Driving on the beach

We are relatively lucky on Sal that since we started work in 2008 the majority of quad & car rental companies supported the campaign to stop driving on beaches.

Driving on any beach at any time of the year is illegal since it damages the fragile coastal and dune ecosystems.  More specifically it causes problems for nesting turtles by destroying nests and compacting the sand and making it impossible for turtles to dig nests.  Moreover, it creates ruts that turtle hatchlings cannot find their way out of.  Even worse, during hatching season there is a real possibility of killing baby turtles by driving over them.

Killed by a quad bike driving illegally on a beach

Caboquad, based in Santa Maria have stickers on all their quads stating it is illegal to drive on beaches and there on 'No Vehicle' signs on all the beaches, yet despite that, some people choose to ignore the law.


However it is nothing compared to the wholesale disregard for this law that is happening on Boa Vista.  Our colleagues from Turtle Foundation report that "guides serving the Marine Club in Sal Rei drove at least 8 cars through Curral Velho beach, destroying nests on their way to the nearby beach of João Barrosa, ironically to show nesting turtles at night time..."  (Read more here)

Publicity photo from Quadland's website

It's really sad that companies such as Quadland feel no shame in actively promoting driving on the beach and thereby destroying the natural beauty of Boa Vista which is the very thing that tourists want to see.

Time for a wake up call maybe?

If you go on an excursion please object if you are taken on the beach (there are plenty of routes at the back of the beach) and report the offenders to the police or to Turtle Foundation.