Boa Vista, treasure island?

Among the many reasons that make Boa Vista such a special place, there's one that's perhaps less well-known, yet intimately connected to its history , from its discovery to recent years. While it might be easy to imagine it when thinking of the wreck of the Spanish cargo ship Cabo Santa Maria, which has become a symbol of the island, few know that its waters have been the site of countless shipwrecks. And it's possible, even likely, that some precious cargo still lies hidden in its shallow waters, awaiting a lucky discoverer...

The wreck of the Cabo Santa Maria, worn away by the power of the sea, on Praia de Atalanta

The oldest of the 141 documented shipwrecks in Cape Verde, the Dutch ship Naarden, dates back to 1623. And do you know where it happened? Right off the island of Boa Vista, at an unspecified location. The same goes for the Honorable East India Company “Hartweel ,” which sank near the island in 1787 with six tons of silver on board. If we then look at the numbers drawn from various registers, at least 50 sinkings were recorded off the coast of Boa Vista in the second half of the 19th century alone, involving ships of various nationalities.

It has long been known that the island of dunes, known to us as Ilha Fantástica, was the scene of historic shipwrecks, especially between 1700 and 1800, when it played a crucial role in the export of salt from Cape Verde. During that period, there was considerable commercial naval traffic, and consequently, attacks by pirates and privateers were frequent. The presence of the Duque de Bragança fort on Ilheu, the islet opposite the town of Sal Rei, today effectively restored and open to visitors, bears witness to this.

Cape Verde on an 18th-century globe preserved in the castle of the Knights of Malta in Magione (IT)

Even in recent years, there have been sinkings. After 2000, a Cape Verdean merchant ship and a Spanish barge sank right in the bay of Sal Rei. The wrecks are located a short distance from the coast and today are an excellent diving spot, as they are home to a good number and variety of fish.

All these events have stimulated enthusiasts and researchers. To date, the most comprehensive study on Cape Verde, although somewhat outdated, is the " Inventory of Historical Shipwrecks in the Cape Verde Archipelago " conducted by Portuguese underwater archaeologist Alexandre Monteiro. The researcher verified the shipwrecks of 141 ships, namely: 8 losses occurred in the 17th century, 17 in the 18th century, 60 shipwrecks in the 19th century, and 55 accidents in the 20th century (up to 1970). This represents over 30% of the total around Boa Vista .

However, precisely because of the difficulty in finding direct historical evidence, the vastness of the shallow waters, the currents, and the many legends about ships full of treasure (even those of the pirates themselves) being lost, it cannot be ruled out that a good number of unknown wrecks and their cargoes are lost in the island's waters . Moreover, there is no shortage of discoveries, such as those made by Maurizio Rossi, the Italian archaeologist who has brought together some of the finds in the interesting Museu dos Naufragos in Sal Rei.

The shallow waters around Boa Vista when the sea is calm are ideal for diving (ph pixels)

So, come on, treasure hunters: we're waiting for you in Boa Vista. Maybe a treasure chest awaits you just a few meters from the shore. If, on the other hand, you want to do things in a big way, here's the tip. It's a known fact that in 1806 , the English ship Lady Burgess sank with a large cargo of precious items near the João Valente shoal, 37 km south of Boa Vista, towards Maio. There's a small problem, however. This is an exceptional ocean site, a sort of pinnacle that rises from a depth of about 1000 m to within 10 m of the water's surface. Famously rich in fish, it's not the easiest place to explore. But you won't back down from such a small difficulty!