About 70 miles down the coast is one of the most beautiful areas that I have sailed. The Bay of Ilha Grande contains a large island with over 100 beaches and some 360 smaller islands in a beautiful tropical setting. About 20 miles further is the old town of Paraty and some long bays nearby that are absolutely fantastic to visit and trek around and are generally away from the crowds.
Ilha Grande (Ill-ya Gran-gee - Big Island) is a large island with various nice anchorages and many trails through the forests to beautiful waterfalls. There are a number of good sites that describe the island much better than I can. See the following;
http://www.ilhagrande.com.ar/?sel_lang=en
>http://www.vagamundos.net/v3/pagina.php?id=1047
>http://www.angra2000.com.br/ilhagrande/ilhagrande.htm
>http://ilhagrande.org/sys/index.php
Sorry but this is in Portuguese. However there are some great photos and good maps of the island. On the lift side, click on “Cartões Postais” then on “Mais Fotos” for some good photographs and on “Mapa da Ilha” for some good maps.
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Paraty (pronounced Pah-rah-chee) is an historical town that was the center of slave trade and a significant port to load gold and precious metals that were mined in the next state. It has been well preserved and has all of the amenities you could want; good restaurants, inns, nightlife, shopping and beautiful old buildings.
>http://www.paraty.com.br/iindex.asp
Click on the English version
>http://www.eco-paraty.com/english/index.shtml
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Often times we meet up with the Tocorimé, a fantastic 120 foot schooner, built of wood in the Amazon by four adventurous sailors from Europe. Go to their website to read the the amazing story of the tallest ship built in Brazil. http://www.tocorime.net/
There are two coves located about an hour from the town of Paraty that are as tranquil and beautiful as you will ever find. Our favorite trip is to anchor at the end of Mamanguá and take the dingy up a small stream, then a short walk to a nice waterfall. Also, there is a nice 1-1/2 hour trek up a 347-meter high peak with a beautiful view of the area.
You can sail with us (or motor depending on wind) from Rio to the area. It takes about 10 hours to get to Ilha Grande and about 14 hours to get to Paraty. We generally leave from 6 to 8 at night and travel along the coast seeing the beautiful lights of Rio on the way. If you like to sail and don’t have trouble sleeping on a moving boat, this is a nice trip.
If you prefer, you can meet us down there, either in Angra do Reis or Paraty; you can go by bus (a nice bus) or we can arrange a van. Or you can sail one way and take the bus back…whatever you prefer.
For day trips, we can leave any time you want; we have no set scheduled departures or return times. So, just let us know. As you arrive, you will get a briefing on the boat and the safety equipment, and then off we go.
For trips to the islands, you should plan to stay in the region for at least three days, but five would be better in order to see all of the beautiful sights and regions in the area. Additionally, we need a day for going and coming from Rio.
We will stock basic needs such as sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, soap, mineral water, beer and cachaça. Depending on what you want to do, we can stock the boat with food for eating on board, for breakfast and a snack if you want to enjoy the fine restaurants, or nibblies for day sails. Generally, for extended trips down the coast it is better to have provisions to be self sufficient for several days. All food and drinks are charged at cost; send us a list of what you like to eat and we’ll try to have it ready. If you are coming from the states, bring a jar of Hot Pace Picante Sauce and you will get special treatment.
By the way, I smoke but only on deck.
Pack lightly and don’t bring stuff you won’t need for the trip. Generally a small soft-sided bag will be sufficient. Shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits, walking shoes and flip-flops are usually all you will wear. A small knapsack comes in handy for trekking. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat; the sun is very strong during the summer months and it is easy to burn quickly. Of course, if there is any specific medicine that you need, bring it along. If you have additional bags we can store them at our apartment in Rio.
