Wreckage of M/S Cabo Santa Maria

On the northern part of the island of Boa Vista you’ll find the wreckage of a Spanish cargo ship that ran ashore in the fall of 1968. The M/S Cabo Santa Maria was on its way to Brazil and Argentina loaded with a variety of cargo and a number of gifts. The most important gift: four church bells determined for the new cathedral in Brasilia. But they disappeared in deep water so the cathedral had to be opened without its bells (it was only in October 1977 when they finally were consecrated at the clock tower). 

Unfortunately, in the early morning hours of September 1, the ship ran aground on the coast of Boa Esperança. A tugboat was sent from the island of São Vicente to try to dislodge the ship, but to no avail. Fortunately, the crew was able to escape the scene unhurt. That left just one thing to deal with, and it was no small feat.

A good part of the population of Boa Vista, children as well as public employees and machine operators from the other islands, were mobilized in order to remove the cargo of the ship. They used mules and donkeys to carry the cargo to the nearby capital of Boa Vista, Sal Rei. The unloading of the ship was carried out for nearly a year.

Today, the ship is slowly crumbling. After almost 50 years of battering by the wind and constant waves, much of the deck and hold have disappeared, and only a rusty shell remains for the time being… but visibly not for long. Over the decades the shipwreck has become a symbol of the island and a source of inspiration for artists.