Carnival in Cabo Verde Cabo Verde, a small island nation off the coast of West...
SHIPWRECKS
in
Boa Vista
Shipwrecks in Boa Vista
The many shipwrecks in Boa vista marked also the life of the locale people. These tragedies were a stroke of luck for the starving islanders, who took food and goods from the wrecks. It is said that in times of famine, the locals would tie a lamp to the tail of a donkey and walk along the coastal reefs in the dark to lure ships to their doom. Most ships were shipwrecked by a strange confluence of circumstances. The strong and gusty trade winds combined with a strong current pulled the sailing ships toward Boa Vista, the island that was often shrouded in a dusty haze. This made Boa Vista practically invisible until the ships encountered the hidden rocks on the north and east coasts.
Hidden treasures
On Boa Vista people still tell the story of the English ship Hartwell, which sank on 24 May 1787 with its legendary cargo of gold. Apparently, the reason for this disaster was a mix-up due to a mutiny at sea and the crew simply let the ship drift onto Hartwell Reef in Boa Vista.
More recent divers discovered a gold coin bearing the date 1760. It is believed that this coin belonged to the remains of the Dromadaire, a French merchant ship that sank in 1762. The ship had a cargo of more than 3 million pounds of gold and silver on board.
Baixo de João Leitão reef
17 miles south of Boa Vista lies the notorious Baixo de João Leitão reef, which has been the undoing of many a ship. Located on the northeast side of the island, it is partially above water and stretches for about 6 km.
One man who spent many hours trying to circumnavigate it was Captain James Cook on his third and final voyage to the South Seas in 1776.
The disaster of the Cicilia
This Italian ship sank tragically on the night of the 5the of November 1863. On board were emigrants who were going to South America. The mood on board the ship was vibrant and people were dancing in the ballroom when the captain realized that the ship was about to sink. At that moment, he made the criminal mistake of giving the order to close the ballroom. Later, the poet José Lopes wrote: “Inside there was true horror… A dance of life turned into a macabre dance of death.” In total, 72 people died that tragic night.
The last ship to go down
The M/S Cabo Santa Maria was shipwrecked in the northwest on September 1, 1968. She was on her way from Spain to Brazil with a cargo of four church bells for the new cathedral in Brazil, cars, drinks, melons, cork, and cheese. A tugboat was dispatched from the island of São Vicente to try to dislodge the ship but was unsuccessful. Fortunately, the crew escaped unharmed.
The local population of Boa Vista, including even children, as well as public service employees and machinists from the other islands, were mobilized to remove the ship’s cargo. Mules and donkeys were used to transport the cargo to Sal Rei. It took the next 12 months to recover the booty from the wreck.
After nearly 50 years of exposure to the wind and constant waves, the ship is slowly crumbling away. Much of the deck is gone, leaving only a rusty hull. Over the past years, the shipwreck has become a symbol of the island and a source of inspiration for artists.
Location of the shipwreck
You can find the shipwreck on the north coast at Praia de Atalanta beach. It is located about 8 kilometers from Sal Rei and 3 kilometers from Vigia. You will need a jeep with 4×4 or a quad because the route, although scenic, passes through untouched nature.
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