We stayed at Socicam – Terminal Nautico for nine days in July 2018. Harbourmaster Dominique was most helpful: he explained where we could get groceries (Perini on Vasco da Gama Avenue has a great selection, upmarket), where it was save to walk (basically where there are other people around) and what we should be aware of (no walking to and from the elevator after dark). When we needed to have our mast taken off, he was instrumental in getting everything organised, so we could get a crane to the marina and a welder to get the repairs done in the parking area of the marina. Be sure to agree to everything (work and price) with the repairmen beforehand.

As we gone through immigration in Fernando de Noronha, we only had to visit the Receita Federal (300m to the left of Terminal Nautico when exiting the premises), where we were assisted by a young woman who spoke some English and guided us through a computer program. Next up was the Capitania, 300m to the right of the TN gates. The “Capitania” building is one of many buildings on the Navy premises and inside it are many different counters. Go to “F” “1” counter, on the very right after entering.

A local sim-card can be bought (and registered with your passport) at the TIM shop inside “Shopping Lapa”, a large shopping center in the “Lapa” area. We found it safe to walk there from the elevator (towards the right upon exiting the elevator, along a street lined with shops and street vendors). The area is well worth visiting to get a flair of city life outside the renovated old town.

On the way back from Itaparica we did not want to go to the bustling places in Salvador. A friend told us to go to Itapagipe peninsular to the marina Angra dos Veleiros.

It is a sailor-owned place with visitors spaces. Located at S12 deg 54,689 ´/ W 038deg 29,564´.

It is located on Av. Largo da Ribeira – Ribeira, Salvador – BA, 40420-260, Brazil, Tel: +55 71 3316-5626
They have some 35 slips and a workshop also that visitors can use. Nearby are two ship chandlers and tools and equipment alley where you can get almost everything. There is also a bom pressio (Walmart) nearby, so ideal to stock up the boat for a longer journey.

The entrance to the marina is easy for catamarans yet tides to have to be watched for keelboats as there are shallow depths near the entrance. The marina is exposed to waves and NE winds stronger than 20 knots. We stayed for five days and got everything done that we needed to take care of.

A visitors slip with 110V/220V shore power and free water costs BRL 1,50 per foot per day. There is a restaurant that opens for lunch. The internet works well. All in all a nice quiet place to be.
SY Coral Trekker

I am in process of buying a boat under a foreign flag while it stays in Brazil and would like to reflect on my experience so far.

The boat arrived from Cape Town via St.Helena to Salvador and anchored in the Bahia Marina. The people are very helpful. Julia, one of the receptionists, even speaks French, Portugese and English.

If you want to leave the boat in Brazil and leave the country, even for a short trip, you can not stay at Bahia Marina. In Salvador there are only three marinas licensed to keep foreign boats when the owner does not stay in Brazil. These are Terminal Nautico, Pier Marina and Aratu Iate Clube. I neither wanted to leave my future boat in either Terminal Nautico nor Pier. Aratu is a good place to leave the boat.

The owner had to fill in a form, confirm it with the Aratu I.C. and the capitania dos portos. Then with this we went to the Receite (Customs) to get an extension of the existing 90 day permit for as long as we wanted (within a two year period) without being in the country.

The AIC asks for a local person to take care of the boat. I had the pleasure of being introduced to the manufacturer’s representative in SSA that made things much easier.

The costs at AIC are 1 BRL per foot per day.

After returning to Brazil I will have 90 days to stay from my date of entry, for me and the boat.

AIC is a tangential drive around SSA to the airport. So convenient if leaving or arriving in the country. My suggestion if you want to leave Brazil while you boat stays in Brazil, move staight to Aratu. Make sure you arrive during daylight. The channel is narrow and the yacht club is not well marked on the chart plotter. Furthermore there are some small marinas that are not charted at all that can be quite confusing at night.

Bahia Marina is, as stated, very helpful and with good facilities. However as of March 2016 it has no laundry, and no swimming-pool (and seemingly never has had one). It currently has rather few spaces for visitors being nearly full of very large motor-yachts.