Paddling near Petrolina, Pernambuco

Petrolina sits on the banks of the Rio São Francisco in the sertão of Pernambuco, where the river's calm, wide current has made stand-up paddleboarding a fixture along the city's waterfront. The orla (riverfront promenade) is the main launch point, and the Represa de Sobradinho — a vast reservoir to the east — extends the flatwater paddling territory considerably.