Porto de Galinhas · Brazil · Wreck · Artificial reef
Gonçalo Coelho
Wartime landing ship with cranes and holds, home to turtles and rays
Area photo: Cleferson Comarela · CC BY-SA 3.0
A Second World War landing ship that later ran cargo between Recife and Fernando de Noronha, sunk off Serrambi Beach in 1999 as an artificial reef. The wreck lies between 16 and 34 m, 14 km from the Porto de Galinhas natural pools, and is visited on boat trips for experienced, certified divers. Turtles and rays gather on it in numbers.
Also known as Naufrágio Gonçalo Coelho.
Where it is and how deep
8.5833° S, 34.9000° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The wreck lies in front of Serrambi Beach, 14 km from the natural pools, and the trip out to it is sold as two daytime dives. The shallowest part of the ship is at 16 m and the deepest at 34 m, so the dive is a deep one from the first descent. The structure is the main attraction: cranes, valves and a series of compartments can be found on the bridge and down in the holds.
As an artificial reef the ship now draws a large number of turtles and rays, along with many other species of fish, goliath grouper among them, so the wreck is as much a wildlife dive as a hull to explore. Visibility runs from 15 to 30 m. With the structure running from 16 m down to 34 m, the deeper holds are where no-decompression time runs out fastest, and the trip is sold to experienced, certified divers only.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Gonçalo Coelho (ex USS LSM-119)
- Type
- LSM-1 class medium landing ship
- Built
- 1944
- Sunk
- 1999
- Cause
- Sunk on purpose as an artificial reef
- Lies
- Off Serrambi Beach, 14 km from the natural pools, at 16 to 34 m
The Gonçalo Coelho was built in 1944 and commissioned by the United States Navy in December 1944 as USS LSM-119. In the Second World War it carried armoured vehicles and served in operations at Okinawa, Japan. A Brazilian company later bought it to carry cargo and supplies between Recife and Fernando de Noronha. No longer fit to sail, it was bought by Homero Lacerda and Clóvis Peixoto and sunk in late December 1999 in front of Serrambi Beach to serve as an artificial reef.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Porto de Galinhas: October to March is the best period for diving here.
Know before you go
- The wreck reaches 34 m: plan a deep profile, watch no-decompression time and gas, and keep the deeper holds for experienced divers.
Dive videos
Mergulho no Naufrágio Gonçalo Coelho, muita vida marinha. [ Scubadiving ] Porto de Galinhas · Renan Porto de Galinhas on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Gonçalo Coelho wreck?+
The wreck lies between 16 m at its shallowest and 34 m at its deepest.
Who can dive the Gonçalo Coelho wreck at Porto de Galinhas?+
The trip is for experienced, certified divers. It is sold as two daytime dives with a snack, out to the wreck 14 km from the natural pools.
Sources
- Naufrágio Gonçalo Coelho — Brasil Mergulho
- Porto de Galinhas: uma viagem submarina — Brasil Travel News
- Piscinas Naturais - Porto de Galinhas (nearby sites) — Scubago
- Mar de Porto de Galinhas guarda naufrágios históricos — Catraca Livre
- Naufragios Porto de Galinhas — 7 Mares Mergulho
- Pontos de mergulho em Porto de Galinhas — Desviantes
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