Crossing the Madre
By boat or on foot.
Rodrigo Soldon from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · Ulisses Job — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rodrigo Soldon from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · Rodrigo Soldon from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — CC BY 2.0
Guarda do Embaú is a beach and small village about 46 km south of Florianópolis, inside Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, home to about a thousand fishermen, craftspeople, traders and surfers. It was a quiet fishing and farming community until surfers discovered it in the early 1970s, and it is now a World Surfing Reserve, the ninth in the world and the first in Brazil. The Madre River separates the village from the beach, and people cross on residents' boats for about R$10 a person, swim across as surfers prefer, or wade when the water is low. Green hills surround the beach, crossed by walking trails. From May to July surfing and water sports are banned in the area for the traditional mullet fishing season, an important livelihood for residents. The beach is free and reached by car via the BR-101 or by regional bus from Florianópolis.
By boat or on foot.
For surfers.
Walking trails.
On the Palhoça-Paulo Lopes border, about 46 km south of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina
From May to July, during the traditional mullet fishing season; the beach stays open to visitors.