I checked in in Angra dos Reis (60 miles south of Rio de Janeiro). Very easy and friendly.

The anchorage is not very comfy with lots of wake from the boats, but it is close to the dinghy dock. The anchorage spot is right in front and a slight distance away from the large tourist boat dock. You could anchor in a better spot to the east where Celestino rents reasonably priced buoys (phone: 24 981060747). Location is 23°00.85S, 044°18.23W.

From here you can ride a motor dinghy to town or also for provisioning to the Pirates Mall/Marina (approx pos. 23°00S, 044°18W). The mall has a food store ZonaSul with a big red heart as a symbol. There is also a chandler and, upon the road, a store with items to fix a fridge (pressure gauge and hoses, r134, etc.). I had my cold plate hard soldered there, then I replenished the freon system on the boat.

Immigration: Police Federal

Immigration is just about 100m from the little wooden public pier inside the fishing harbor where all the little colorful fishing boats are tied up. If you want to leave your dinghy for more than two hours, go another 50m into the harbor all the way to the end. There is a boat ramp where they paint boats, etc. Ask to tie up (lock) the boat onto the bolt carrier. They are all very friendly if you show a smile and say please (in Portuguese).

Customs: Receita Federal

From the Police Federal, walk up the road about 40m, turn left passing the bus stops along the main road till you come to a building, about 100m along the main road, with a large glass entrance door, open at 9 am. Enter and pass the security guy by letting him know “Check-in Barco”, then knock on the next door to the left, just passed the hallway. You are at the Receita Federal (Customs). Ask for someone to speak English, if needed. Frederico is the officer and speaks perfect English. Roberto, another employee may be of help regarding English. He also helped me find the store for an internet dongle from Vivo. Vivo worked well but difficult to pay the bill as it is by invoice. I heard that Claro is ‘pay as you go’ but don’t know more about it.

Port Captain: Capitano Dos Portes

After this leave, the building’s glass door, turn left and walk till the first road to the right. Walk all the way up on it to the end, turn left and at that corner is the office of Capitano Dos Portes.  It is about a 15min walk. The building is inside a white wall with blue trim on top and wire coil above.

There is a bit a shorter way to walk there but it requires a map at the tourist office. The tourist office is located at the pier where all the large two-masted tour boats load/unload visitors.

There are a few chandlers along the shoreline road, an electronic store called ‘Japanese’ in a side road if needed. A food store along the main road too, across the tourist office. The ATM is one road up parallel to the shoreline road.

Notes on Marinas

Marinas in Brazil are extremely expensive, be aware. Marina Pirates charges 400 rand per day. I had a quote from Marina Do Engehio in Parity for 2200 rand per month. I left my boat for a month in the marina Pier46 in Parity at 1300 rand per month.

If you leave Brazil during your 3-month visa you need to find a marina or buoy where someone guarantees to look after your boat. For that, you need a form called A Alfandega Da Receita Federal Do Brasil No Porto De Itaguai, from the Receita Federal. Maybe the marina also has that form and will fill in their part. It needs to be signed by the captain (i.e., the boat owner), the marina or buoy owner, acknowledges by the Capitano dos Portes, and finally by Receita Federal. Take this form with you when you leave the country. On return, you need to go to Receita Federal and “free” your boat with a form called Termo De Liberacao Veleiro issued by Receita Federal.

All this is only needed if you leave the country while the boat stays. I had my boat docked at Pier46 in Parity, (phone: 24 33711150 Rodovia 101 km579 Boa Vista, marina@pier46.com.br). They also rent buoys for 800 rand per month. That was the cheapest place that would still guarantee the boat in their hands while leaving Brazil. Stern-to docking cost 1300 rand per month. Make sure you check out with Capitano Dos Portes when you leave Angra dos Reis/Ilha Grande to sail south (or for Parity), where you then check in, then out again to go on. In our case, I went back to Angra dos Reis where I checked in and out the same time with a form that said “con escala a Florianapolis” and went on to Florianopolis. I never stopped in a place that had a Capitano Dos Portes. Had no problems checking out in Florianopolis. They never asked where I stopped. All friendly, but not easy to go to. Read on.

Parity

Parity and Parity Mirim and its bays are wonderful sailing grounds. Not much wind but peaceful anchorages to explore. Also Ilha Grande. Get a guide book such as Havens & Anchorages, RCC Pilotage Foundation. You need to find this prior to arriving because all guide books in Brazil are usually in Portuguese

I stayed from April to June and in some spots, there are small flies that bite. They are not sand flies and called “Borrachudo.” Mosquito repellent works. One anchorage further south on Ilha de Sao Sebastiano (also called Ilha Bela) at the north end of it, I had the flies in the hundreds. Otherwise, it was ok. I stopped there, had lunch, and then left to the town Ilha Bela and anchored in Saco Grande.

At times, like Saco Grande, anchorages are all taken by buoys and you have to anchor in deeper and further out places, or else pay for a buoy. The boys would have been 50 rands per day. The Yacht Club/Marina, however, gives a week free reciprocal stay. I anchored and re-provisioned.

Florianopolis

On the way to Florianopolis I tried to find the pier described under Florianopolis for Itajai to do check-out, but I had no success and went on to anchor in Porto Belo, a nice and quiet anchorage in any wind. The town is okay: has food but not much else.

I then went on to Florianopolis and anchored in 10 feet of water in front of the Late Clube Santa Catharina (LCSC). I was granted free dinghy docking and they gave me a print out of the addresses for checking out. Be aware that when approaching from the north there are two bridges to go under, the lower is 57 feet in height. Also, the approach has some eight feet depths (at least that is what I encountered on low tide).

You can either visit Receita Federal or Police Federal first for check-out and then Capitano Dos Portes (the LCSC suggested to go to the Capitano dos Portes first but that is not necessary for check-out).

Receita Federal is still on R. Antonio Pereira Oliveira Neto, open at 09:00 to 16:00 with a lunch break (I think it was from 11:30 to 13:30).

Policia Federal is on Av Mauro Ramos, nearby the Shell pump and a large mall where you can catch another taxi. If none are there the reception at the main entrance (where also the taxis usually wait) will call one.

Capitano Dos Portes is open 24 hours, but I had to wait for the officer to return from somewhere during regular hours. He was very friendly and called for another taxi to go to town. The office is located on the mainland between the two large bridges at Ponte Colombo Salles.

Because of the large distances between offices, I did it with taxis. You can always ask the office to call for one so the taxi does not have to wait long. (I had it wait for the first two offices.) All in all, I spent close to 100 rands to get it all done (including going to the wrong office first) and a stop in the city center to do some sightseeing.

I had a six-day window with winds from the back and sailed to La Paloma directly. You could stop in the Rio Grande and do check-out there but I did not bother. I am writing this along the way to La Paloma and with winds from the back, it looks like I can do it in five days.

A note on propane: Propane bottles, as usual, have their own fitting for every country. In most countries, they don’t want to refill your personal tanks, especially aluminum ones. I just bought a shut-off valve for the local bottle at the local hardware store (in this case, in Parity) and siphon the propane or whatever gas it is into my tank. You get about three quarters out of the bottle. Make sure you can return the bottle for the cost of it. Using a clear 1/4 inch hose used for air hoses works fine and you can see when the liquid stops flowing. Of course, you need a spare fitting to your tank with a hose connector on the other end before you set off. This is all at your own risk and you need to make sure that hose clamps are properly fit. In Namibia, for example, there are two types of bottles, one like the US and one slightly different. So you need to always make sure your shut-off valve you bought works before buying the bottle. In the latter case, it is practical to set off with two spare tank connectors to your US tank in order to make the proper hose.

Werner

S/V Princess Del Mar

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