Buraco do Galego

Buraco do Galego, at Praia do Cachorro, is a rounded opening about 2.5 m across between the rocks that fills up at low tide. With a mask you can see the walls colored by sponges, among them Axinella corrugata, which occurs in the pool alongside brittle stars and calcareous algae. The hole looks out to Morro do Pico and there is often a queue for photos. Legend has it that the name comes from a "galego", a fair-skinned man, who supposedly jumped into the hole during the Second World War, when Noronha served as a base for American troops. In the swell season, rocks tend to take over Praia do Cachorro and make it unsuitable for swimming, as happens across the whole Mar de Dentro.