Florianópolis, the capital city of the State of Santa Catarina - Brazil, is situated on the Island of Santa Catarina. With a coast that extends for 172 Km this island is dotted with many beautiful beaches, numbering 42 in all, making the city an important center for tourism.
The channel waters between the island of Santa Catarina and the mainland are divided into two bays: "Baia Norte" and "Baia Sul". Theses sheltered areas provide a good all year round sailing ground and protected anchorages from the main wind directions. The Yacht Club of Florianópolis is strategic located at the North tip of "Baia Sul"
Twelve miles off the Northern tip of the Island of Santa Catarina is Arvoredo Island, a marine reserve where you will find sea birds nesting, fish of all shapes and sizes and occasionally Franca, Fin and Joubarte Whales. Anchoring is permitted on the southern side of the island, which is well protected from the predominant NE winds. Snorkeling and diving are practiced here.
Sailing up the coast of Santa Catarina state, you will find Porto Belo, a peninsula with several beaches, a clear water anchorage and the Porto Belo Yacht Club.
São Francisco do Sul, located thirty miles North of Porto Belo is a beautiful Bay. One can drop anchor in front of the "Museu do Mar" (Sea Museum), and you will find here the friendly Capri Yacht Club.
The predominant winds are NE force 3 to force 5. Southerly winds occur occasionally associated with cold fronts, lasting for two to three days, rarely reaching force 6. Calms are rare.
After São Francisco, the Paranaguá Bay is rich in preserved rain forest. The Bom Abrigo Island, at the boundary between Paraná and São Paulo State is a refugee for South winds and congregates a lot of fishing boats from the region. The Cardoso Island, just a mile from Bom Abrigo is a nature reserve and is covered with virgen forest.
From Bom Abrigo to Santos there are no ports of call. We will sail alongside a 100 miles long beach.
From Santos to Rio de Janeiro, we will encounter hundreds of anchorages, beachs, islands and ports of call. To choose the nicest ones is not an easy task.
