On the wild northern coast of Boa Vista, the rusting hull of the Cabo Santa Maria has sat stranded on the sand since 1968 — the island’s most photographed sight and a favourite stop on any tour.
The story
The Spanish cargo ship ran aground on this exposed shore and was never recovered. Decades of wind, salt and surf have turned it a deep rust-red, and it now stands hauntingly beautiful against the white sand and blue water.
How to see it
The wreck lies in a remote spot reached by 4x4, so it’s usually visited on a guided island tour alongside the Viana desert and Sal Rei. Take care near the surf, which can be powerful, and time your visit for good light — it photographs best under a bright sky.
The story of the wreck
The Cabo Santa Maria was a Spanish cargo ship that ran aground on 1 September 1968 while carrying gifts, foodstuffs, cars and general cargo from Spain toward South America. The crew survived, much of the cargo was salvaged (some of it, islanders will tell you with a grin, rather informally), and the hull was left to the Atlantic. Six decades of salt and surf have stripped it to the rusted skeleton that now rises from the shallows — one of the most photographed sights in Cape Verde.
Photographing it well
The wreck faces north, so light hits it best in the morning and again toward sunset, when the rust glows orange against the turquoise. Bring a zoom or be ready to walk the beach for angles; drones (where permitted) get the classic top-down shot of waves threading the ribs. Do not climb on the structure — it is sharp, unstable and collapsing a little more every year.
Getting there and combining the trip
- On Praia de Atalanta, north coast — reachable only by 4x4 or quad on sandy tracks.
- Nearly every island tour and quad safari includes it.
- No facilities at all: bring water, hat and sunscreen.
- The beach is a turtle-nesting site in summer — never drive on the sand.
- Pairs naturally with the Viana desert and Rabil.