Salvador & Baía de Todos os Santos · Brazil · Wreck
Galeão Sacramento
Cannons and anchors from a galleon lost in 1668
The remains of the Santíssimo Sacramento, a Portuguese galleon of the Companhia Geral do Comércio do Brasil lost in a storm at the entrance to the Baía de Todos os Santos on 5 May 1668. The dive runs over cannons, anchors and ballast stones to a maximum of 32 m, with visibility of 15 to 30 m, and is a dive for advanced divers.
Also known as Sacramento.
Where it is and how deep
13.0230° S, 38.5063° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive is a tour of what remains of a colonial ship: along the route lie cannons, anchors and the stones that once formed the Sacramento's ballast, spread over the bottom at the entrance to the bay. The deepest point is 32 m, which keeps bottom time short and makes this a dive for advanced divers.
Visibility runs from 15 to 30 m. The draw of the site is its history: the galleon led a fleet on the Atlantic crossing to Salvador for the Companhia Geral do Comércio do Brasil, carrying João Corrêa da Silva, governor of Bahia, and a cargo of copper and tin, and it went down on arriving at night in a heavy storm on 5 May 1668.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Santíssimo Sacramento
- Type
- Portuguese galleon
- Sunk
- 1668
- Cause
- Sank in a storm at the entrance to the Baía de Todos os Santos
- Lies
- Scattered cannons, anchors and ballast stones, to 32 m
The Santíssimo Sacramento was a galleon of the Companhia Geral do Comércio do Brasil that led a fleet on the Atlantic crossing to Salvador. It carried João Corrêa da Silva, governor of Bahia, and a cargo of copper and tin. Arriving at night in a heavy storm, it sank at the entrance to the Baía de Todos os Santos on 5 May 1668. Its cannons, anchors and ballast stones remain on the bottom.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Salvador & Baía de Todos os Santos: Diving runs all year; April to June is Salvador's rainy season, so July to March is the easier window for a trip.
Know before you go
- The site reaches 32 m, so no-decompression limits come quickly; plan depth and gas before descending.
Dive videos
Naufrágio Galeão Sacramento - Salvador Bahia-BA · Brasil Mergulho on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Galeão Sacramento dive in Salvador?+
The Galeão Sacramento reaches a maximum of 32 m, with visibility of 15 to 30 m. It is a dive for advanced divers.
What is left of the Galeão Sacramento?+
Cannons, anchors and the stones that formed the galleon's ballast lie along the route of the dive.
Sources
- Pontos de Mergulho - Bahia de Todos os Santos — Águas Abertas
- Galeão Sacramento dive site — Scubago
- Bahia Scuba — Bahia Scuba
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