mitaka, our first sailing boat.

Also red, of course!

We stayed in touch, and now she's returned. Straight from Ibiza.

Some people drift in and out of your life, but others continue to be part of the same story.

And they keep showing up!

Speaking of Showing Up!.

Have you read our Pirate Code?

No!?

Well, here it is:

Sounds logical, right!?

To tell you the truth, it took us eight years to distill our Pirate Code into these five simple principles.

For years, we kept adding words and concepts. At one point, we had 13 principles, and still rising.

Last month, we stripped it down to the essence.

During our second design sprint for Cala Millor (Read Blog-Post "Collaboration with Cala Millor"), which included Raíssa Teles, Michal Korzonek, Rodrigo Teles, Elena Landinez, and Diego de la Viña, we finally nailed it...

What a relief.

So, shall we go a bit deeper?

🏴‍☠️ CHOOSE LOVE OVER FEAR

Love is a practice.

A decision we make again and again, especially in the storm.

🏴‍☠️ SHOW UP!

We stand in our light.

We speak the truth, act with initiative, take responsibility, and offer our gifts.

🏴‍☠️ BREAK THE PATTERN

We question the default and switch off autopilot.

We explore new horizons with curiosity, art, and play.

🏴‍☠️ STAY HUMBLE

We are a drop in the sea, a fart in the wind, future compost.

The real work happens within, through curiosity, empathy, and openness.

🏴‍☠️ BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

Life is a dream.

We are all sparks of the divine.

We walk in wonder and unshakable faith, calling our reality into being.

That is it.

Five principles we can live by, hold each other accountable to and share with every pirate who joins our crew.

It took eight years to make it this simple. The rest is practice.

If our code seems incomplete, that's actually great!

Maritime law provides an excellent remedy for this: COLREGs Rule 2(b). In other words, the rulebook is never an excuse. You rely on seamanship and common sense to prevent a collision, especially when two egos are in charge.

Understand? Or let me ask you:

When did you last use common sense to prevent a challenging situation that others overlooked or deemed inevitable?

Would love to her your comments below...

By the way, artwork by Jaya Cosmica.

April is on the horizon, and we are planning our #3 Pira Veve Expedition.

Two small crews. Back to Rio Camamu in Bahia.

We might go further north this time, or we might not.

It’s not so much about the route. It feels more like following a direction that is already there.

Right in the middle of the trip, it’s my birthday. 41.

That’s when the two crews will meet. We’ll camp somewhere, spend a night together, and then one group will continue while the other heads back.

Small boat, big celebration.

And like always, everything seems to be coming together in an unexpected manner.

Beatrix has returned from England sooner than expected, much to everyone's delight!

Luca from Italy is also joining us. He recently sailed to Antarctica and back to Brazil.

We had sailed together in Iceland two years ago and have stayed in contact since then.

I believe he and Pira Veve will fall in love instantly. Just like we did with him.

And than there is Nat Muguet joining us.

She is a farmer, an alchemist, and a true force of nature.

Recently, we have been collaborating in TIWA, planting medicinal agroforests and distilling essential oils.

We harvested geranium, yarrow, and basil from the agroforestry we planted in November 2025.

Plant. Care. Harvest. Distill. Heal.

For the first time, we completed a full cycle: from our own agroforestry to our own medicine.

Moments like this remind me of the powerful relationship that can exist between humans and nature when it becomes a true partnership.

Instead of extracting from the forest, we can participate in it, nurturing life to become more abundant for plants, animals, soil, water, and ourselves.

Producing our own food is already a beautiful endeavour.

Creating our own medicine feels like a quiet revolution.

But for now, that's all from the forest...

Our connection with Nat goes back further.

She was meant to host a retreat on Mintaka four years ago, but a strange flue put a stop to that.

Since then, we have both felt that we should sail together at some point.

Now, it is finally happening.

Another circle moment.

She's bringing her boyfriend Antonio, who will help me construct a structure to transport Pira Veve using a pickup truck.

At one point, Cauê returned.

This time, to practice surfing.

It's a completely different experience.

The Polynesians consider it the ultimate challenge for a true waterman.

It's quite intimidating to witness a 7-meter, 200-kilo canoe catch a big wave and accelerate to 30 km per hour. Steering is an art, not only for the helmsman at the back but also for the person at the front. They need to work in harmony. There's no time for words, only intuition.

And those in the second and third seats use their body weight to prevent the canoe from capsizing, which doesn't always succeed.

When the moment is right, you can even leap onto the outrigger and surf on it.

In short: it's the most exhilarating feeling ever!

Ready to see her surf?