São Sebastião invests in ecotourism and whale watching – 04/02/2024 – Tourism

Anyone walking along the coast of Barra do Sahy, one of the most visited beaches in São Sebastião, on the north coast of São Paulo, can hardly imagine that, just over a year ago, the same greenish sea was covered in mud.

The area was one of the hardest hit by the enormous rain that swept away houses, shops, collapsed hills and left 64 people dead in the city on February 19, 2023. “It was a war scenario”, recalls ecotourism guide Guilherme Almeida da Silva, 25 .

Along with many other residents who formed the rescue brigade, he says he removed bodies and survivors buried in the ground – among them, a 4-year-old child. “My mother is a nurse, she always told me amazing stories. But I had never seen anything like this.”

The tragedy is in the memory of residents, workers and can also be seen by tourists who, with minimal attention, will find scars on the hills and streets throughout the city. But, with the billion-dollar investment coming from the federal and state governments and royalties paid by Petrobras – which has a terminal in São Sebastião –, the chaos generated by the rain is beginning to heal.

Now, the city is investing to reinforce tourism and remember that, among its 53 beaches and more than 100 km of coastline, not everything has been destroyed. “Vacationers are seeing the works, the beach is clean, and regaining confidence. The season [de verão] It wasn’t strong yet, but it was good”, says sailor Rodrigo Nicolau, 45, who takes tourists on the boat tour that passes through Ilha dos Gatos, Ilha das Couves and As Ilhas.

The tour, which lasts an average of three hours, makes stops for diving and includes free time at As Ilhas beach, which has calm, wave-free and crystal clear waters, great for swimming. Anyone who wants to access the islands directly from Barra do Sahy can also make the journey with the help of boatmen, who take and then pick up tourists.

On the full tour, it is also possible to see the house of Caio Rodrigues, the only resident of Ilha dos Gatos, currently under the possession of the Union, and who has lived there for over 30 years. “But to talk, you need to agree first. He doesn’t like receiving people every day, no. He lives at home, alone on the island”, says Nicolau.

Whale watching and ecotourism

The signing, in 2023, of the cooperation agreement between the municipality of São Sebastião and the Baleia Jubarte project has definitively positioned the city on the route for whale sightings – which, increasingly, have shown their faces (and tails) along the coast of São Paulo .

“Last year there were around 700 sightings. And this number is expected to increase, because the whales are feeling safe and returning more and more”, says Jucilei Pereira da Silva, head of the city’s Tourism Department.

The partnership with the Bahian institute made it possible to train tourism operators and guide residents and visitors to São Sebastião on conservation and good practices for sightings, which take place between the months of May and July. Among the rules, it is necessary to have a maximum of two vessels per group of whales, keep at least 100 meters away from the animals and leave the engine in neutral.

The privileged presence of the ecosystems of the Atlantic Forest, Serra do Mar and the Coastal Zone also allows the city to embrace the adventurous tourist and offer tours with trails, waterfalls and practically deserted beaches. Among them, Calhetas, which has white sand and translucent water – with a little luck, it is possible to see turtles. Access is via a walk of around 15 minutes.

Following a slightly steep path, but possible to follow, the visitor reaches the Calhetas waterfall and can end the tour with a sweet bath. There, last year’s rain left its mark and destroyed part of the route – which has already been adapted by another access. Those who like extreme sports can rappel down its almost 100 meter waterfall.

Beginners or people afraid of heights can opt for the Paúba rappel, which is shorter – just 10 meters –, but which also yields good photos and butterflies in the stomach. And so, the city that experienced its greatest tragedy a year ago continues to persevere and tries to recover. It adapts tours to the taste of the parish and highlights what it has always had to offer: its natural beauty.

The journalist traveled at the invitation of the São Sebastião Tourism Secretariat