north coast Brazil - Lencois Maranhenses

[impi]

We have crossed the south Atlantic from Cape Town and are in Fortaleza Brazil.
We are heading for the Caribbean and would like to stop at some good spots along the coast of Brazil North west of Fortaleza.
We believe Lencois Maranhenses has been a good spot for some cruisers but I have no information of where they anchored or if they managed to sail into Lencois Maranhenses from the sea ????
Does anyone have information for us.

[Gui V]

Hi Impi! I don't know Lençóis Maranhenses, but some friends in Brazil told me that is a very beautiful place without facilities for cruisers. In your way to Caribeean don't miss Fernando de Noronha island. Enjoy! All the best!

[impi]

Thank you Gui

We eventually went into ILHA DOS LENCOIS and absolutely loved it there ...

There were no people around except some fisherman from the local little villages .... we entered the river system over the sand bar just 2 hours before high tide and dropped anchor next to a massive sand dune that cascades into the water from a dizzy height.

On the other side are Mangro trees and lots of rivers in all directions forming the various islands there.

We took our dingy to explore all the rivers and discovered fish, hundreds with four eyes .. two above the water and two under the water ... they fly above the water in masses ahead of the dingy.

One night we were in such a strong current (Tidal range is 6m - 5 knots at spring when we were there) that our yacht twisted around in all directions and bent the shackle on our bridle.

From here we sailed to TOBAGO - Man Of War Bay ... WOW !

Very sad to leave Ilha Dos Lencois and also sad to leave Tobago but we arrived in Grenada, Prickly Bay yesterday after 11 hours sailing from Tobago ... This is also beautiful, but no where near the beauty and remoteness of Ilha Dos Lencois

I have co-ordinates for you if you ever want to enter that river system.

cheers

[Gui V]

Impi,

Nice to know that you had a good time in Lençois Maranhenses! I´m planning to sail to the north of Brazil in September. If I really decided to go I will send a message to get the co-ordinates.
Thanks! Have a safe trip!
Fair winds!

[paulbennett]

Impi, I'd love to get the coordinates and more information about your trip along the north coast of Brazil as we're planning a cruise there next year—perhaps.

- Paul

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Paul.

[impi]

Originally Posted by paulbennett

Impi, I'd love to get the coordinates and more information about your trip along the north coast of Brazil as we're planning a cruise there next year—perhaps.

- Paul

What a bummer ... I just sent a LONG message with all WP details and comments and CF 'lost it some how' ... man !

Sorry for the elay but my daughter is out from South Africa and we are sailing her to as many places in mthe British Virgin Islands as possible before she leaves ... really fantastic!

Ok Will summarise this time:

DO not be dissapointed as you travel down the big river toward Ilha Dos Lencois ... you will really love it once you get there!

Watch out for long line nets which normally have bouys marking them ... head for the little fishing boats as they are anchored and go around thier 'clear side'. They waved frantically at me as I innocently headed for thier nets and did not appreciate my wave back!

Wp 1 = 01*21'.396S 044*53'.679W You will want to anchor somewhere in the vicinity and wait for low tide (can be 6m diff) so to take the dingy and make sure sand banks have not shifted. Boats with 2 - 2.5m drafts have made it up here so do not worry too much about the challenge but do NOT go in at high tide until you have checked it out ! You will want to enter the river 2 hours before high tide. Avoid springs (tides) ... I lowered my dingy in 5 knots current to investigate ... not a time you do not want to be without a powerful yamaha engine!

WP 2 = 01*21'.262S 044*53'.945W

WP 3 = 01*20'.909S 044*53'.773W keep an eye out to starboard side as there is a wide area that is shallow and difficult to see. Itkinda sneaks up on one so don't be tempted to look at the beautiful RED IBIS birds in the trees there ... The port bank is deep in places but I observed some underwater obstacles so keep as far to Starboard as possible just off the shallows.

WP 4 = 01*20'.713S 044*53'.679W

WP 5 = 01*20'.713S 044*53'.653W

Keep close close enough to the dune as the water is deeper here except for where there is scrub at the base (one section ... you cant miss it) as that area is a bit shallower)

WP 6 = 01*20'.163S 044*53'.510W

WP 7 = 01*19'.918S 044*53'.419W

WP 8 = 01*19'.725S 044*53'.380W

WP 9 = 01*19'.539S 044*53'.266W

WP 10 = 01*19'.189S 044*53'.182W

Paul ... the tidal currents tend to arrive from no where at one hell of a pace ... we bent a stainless steel bridal shackle 90* as the boat took off over the anchor and stopped DEAD on the opposite side ... broke cups, plates and glasses so we eventually discovered the trick is to anchor as close to the dune as possible and just around the corner between WP 9 and WP 10. The aggressive river tide seems to miss this patch ... I observed this by watching local fishermen from the villiage who place bow against the sand dune and tie up thier boats on the sand bank. They leave one guy there to adjust things as the tide rises and falls and the boats literally do not feel it. In the day time you may want to anchor higher up near the little island (near WP 10). Hundreds of red ibis birds nesstle in the trees on this little island ... I took my canoe and got nice photos but got NAILED by mosquittos so repellant is a 'must!'. Also ... have enough petrol for the dingy ... you will ant to explore all the river systems and may even find a hand held GPS handy if you want to do other rivers in the area ... it is really great fun!
One can swim in the river ... no crocs or anything like that ...

[paulbennett]

Brilliant. Thanks for the great info. This will be our first time sailing Brazil at all. So, I'm looking for as much intel as possible. Paul

[impi]

Paul, Where are you sailing from? Watch out for Fortaleza docks ... they are big steel contraptions that float around ... one drops anchor and backs up tying stern to! My mates boat got nailed by one of the pontoons and very, very nearly sank. Visit a place called Cumbuco ... take a buggy ride through the dunes and do the entire trail as well as the steep sand dune slide down into the river ... wilder than it looks

[paulbennett]

Thanks for the welcome, Gord.

Impi, we're planning to follow your route: Capetown to Brazil. We're looking for a good landing spot in Brazil where we can leave our boat for 2 months or so, and then a route up the coast that will afford lots of nice stops—a mixture of off-the-grid places like Lencois Maranhenses coupled with other, more lively places with people and culture.

I'd love to know recommended ports, cruising guides, and other wisdom for the trip, which—all things working out—should happen next winter/spring.

[impi]

Originally Posted by paulbennett

Thanks for the welcome, Gord.

Impi, we're planning to follow your route: Capetown to Brazil. We're looking for a good landing spot in Brazil where we can leave our boat for 2 months or so, and then a route up the coast that will afford lots of nice stops—a mixture of off-the-grid places like Lencois Maranhenses coupled with other, more lively places with people and culture.

I'd love to know recommended ports, cruising guides, and other wisdom for the trip, which—all things working out—should happen next winter/spring.

Hi Paul,

Thats cool ... you will enjoy the trip but you may want to keep your options open to keep moving up through the island chain. We have plans to enter the pacific next year and it seems one or two other boats may sail along with us.

I will ask a fellow sailor who has sailed Brazil extensively and who put us onto Ilha Dos Lencois (different to Lencois Maranhenses) if he would mind assisting you with some remote destinations on the northern coast of Brazil, as well as southern. The best book to read is of course 'World cruising routes' by Jimmy Cornell ... Brazil Cruising Guide by Michel Balette is also a good one as are a few others, but we wanted to be a bit off the beaten track so chatted to local sailors there.

I have a good mate (was tied up next to him in Cape Town for some time) Wayne Prince on his yacht 'New Horizon' (newhorizon@vodamail.co.za) who is currently working his way up from the south of brazil toward the Caribbean ... I am sure he would be more than happy to share his experiences with you too! I believe in chatting to as many people as possible and to remember that not all tastes are the same so it is important to keep an open mind.

I would be cautious of sailing against the prevailing current off Brazil if sailing South to North ... you may get a number of conflicting reports on that one but my advice would be to stick with what Jimmy Cornell states in his book ... any other advice is because the guys got lucky with the weather or were seriously too drunk to remember

If heading for the Caribbean just remember the sailing season (as in Hurricane season) as that will determine your timing of a north bound route. Sorry if I am giving too much info ... not sure if you have done this route before but assuming not.

I will ask my Brazilian friend if he would mind me sharing his email address with you and will get back to you asap.

[impi]

Originally Posted by impi

Hi Paul,

Thats cool ... you will enjoy the trip but you may want to keep your options open to keep moving up through the island chain. We have plans to enter the pacific next year and it seems one or two other boats may sail along with us.

I will ask a fellow sailor who has sailed Brazil extensively and who put us onto Ilha Dos Lencois (different to Lencois Maranhenses) if he would mind assisting you with some remote destinations on the northern coast of Brazil, as well as southern. The best book to read is of course 'World cruising routes' by Jimmy Cornell ... Brazil Cruising Guide by Michel Balette is also a good one as are a few others, but we wanted to be a bit off the beaten track so chatted to local sailors there.

I have a good mate (was tied up next to him in Cape Town for some time) Wayne Prince on his yacht 'New Horizon' (newhorizon@vodamail.co.za) who is currently working his way up from the south of brazil toward the Caribbean ... I am sure he would be more than happy to share his experiences with you too! I believe in chatting to as many people as possible and to remember that not all tastes are the same so it is important to keep an open mind.

I would be cautious of sailing against the prevailing current off Brazil if sailing South to North ... you may get a number of conflicting reports on that one but my advice would be to stick with what Jimmy Cornell states in his book ... any other advice is because the guys got lucky with the weather or were seriously too drunk to remember

If heading for the Caribbean just remember the sailing season (as in Hurricane season) as that will determine your timing of a north bound route. Sorry if I am giving too much info ... not sure if you have done this route before but assuming not.

I will ask my Brazilian friend if he would mind me sharing his email address with you and will get back to you asap.

Hi Paul

I spoke to Dorival as promised and he has responded that he would be delighted to share 'special places in Brazil' with you. I have found his recomendations to be fantastic and it is always nice to have local knowledge !

I sent his email address to you ... please let me know if you have not got it!

[basile]

For those sailing to the North-East of Brazil and wanting to visit the second largest bay of the world it could be worth taking a look at All Saint's Bay in Bahia.

There is an interesting Nautical Guide of Bahia with all about administrative formalities and a whole bunch of GPS-waypoints of nice places for anchoring and marina's.
Currently partly in English and French.

By the way, I am living in Bahia for many years now, so if you might have any questions never hesitate ;-)

Greetings from Bahia.

Ivan - Basile
Bahia Guide