Saco do Mamanguá

Saco do Mamanguá is a narrow fjord-like inlet cutting deep into the Atlantic Forest mountains behind Paraty, its still, tea-colored freshwater surface giving way to surprisingly clear marine water below the halocline at around 4 meters. The submerged rocky walls drop to 30 meters and are encrusted with dense invertebrate communities — black coral bushes, orange cup corals, and large wire corals extending their polyps into the nutrient-rich upwelling currents that flush through the inlet. Seahorses are reliably found clinging to the wire coral branches, while razor fish hover in tight vertical clusters beside sea urchins on the wall.