Saco do Cardeiro

A sheltered cove on the calm inner sea of Arraial do Cabo, the mar de dentro, where a rocky bottom slopes gently from about 6 to 11 meters under unusually clear water. Cold, plankton rich pulses from the South Atlantic upwelling feed dense schools of bigeye and other fish that drift over reef carpeted in zoanthids, gorgonians and sponges. Divers come for the resident longsnout seahorses and for a bright orange and pink soft coral, not native to Brazil, that has colonised the rocks and become a favorite subject for underwater photographers. Barracuda, green turtles, small morays and the occasional dolphin pass through. Gentle depth and protected water make this Arraial's main training and discover scuba site.