They say: “There’re more than 300 islands in Baia dos Todos os Santos (the bay of Salvador, Bahia)”. Well, if to count all minor rocks and reefs that almost disappear under water durinhigh tide, probably, there’re.
Anyway, the bay of Bahia is the second biggest in Brazil after Guanabara in Rio de Janeiro.
The biggest island is Ilha da Itaparica. It is well-populated and lays on the south-west of the bay. Its beaches on side of Itaparica are famous among tourists and vacationers. But we go to less crowded and more virgin places – inside the Canal da Itaparica.
From Marina Bahia in Salvador we first go in northern direction. A bit later turn to the north-west and make around the northern cape of the island. On the other side we enter a narrow straight (between Itaparica and the continent), where there’re no touristic boats with drunk youth and hysterically shouting music. Either very few motor boats, who hurry somewhere on the full speed, rising 1.5 meter wave.
We reach shallow part, and depth indicator turned on an alarm. Now depth won’t drop more than 3 meters.
Many of beaches and even islands here are private. People slowly occupy every piece of wild nature, making it serve for their comfort.
The nearest point to stop after the shallow part is Itororo – deserted place with a waterfall right on a beach. The only inhabitants of this piece of earth are crabs, and there’s many of them! We scared the hell of them, going after dawn to take a shower under the waterfall.
Our previous attempt to pass till Itororo was unsuccessful. The straight is very shallow, and with a boat of 1.8 meters draft you need to know the way for sure.
For this time from dusty depths of the boat we digged out old maps of Bahia dos Todos os Santos.
They contain exact coordinates that, if being uploaded to MaxSea or other navigation program, show exact way. Here I share them with you, friends. Hope it will make someones life easier. Our previous attempts to find them in the internet didn’t lead to any significant results.
First – way from the town da Itaparica (on the northern cape) to Itororo. Coordinates are taken from the book “Roteiro Nautico do Litoral da Bahia”.
| Nome do waypoint (name of the waypoint) |
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| MARINA | S12 53.249 W38 41.231 | 0 ft | |
| ACMARI | S12 52.998 W38 41.446 | 0.327 nm | 320º true |
| TUBARA | S12 55.312 W38 42.530 | 2.88 nm | 205º true |
| CARAP1 | S12 56.496 W38 42.951 | 4.13 nm | 199º true |
| CARAP2 | S12 57.069 W38 43.340 | 4.82 nm | 214º true |
| SARAIB | S12 58.038 W38 44.737 | 6.49 nm | 235º true |
| IDACAL | S12 59.570 W38 46.066 | 8.50 nm | 220º true |
| PRAIHA | S13 00.741 W38 46.965 | 9.97 nm | 217º true |
| ITOROR | S13 01.318 W38 47.015 | 10.5 nm | 185º tru |
To pass from Itororo to Caixa Prego we need to wait for low tide. Otherwise, it’s not possible to cross under the lines of electric wires and the bridge that contact the continent and the island. In maps this route marked “red” and has caution note that warns to watch out shifts of the tide and – even then – if the height of the mast allow to pass under the lines (ours is around 11m high).
Table of tides can be found here:
http://www.mar.mil.br/dhn/chm/tabuas/index.htm
From Caixa Prego there’s a way to cross from the Channel to the open ocean but the depths there are so little that we wouldn’t risk. If only with experience local on board.
But it’s possible to enter the river till the town of Jaguaripe – calm countryside place with an old church.
| Nome do waypoint (name of the waypoint) |
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| ITOROR | S13 01.318 W38 47.015 | 0 ft | |
| ITORO1 | S13 01.797 W38 47.254 | 0.533 nm | |
| FUNIL | S13 02.659 W38 47.316 | 1.49 nm | 184º true |
| JIRIB1 | S13 02.798 W38 47.438 | 1.58 nm | 221º true |
| JIRIB2 | S13 03.220 W38 47.862 | 2.17 nm | 224º true |
| JIRIB3 | S13 03.470 W38 47.966 | 2.44 nm | 202º true |
| JIRIB4 | S13 03.997 W38 48.014 | 2.97 nm | 185º true |
| CATU1 | S13 05.310 W38 47.955 | 4.29 nm | |
| CATU2 | S13 05.716 W38 47.782 | 4.74 nm | |
| CATU3 (Caixa Prego) | S13 06.368 W38 47.981 | ||
| JAG1 | S13 06.834 W38 48.128 | 0.489 nm | 197º true |
| JAG2 | S13 07.718 W38 49.100 | 1.30 nm | |
| JAG3 | S13 07.450 W38 49.966 | 2.67 nm | |
| JAG4 | S13 06.774 W38 51.404 | 4.23 nm | |
| JAG5 | S13 06.782 W3851.753 | 269º true | |
| JAG6 | S13 06.372 W38 52.755 | 293º true | |
| JAGUA | S13 06.621 W38 53.488 | 6.39 nm | 251º true |
P.S. I have maps and routes with waypoints of the whole Brazilian coast. So, if everyone is in need, I will be glad to share with you. Just drop me a message or a comment here in the blog : )
Follow the wind 