On the very south tip of Santa Catarina island, there is a trail that takes you to the “castaway” beach, praia Naufradagos. It is home to a couple of fishermen, who live here their simple but happy life, away from the world of cars and trafic jams.
We headed this way on one Saturday late morning as the weather couldn’t decide whether it wants have us swallowed by clouds and mist or water us by a light drizzle of rain.
To get to the beginning of the trail, we needed to drive along the south-west coast of Santa Catarina island. This part already shows beautiful green hills and valleys on the east side and a view of the sea and hills of the mainland on the west side. This part of the island is lined by historical buildings of early settlers and it is not rare to spot a fish or oyster restaurant.
As we arrived at the very southern point of the road, ready to set on the trail, the weather decided to send a bit of drizzle on us. Dressed in raincoats or just in t-shirts we started on a muddy trail, taking us uphill. Soon we discovered that there would be no way for us to walk it with our shoes dry, my flip-flops would only shoot some mud on the back of my coat so I took them off, determined to walk the rest barefoot.
It was a completely new hiking experience. It was slippery but at the same time, I could feel exactly when I needed to balance. At times the mud reached up to my ankles but in away it was good because I didn’t need to worry about getting dirty. Every now and then, we passed a creek with cascading water where I could wash my feet again.
This river gradually found its way to the sea, creating a valley and a beach, the Naufragados beach which we reached after around one hour walking/sliding.
On one end of the beach stands an old lighthouse and we found ourselves following a trail that led us up there.
The lighthouse is not functional anymore and the wooden construction that surrounds it, provided a challenging climb to everyone who dared. Once climbing it, from here you can see the mainland so close, you can almost touch it.
Practical info:
Difficulty level: Easy/medium, depending on the conditions of the trail.
To take with: Good hiking shoes/or not! 🙂 Swim suit, repellent perhaps.
How to get there: The trail starts at the very southern tip of Santa Catarina island. You can get there by car or by bus (change in Rio Tavares).
Other treks in the area: Barra da Lagoa – Praia da Galheta, Stormy night at Lagoinha do Leste, Praia da Lagoinha do Leste, A natural massage under a waterfall at Lagoa do Peri, Trilha para Costa da Lagoa, From Santinho to Moçambique beach, The Trail of Three Secret Beaches.