Águas Abertas - etapa Búzios

The waters off the Búzios peninsula present a complex thermal mosaic for the endurance swimmer. This stretch of the Atlantic is defined by the convergence of two distinct currents: the frigid Malvinas Current pushing north and the warmer Brazil Current moving south. As you navigate the course, you may notice subtle shifts in water temperature that reflect this meeting of polar and tropical influences. The sea state here is generally manageable, but local weather patterns can create surface chop, particularly when winds align with the tidal cycle. This event, now in its third edition, offers 1km and 3km distances, providing a concentrated look at a coastline steeped in maritime history.

Historical currents and colonial echoes

Swimming near the Praia de Manguinhos, your line takes you past the enduring stone pier. Constructed by enslaved people during the colonial era, this structure serves as a stark, tangible reminder of the forced labor that underpinned the region’s early development. Looking beyond the immediate shoreline toward the hills, the white silhouette of the Sant'Anna Chapel marks a site of local folklore. Legend recounts that in 1743, a merchant named Dionísio, desperate as his vessel carrying enslaved people faced destruction, invoked Saint Anne; the ship was miraculously spared, and the chapel was built in gratitude.

The area's evolution from a 19th-century whaling hub to a global destination is visible in the architecture and monuments scattered along the coast. While the whaling station established by Brás de Pina in 1740 once dominated the local economy—with whale bones still buried beneath the sands of Praia dos Ossos—the village's character shifted dramatically following a 1964 visit by Brigitte Bardot. Her presence, still memorialized by a bronze statue along the Orla, catalyzed the town’s transformation. For those seeking to return to these waters throughout the season, Buzios Swim & Adventure 2026 offers a different tactical engagement with the peninsula's geography. Participants in the Mksesportes event receive a silicone cap, a polyamide t-shirt, and a medal upon completing their distance, maintaining a focus on the essential aspects of the race experience.