Shipwrecks in Alagoas Brazil

The capital of Alagoas (Maceió) is know for its beaches, nightlife, highly competitive prices and the traditional friendliness of its people. Its infrastructure has improved considerably during the past ten years.

Additionally, Maceió has the largest number of know sites in the state. Water visibility is good, varying from 6 to 30 meters depending on winds and currents, as well as the rain season that usually goes from May to July. On the other hand, special days with visibility of over 30 meters are possible from September to March.

Itapagé

This is one of the most attractive shipwrecks off the Brazilian coast. Torpedoed by a German U-boat in World War II, the Itapajé appears twisted and became a giant artificial reef, offering many penetration possibilities into its interior. A huge number of small fish is present.

Dragão

The ship sank circa 1918 and became also known as the “Frenchman’s shipwreck”. It is a small shipwreck, less than 50 meters in length, but some of its compartments can be penetread. The main attractons are its gears and the intense marine life on the site. Barracudas, cobias and rays are frequently seen. Schools of very red squirrelfish stand out against the intense blue of the ocean. Some of the coral that covers the wreckage may harbor batfish. Visibility is excellent.

Praia do Frânces

The barrier reef runs parallel to the beach for 2.5 kilometers, 100 meters away. During low tide, the site is excellent for discovery scuba and check-out dives. Various tropical fish species can be seen, such as butterfly rays and sergeant fish. There are also the remnants of two seventeenth-century ships that carried tiles and brazilwood.

Sequipe

A barge built to navigate on sheltered waters that sank in rough seas. The shipwreck is about 20 meters in lenght and does not have cabins or nay type of compartment that may be penetread. A winch motor stands out among the wreckage. The site’s main attraction is its marine life. The wreckage is home to many rays, cobias and large schools of yellom jacks. Visibility is excellent.

Draguinha

The dredger is completely overturned. Its bow is formed by two hulls, separated by a space of approximately 3 meters where the dredging structure was located. It is still possible to see the dredger’s boom resting on the hull, firmly supported on the ocean floor.

Cabeço de Guaxuma

A short reef with a maximum height of three meters. The rock is literally covered by red squirrelfish. Their concentration in a single location is impressive. The coral formation is poor, but there are many lobsters in their crevices and some “well-behaved” moray eels. Schools of white angelfish make the dive even more interesting.

Pedra Baia

The rock formation is similiar to that Cabeço de Guaxuma. There are many tropical fish, including rock hind, blue tang, porkfish and blowfish. It is a good site for macro photography. Lobsters can be easily found, as well as small moray eels and barbfish.

Source: Brazil Diving Guide

Meet the dive sites of the Chapada Diamantina

Gruta da Pratinha

The part of the country called the Chapada Diamantina rises out of Brazil’s northeaster sertão or “backlands”. Hundreds of thousands of years ago these mountains lay at the bottom of the ocean, but now rise over 1000 meters above sea level.

The Chapada welcomes divers year-round to its crystal clear waters in places such as Gruta da Pratinha and Poço Azul, where the skeletons of prehistoric animals have been found.

Diamond mining in the late nineteenth century hacked huge wounds in the landscape, wich still bears the scars of diamond prospecting. In the twentieth century mining stagnated , and the economy suffered. Howewer, agriculture and livestock breeding then flourished, and tourism took off a few years ago. It is to be hoped that the latter activity has come to saty.

Gruta Azul

This lake possesses fascinating rock formations and exceptionally transparent water. The area of the cavern is approximately one thousand square meters, and its covers the entire lake. To reach it by land there is a steep descent down a staircase carved in the rock. The lake is fed by a spring and is heavily sediment.

Gruta da Pratinha

The cavern lies below the ranch house of the Pratinha farm. The blue is even more intense when seen from the cavern. There is a very beautiful rock formation. Thousands of fish reflect the torchlight, providing a beautiful spectacle. The visit follows the main passageway to the skinhole down to Gruta Azul. From that point onwards, only experienced divers should continue.

Rio Pratinha

The river rises in the Gruta da Pratinha, and forms a lake with crystal clear water – with visibility of 30 meters. On the opposite shore there is a cliff with a small cave, in wich divers can practice snorkeling to observe tilapia, characins and other small freshwater fish.

Os Impossíveis

The cave lies 3 kilometers from the Fazenda Pratinha ranch house, and is reached by a pathway atop a 50 meter drop, with very tight clefts, a tunnel cut from the rock through which visitors must crawl, steep slopes you lower yourself down by clinging on tree trunks, and a river flowing out of the cave and flooding the first chamber, making a type of quicksand. In the cave there are chambers decorated with stalactites, curtains and wonderful speleothems, or cave deposits.

Poço Azul

Several passages make up a kind of maze conecting with the underground lake. Several hollows have been sculpted out of the rock. Right below the wooden platform there is a skinhole down to another chamber. At the bottomthere are skeletons, including that of a giant sloth. On the opposite bank, wich is a larger area, you will find rock formations and small crustaceans.

Poço Encantado

This is a lake inside a cavern, with crystal clear blue water, through wich you can observe submerged boulders and tree trunks over 50 meters deep. From july to august, sunlight enters through a cleft in the cave, and a beam of light falls on the surface of the lake. The cavern is currently closed, but with the new cave diving regulations brought in by IBAMA it may open again.

Photo: ipt.olhares.com

Source: Brazil Diving Guide

Bonito is one of the city members of the Experience Tour

Known for its natural beauty, the city of Bonito (MS) is among the destinations covered by the project Experience Economy Ministry of Tourism (Ministry of Tourism).

The goal is to train local entrepreneurs to add value to their businesses by offering different activities that arouse emotion, pleasure, inspiration and satisfaction of tourists in a real Tour Experience – the brand of the proposed project.

In Bonito (MS), the project developed two scripts in partnership with local entrepreneurs. The script Persons and Flavors of Nice offers a full encounter with nature and its magic through activities such as diving, floating, rappelling, cave, waterfalls and boat rides.

Furthermore, the Mimosa Resort Ecotourism, tourists will be welcomed in an atmosphere tempered by the taste of cookies and cakes made of typical wood stove. Visitors will also delight in the clear waters of the Rio Mimoso and waterfall Sinhozinho.

And, how about learning to embroider? This is one of the proposed activities. Here the tourist while learning to embroider, interacts with the girls group Crafts Beautiful Handmade and hear their stories of life.

In the Roadmap Inspiration and Expiration, also formatted by the project, tourists can relax in a theme suite and be lulled by the songs and charms of nature. Or, be based on local legends and the influence of Indian culture kadiwéu bonitense. The tour of the rum Taboa, local produce, and crafts made of recyclable products are also an attraction of the script.

The Experience Economy is developed by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the Sebrae and managed by the Institute Brand Brazil (IMB).

Photo: Andre Seale

Source: Mtur

Diving point Paraiba

The state capital, João Pessoa, is less well know than its trendy sister cities of the northeast: Natal and Recife. But it does not leave anything to be desired. On the contrary. Midway between its famous neighbors, roughly an hour by car from each one, João Pessoa is the point of departure for the major diving spots of the region: beautiful reefs and must see shipwrecks. João Pessoa really  has many beautiful surprises.

Few people know that João Pessoa is Brazil’s leafiest capital city. It is also the safest of the Northeast ant the only one where there are no skyscrapers on the coastal avenues – a strict municipal code limits the height of buildings to three floors. And thre’s more: the first sunrays of the Americas fall here, since the city lies at the eastern most point of the continent, Ponta dos Seixas – wich means visitors have to get up early. Not a problem.

There is so much to see and enjoy on the Paraíba coast: urban or deserted beaches, with powder white sand and coonut palms and cliffs of unique beauty, restaurants with excellent traditional cuisine, a wealth of handicrafts and historic attractions. That is, if one doesn’t spend every walking minute underwater.

Pedra de Baixo

The sandstone reef, covered by algae and corals, is know for its large sponges and starfish. Sharks, goliath groupers and others groupers hide in their small holes. Visibility ranges from 15 to 30 meters, during the summer. It is sough out mainly by novive divers seeking greater depths.

Erie (or Queimado)

The most popular shipwreck on the Paraíba coast. This two-thousand ton American ship sank after catching fire, in 1873, and today is found completely broken-up. The wreckage is spread over 100 meters of sand. A large patially buried propeller lies in the sand and many schools of small fish are the main attractions. Average visibility ranges from 20 to 30 meters.

Alvarenga

Intact and uprigth, the small shipping barge is a beatiful shipwreck when viewed from a certain distance. When desceding, you can see the entire outline of Alvarenga, 20 meters in length, 5 meters in width and simple in structure. It is possible to pass through the compartments from bow to stern. And there is lots of life inside there. Nurse sharks, schools of spadefish, lobsters and green eels are commonly seen. The shallow depth, clear water and white sands give the location a peaceful feel.

Alice

This 53 meter steamship sank in 1911. The iron hull is in pieces. The bow is listing to port, with the highest point at a depth of 7.5 meters. A large anchor remains linked to the ship by a thick chain. Up toward the bow, one can see the round boilers and parts of the steam engine. The aft part of the hull is in an upright position and the bow still maintains part of its original shape. Many moray eels, octopuses, small lobsters and large schools of grunts are often seen above the wreckage. And excellent spot begginners.

Cabeço dos Cangulos

On the flat seabed of the continental shelf, there are formations of small mounds and limestone algae and outgrowths of large sponges. Each with its own special microfauna, made up of small shrimp, crabs, octopuses, eels and small fish. The name of the spot comes from the large number of triggerfish species, listed as threatened with extinction.

Sapatas

This is a new diving site, a small natural reff against a seabed of light colored sand and grave. It is composed of various elongated mounds spread over the ocean floor, on wich grow macroalgae, corals, sponges and other organisms. Schools of fish frequent the area and surround divers.

Canyon

As the name suggest, it is a trench in the continental shelf probably formed by a river that emptied there eons ago. The shallowest part is 36 meters from the surface and the trench extends for 56 meters. High rockly walls separate the flat surface of the shelf from the steep slope of the canyon. Various shapes and colors of sponges almost completely cover the ocean floor.

Source: Brazil Diving Guide

Diving sites – Rio Grande do Norte

Know as the “Land of the sun”, Rio Grande do Norte basks in up to 15 hours a day of sunshine and summer last year-round.

The beaches feature with sands, dunes and coconut trees. And the reefs form beatiful natural pools. This combination has made it one of the most popular destinations in Brazil among foreigners. Whereas divers – even brazilian divers – are still discovering the region. But those have been there know: the Rio Grande do Norte coastline is one of the best places in the country for diving and has the potential of rapidly becoming one of the most popular destinations in Brazil.

The waters are warm and clear, and rich in marine life. The reefs have exotic formations and the shipwrecks are covered in sponges and multicolored corals.

Comandante Pessoa

The shipwreck is a stomping ground of the southern stingray. They can be found in every nook and cranny. The number of tubular yellow sponges is also impressive. Schools of small fingerlings, anchovies and great barracudas are always present. The ship, wich sank to the ocean floor in 1954 after colliding with the Risca do Zumbi, is completely twisted and part of the broadside rises 12 m above the seabed. The stern is listing, but it is possible to enter its hold. A large rudder rises from the ship toward the surface. The bow is still intact, though slightly listining, with the anchor in its hawse.

Risca do Zumbi

One of the best diving sites in Brazil. The shelf is flat and smooth, supported by hundreds of Greek acropolis style columns – there are those who say they are the ruins of Atlantis.
The pillar form a real labyrinth, witn some narrow passages where snags and tight spots require special attention, especially when currents are strong. A large hall of white sand provides passage from one side to the other. Surrounding the main formation, there are other smaller ones. The marine life is another show altogether. Corals, sponges and an infinite variety of tropical fish make diving a colorful experience.

São Luiz

Despite its deteriorated condition and lack of entry points, the transparency of the water and the itensity of the marine life rank it among the most beautiful shipwrecks of Brazil. The cargo ship sank in 1911. Part of its broadside has collapsed to form a long tunel, one of its major attractions. The seafloor is made up of pearl white sand, wich helps illuminate the environment. Yellow tubular spongesadorn the wreckage, wich serves as habitat for lobsters, eels, spotted eagle rays and barracudas.

Parrachos de Maracajaú

One of the prime tourist locations of Rio Grande do Norte. There are kilometers of knolls that lie 4 miles off the coast of Maracajaú, protected by extensive coral reefs, wich from above could be confused with the Great Barrier Reffs of Australian. At low tide, visibility rises to more than 20 meters, which makes it one of the best spots for snorkeling along the Brazilian coast. All one has to do is fall in the water to be surrounded by schools of sergeant majors and other tropical fish. The location is also perfect for discovery scuba and check-out dives.

Batente das Agulhas

On a submerged shelf, hundreds of 2.5 meter high columns – the needles – support corals and yellow tubular sponges. Geologists believe that they are petrified tree trunks, but there is no consensus on the matter. Beneath the shelf, there are tunnels and many burrows. The mounds are surrounded by schools of barracudas, and many French angelfish, eels, rays and lobsters.

Source: Brazil Diving Guide

Spinner Dolphin in Fernando de Noronha

The spinner dolphin is an animal that wins the sympathy of human beings because of their intelligence. Running out of water jumps and beautiful when they are present in flock her show to those lucky enough to catch sight of them.

The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha (PE-Brazil) is one of the main habitats of animals, so that the island is the Spinner Dolphin Project whose goals are: 

 -Educate the community Noronhense for environmental preservation, creating environmental multipliers among future tourism service providers; 
-Empower teens to work with ecotourism; 
-Provide subsidies for the development of a sustainable society in Fernando de Noronha; 
-Improve the quality of tourism services in the region; 
-To study the natural history of dolphins in Fernando de Noronha; 
-To study the interaction with dolphins nautical tourism; 
-Propose standards for the preservation of spinner dolphins to the competent authorities; 
-Propose and participate in actions aimed at conservation of Fernando de Noronha.

The Belvedere Dolphin is the perfect place to spot the animals. The route is a trail of 1 km from the parking lot of the Bay of Sancho. The continuation of the trail Dolphin Bay Sancho, allows the observation of nesting seabirds on the slopes of the bays.

If you are planning to go to Fernando de Noronha, make sure you know the project. For more information contact by e-mail: rotador@golfinhorotador.org.br 

Photo: Wikpedia

By Carla Layane

Whales and dolphins in São Paulo

Sighting dolphins and whales, live with caiçara communities and experience the rich marine life off the coast of São Paulo (Brazil) are some of the attractions for those who venture into the scripts of the dive.

In a joint initiative between fishermen, dive associations and the State Department of Environment, have been mapped about 80 points – divided into eight routes – where you can perform the activity. The project goal is to make the people know the marine life and go to save it.

Located in areas of environmental preservation, the scripts include islands in the region of Ubatuba, Ilhabela, São Sebastião, Santos and Itanhaém. In all of them, you can find companies dive operators.

See more in Portal Mergulho Brazil!!!

Photo: Wikpedia

By Carla Layane

Photoshop tutorial for Sub Picture

It happens in the 17th and 18th October, in Copacabana (Rio de Janeiro), a course in Photoshop to Photo Sub, with the photographer Ary Amarante.

Will be approximately 10 hours of classroom-oriented for the treatment of underwater images in Photoshop and Adobe Camera RAW, since overall adjustment of brightness and color adjustments specific colors within the photo, contrast, sharpness, to data processing in layers to adjust the photos with bright and dark zones (partial adjustment), removal of suspended cuttings to create folders and digital art, stamps, watermarks etc.

More information by phone: (21) 3902-6002 or 3681-1810

By Carla Layane

Dive sites in Brazil

The best dive site is the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. It’s the most untouched spot, and it’s simply gorgeous on the surface, appealing to everyone. The difficulty ranges from beginner to advance. Best time of the year is from July to December for beginners, all year round for advanced divers. It’s one of the most expensive dive sites to go.

The second best is Abrolhos. It’s an archipelago some four to six hours from land, where you can’t go on shore, so either you make one-day trips or take a live-aboard on one of several boats. The dives are very, very calm, shallow and relaxed, and though the visibility is not as good as Noronha, but the richness of the corals and marine life is incredible. It’s good for all levels of experience. Best time of the year is November to March, when it is also possible to watch whales.

The region between Recife/Olinda in the north and Maceio in the south is named the Golden Coast, and here are several excellent spots of scuba diving and the access is much easier than mentioned archipelagos. Around Recife & Olinda is considered excellent for advanced divers, rich of marine life like turtles and sharks, and many sunk ships, but the sea is usually very, very rough. To the south there are many dive friendly spots for snorkeling, scuba dive beginners and also advanced diving. In Porto de Galinhas for instance, is a very pleasant village with many nice sites for good diving and an excellent area for diving courses. In this region the diving is good during the whole year.

The best spots for scuba diving in the south of Brazil are between São Paulo & Rio de Janeiro. Of course they are not as good as mentioned sites in the northeast, but comparing world wide, this region is very good as well. To indicate some spots in the area should be Barra do Una, Ubatuba, Paraty, Ilha Grande and Arraial do Cabo.

Rio da Prata, in Bonito

The best dive site is the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. It’s the most untouched spot, and it’s simply gorgeous on the surface, appealing to everyone. The difficulty ranges from beginner to advance. Best time of the year is from July to December for beginners, all year round for advanced divers. It’s one of the most expensive dive sites to go.

The second best is Abrolhos. It’s an archipelago some four to six hours from land, where you can’t go on shore, so either you make one-day trips or take a live-aboard on one of several boats.

The dives are very, very calm, shallow and relaxed, and though the visibility is not as good as Noronha, but the richness of the corals and marine life is incredible.

It’s good for all levels of experience. Best time of the year is November to March, when it is also possible to watch whales.

The region between Recife/Olinda in the north and Maceio in the south is named the Golden Coast, and here are several excellent spots of scuba diving and the access is much easier than mentioned archipelagos.

Around Recife & Olinda is considered excellent for advanced divers, rich of marine life like turtles and sharks, and many sunk ships, but the sea is usually very, very rough. To the south there are many dive friendly spots for snorkeling, scuba dive beginners and also advanced diving.

In Porto de Galinhas for instance, is a very pleasant village with many nice sites for good diving and an excellent area for diving courses. In this region the diving is good during the whole year.

The best spots for scuba diving in the south of Brazil are between São Paulo & Rio de Janeiro. Of course they are not as good as mentioned sites in the northeast, but comparing world wide, this region is very good as well.

To indicate some spots in the area should be Barra do Una, Ubatuba, Paraty, Ilha Grande and Arraial do Cabo.

Source: packtours

Picture: Andre Seale

Scuba Diving in Porto de Galinhas

Located just 70 kilometers from Recife, Porto de Galinhas offers an incredible series of beaches with warm crystal-clear waters that are among the most beautiful in Brazil.

The sand is white and fine with palm trees lining the shore. Reefs are located less than 200 meters from the beach and form various natural swimmimg pools full of tropical fish during low tide. The town’s mais diving sites are located in this area. But the area also offers plenty of deeper shipwrecks and dives.

Taçaiba
The reef ledge is located 2 miles from the coast. Dives usually take place according to the currents. The scenery is composed of coral, sponges, colorful fish and pelagic fish. Care should be taken on account of the occasional strong currents.

Poço da Paixão
This site faces the fishing village. Coral-formed tunnels provide enough room for divers to pass through. Groupers and lobsters hide away in crevaces. The swimming pools are perfect for discovery scuba and check-out dives. They are also good night diving sites.

Bolo
A reef ledge in the form of a cake where you can spot rays, moray eels, mutton snappers, red snappers, and other fish.

30 Metros
Reefs peaks form passageways and tunnels five miles from the coast. At this site the following can be seen: rays, moray eels, snappers, turtles and sharks.

Gonçalo Coelho
The wreckage of a landing ship that participated in the transportation or armored vehicles during World War II and later used to transport cargo between Recife and Fernando de Noronha. In 1999, it was scuttled to serve as an artificial reef. Cranes, valves and various compartments can be found on the bridge – wich is listing 45 degrees – and in the holds. The local fauna is exceedingly rich and is represented by a large number of southern stingrays, cobias, turtles, jewfish and huge schools of grunts.

Galeão
This shipwreck is quite old and much dismantled. However, it is still possible to spot two 4-meter long anchors, a wooden keel, hull pieces and a lot of marine life.

Marte
A tugboat was scuttled in 1997 near Ponta de Serrambi to become an artificial reef. At the bottom, it is now covered with sponges and coral. 

Nurse sharks and Goliath groupers can be seen in the hold and machinery room, along witn schools of bluestriped grunts. In the bridge, red squirrelfish and yellow wrasses stand out against the intense blue of the ocean. Visibility is usually excellent.

Photo: Brazil Exotic

Source: Brazil Diving Guide