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ISSUE 9 ARCHIVE - DIVING WITH THE BRAZIL SWINGEduardo CastroColourful, hot and crazy. Brazil is trendy. Brazil is pure vibe!Nowadays we can see Brazilian super-models showing their curves in pages of many fashion magazines, kids playing Brazilian soccer with beaming faces, a regular haunt for celebs and film shoots and those simply going to Brazil for pleasure. The air is filled with pop music mixed with a vibrant Brazilian swing. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America. It is the fifth most populous country (around 190 million beautiful people). Bound by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, it has a coastline of over 4,655 miles. |
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Got it? Over four and a half thousand miles of sandy
beaches and for sure... great dives!
Not only is this a flamboyant place to hang out, there are also truly beautiful spots to go diving. This is the best recipe for those that, like me, may have only one week holiday and want to be far away from their boss! The result of this perfect mix has to be Rio. Yes, Rio de Janeiro! Like it? Did I grab your attention? Are we on the same page now? Rio de Janeiro has the second largest International Airport in Brazil, the pleasant Antonio Carlos Jobim also known as Tom Jobim. This guy was one of the founding fathers of captivating, truly Brazilian Bossa Nova music and Rio is where he jammed with his buddy Frank Sinatra and others. If you are too young for that, maybe you've heard some Bossa Nova in a lift or whilst waiting for your dentist appointment to the sound of 'The Girl From Ipanema'. |
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From London, it is about a fourteen hour flight.
Once you get there, I recommend spending at least two days in Rio for the 'decompression process'. Hanging around in Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, enjoying the landscape, shopping, restaurants, bars and of course... the abundance of beautiful bodies! Just sit on the sand, have a cold beer or a Caipirinha and simply relax! |
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Once you feel lighter and a smile comes easily in your face,
you are officially in 'holiday mode'. So, rent a car and drive
to the tiny fishing village of Búzios, about two hours north of
Rio. Búzios hit international fame after French actress Brigitte
Bardot went there for fun in the 70's. It has since grown and
offers the visitor sandy white beaches, an all season climate,
hot nightlife and diving!
Trust me... you will really enjoy Búzios. |
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Incredible marine fauna under crystalline waters makes Búzios
a perfect dive location. The coastline is rich in sea life, partly
due to the oceanic upwellings coming from Antarctica
bringing rich nutrients that attract big fish like: grouper;
spotted jewfish and giant manta-rays. Corals, anchovies,
barracudas and even green turtles can be seen. The warm
underwater temperature is an invitation for everyone.
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Close to shore, the good diving spots are found by the
cliffs, next to the beaches of João Fernandes and João
Fernandinho, Lagoinha, Forno, Azeda and Azedinha – ideal for
snorkeling and shallow dives. All beaches are surrounded by
hotels, bars and restaurants. So you can grab a freshly cooked
fish to eat between dives. If I have to pick one, I would go to
Joao Fernandinho Beach, set at the furthermost point on the
Búzios peninsula, with clear waters and a white strip of sand.
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For some excellent dives nearby, the Âncora Island or Ilha da Âncora is only half an hour away from Búzios by boat, where the average visibility can reach twenty-four metres during summer time. Ilha da Âncora, which received this name due to its shape, offers shelter from the wind and currents. Here you can see corals, many fish, including: monkfish, jewfish, anchovies, barracudas and green turtles. By the way, turtles will be your dive buddy all around. Other interesting dive sites can be found around the Gravatás, Filhote and Feia Islands. |  |
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Considered some of the best diving in Brazil, Arraial do Cabo
is just thirty minutes from Búzios by car. Here, where the water
is somewhat cooler, there are about forty dive sites scattered
around the small bay. Regularly seen are: turtles, moray eels,
large schools of fish, sea horses, rays, octopuses, dolphins,
underwater caves, historical shipwrecks and submerged
canyons.
For those that love to explore shipwrecks, it has to be Dona Paula. This shallow wreck was a Brazilian Naval war ship, which sank on 1827, whilst pursuing a pirate ship in bad weather. There are still parts of the wooden hull and ribs buried in the sea bed and scattered around is copper. And the colubrina cannons and cannonballs can be found on the site together with the admiralty-type anchor and winch. Other dive sites of Arraial:
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Before you fly back home, make sure you stop by Arpoador
Rock in Rio de Janeiro (between Copacabana and
Ipanema beaches) to enjoy a beautiful sunset with an ice
cold beer. Perfect time to start planning your next trip to
this wonderful vibrant country!
Nearest recompression chamber:Hiperbárica HospitalarHospital da Beneficencia Portuguesa do Rio de Janeiro Rua santo Amaro 84 Gloria Rio de Janeiro Tel: +55 21 2222-2320 |
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