Fernando de Noronha is a real gem: lush green, tropical, rugged landscape with an amazing underwater ecology and a conservation program to match. Its local government balances the islands natural ecology with tourism for which it now depends and seems to have done a fairly good job. Its not overwhelmed with the tackiness we've seen on other tourist islands and still retains its old charms. The national park program is strictly enforced with permits, education and balanced/controlled flow of visitors. FdN has an interesting history where just about every world power of the 15th to 18th century has had control of it at some time: Dutch, Spanish, English and finally the Portuguese. In recent times, the Americans have used the island during WW2 as a communications center and again during the cold war as an advanced missile warning radio station. They invested much of the infrastructure that remains today i.e. airport, barracks converted to businesses, roads, etc.

We anchored in Baia de S. Antonio, the only allowable anchorage as the rest of the island, 70%, is a World Heritage park where anchoring and even visiting some areas are off limits.

The anchorage is well protected from the SE trades though it's a bit rolly (probably more so for those boats with only one hull); good holding in sand; Emerald Sea is anchored in 9m WD and surrounded by some 50+ boats (only three of which are sail). Of the three days we stayed the most it blew was 28kts and we held tight. Clearing in was one of the friendliest we've experienced. They were just plain happy to see us! Price to land here (2016 rates): R226.40/day for yacht + R64.25/day/person (park fees; 1st day free).

Presently there isn't a dingy dock (under new construction) so you land your dingy on the beach or anchor it (circa 2m tide range). It's safe (this isn't Salvador!) and the two lifeguards on the beach will assure that for you. There are regular busses into town at the top of the hill next to the Port Captain/Tourist Info shop. Provisions, while basic, are available however like St Helena, you have to time your shopping with the arrival of the air grocery transport to get a decent selection of veg and fruits - presently that plane lands on Thursday morning. Prices are at least 20% more expensive than mainland Brazil. As this place caters to a significant tourist population so there are plenty of restaurants of varying taste and styles, gift shops, etc. We had some delicious food. Fuel and water are available. While we didn't purchase fuel, the cruising sailboat next to us paid USD4/gallon.

Our first day out we toured the island's mainland, bussed around, long walks, museum, its historic forts, food, etc. The next day we took the recommendation of a fellow we met at the Port Captain's office for hiring a tour guide for the day. This turned out better than expected. Fernando Paulo is a registered tour-guide, native Noronhian with excellent English and he took us on a daylong trip that was quite energetic. In the morning we visited and snorkelled in three bays, all national parks (day tickets R175pp), where we were up close and personal with Lemon Sharks, a Nurse Shark, large Hornbill and Green turtles, Spotted Rays, octopus and a variety of other marine mammals. In the after noon we had a tasty self-service lunch and visits to some of FdN's historically famous areas. In the end, we had a great impression of this Brazilian island.

The water here is just pristine. Outside Emerald at anchor, we had regular sightings of turtles and spinner dolphins including their babies breaching from the water, enjoying their youth. We snorkeled around our anchorage, on a Greek shipwreck a few hundred meters away and along the shoreline. Apparently the diving around the archipelago is awesome but we didn't have time to get that in.

We weighed anchor on 15 April at 07:00hrs after a wonderful 4 days here.