WAYPOINT'S list to access Cabedelo and the mooring and marina of Jacare Yacht Village :

NAME...............LATITUDE............ LONGITUDE

CBD 01……….06°56,250’ S……34°48,600’W
CBD 02……….06°56,280’ S..….34°48,930’W
CBD 03……….06°56,420’ S.…..34°49,300’W
CBD 04……….06°56,540’ S…...34°49,570’W
CBD 05……….06°57,250’ S….. 34°50,520’W
CBD 06……….06°57,920’ S..….34°50'690’W CBD07………..06°58,800’S…….34°50,220’W
CBD-F1….……06°58,860’S..…..34°50,160’W
JCR 01………..06°59,070’S…….34°50,230’W
JCR 02………..06°59,480’S…....34°50,470’W JCR03………...07°00,280’S…....34°50,920’W JCR04………...07°01,460’S.……34°51,450W JCR05………...07°02,160’S…….34°51,400’W
MARINA.........07°02'S......….…..34°51'W
Main Dock.....07°02,117'S.......34°51,357'W

Comments:
CBD= cabedelo, JCR=jacare.
The buoys are lit. The tag located in CBD07 is not visible and have no light. The mooring near CBD-F1 is not recommended or only for a short time, not comfortable, bad anchorage, noisy, no security for the dinghy. If you arrived at night you can anchor in front of the marina or (if it's visible) go to the main dock. in day light go to the main dock.

Welcome to JACARE-yacht-VILLAGE …. And of course to Brazil.

Next information is the result of compilations, translations and comments uttered by boaters who have been to Jacare and who have hugged the Brazilian coastline. They are only 100% valid if they are regularly updated, so feel welcome to our heading : “Comments”.

The entry of the Brazilian port of CABEDELO is situated on the extreme eastern point of South America and the Americas in general.

“Jacare”(which means Alligator, although one would have a hard time meeting one in that area) is 2 miles past the commercial port of Cabedelo (07°02’S, 34°51W) in a shielded estuary of the Paraiba river. This stopover place has been passed on verbally since the early 70’s and is reputed to be quiet, with a well buoyed night and day channel. However, some of the lightbuoys might be out of service, so tempting to enter at night might be hazardous. Just make sure to hit the outer buoy first.

The coast of this region allows sailing both in a N and S direction, although Southbound, between Cape Calcanhar (E of Fortaleza) and Olinda Lighttower)just N of Recife) might require a good deal of tacking for the best part of the year. Therefore, the most advisable track between the Cape Verdes, with or without a stop in Fernando de Noranha Island, is straight to Cabedelo. If one wants to go south afterwards, from there to Olinda lighttower is barely 60 nm. Most people motor down.

Once past Olinda , it’s a piece of cake sailing all the way down to Salvador, Rio and even further down to Argentina if desired.

What should be avoided by all means is to go first to Fortaleza (an attractive very touristic place) as the winds on that stretch of the coast are quite strong (20-25 knots) from the East coupled with a westbound current of 2 to 4 knots. This traject should be left for when going Caribbean bound.

As for Natal, where the holding is pretty poor and subject to a heavy tidal current, the small Yacht Club is in the center of the port basin. Not very well equipped to attend foreign yachts, they however rent mooring buoys on a daily fee basis ; however, take care of a big steel ferryboat barge crossing the river, passing pretty close to the mooring area…

Finally, if Brazil destination is therefore an attractive alternative to the classical track to the Caribbean coming from Europe, it’s also a region with stable weather all-year round with no hurricanes, tropical depressions tornados, tidal surges and earthquakes. The winds are regular from either the SE or NE with speeds between 8 et 20 knots.

The crossing between the Cape Verde Islands and Cabedelo, being the shortest ocean track is an option gaining popularity knowing that at the end awaits you a small marina, Jacare-yacht-Village, with some 40 pontoon moorings in a location reputed for its sun-settings and green environment devoid of much habitation.