Shark Bay

Shark Bay, or Baía das Gatas on Sal, is a shallow sandy bay on the eastern coast where juvenile lemon sharks come in on the rising tide to feed in water that barely reaches the knee. Guides take visitors to stand in the shallows while the sharks pass, which they do without much interest in people. The animals are small, a metre or so, and the encounter depends entirely on the tide being right.

What you actually see

• The lemon sharks - juveniles coming into knee-deep water on the rising tide.
• The shallow bay - sand flats that stay ankle to knee deep a long way out.
• The tide dependence - the window when the sharks come in.
• The guided wading - standing in the shallows as the animals pass.

When to go

The visit works only around high tide, so timing is everything and guides schedule accordingly. November to June is the dry season. Wind can make the water murky.

Honest expectations

The sharks only come in on the right tide and a badly timed visit sees nothing. Guides sometimes bait or crowd the animals, which is worth avoiding. There is no shade and no facilities at the bay.

Nearby

Pedra de Lume is north, and Santa Maria is south.