Cabo Santa Maria Shipwreck

The Cabo Santa Maria was a Spanish cargo ship that went aground on the northern shore of Boa Vista in 1968 carrying, by local account, a cargo that the islanders salvaged thoroughly. What is left is the rusted hull sitting in the surf on an otherwise empty beach, breaking up steadily year by year, and it has become the island's most photographed object. A four-wheel drive track runs out to it along the coast.

What you actually see

• The hull - the rusting remains sitting in the surf on the beach.
• The empty shore - a long undeveloped beach on the northern coast.
• The 1968 grounding - the wreck the islanders salvaged.
• The track out - the four-wheel drive route along the northern coast.

When to go

November to June is the dry season. The wreck is breaking up and there is less of it each year. Wind and spray along this coast are constant.

Honest expectations

The wreck is deteriorating fast and much less remains than in older photographs. The metal is sharp and rusted and climbing on it is dangerous. Currents on this beach are strong and swimming is unwise.

Nearby

Sal Rei is southwest, and Ervatao is southeast.