Itacoatiara is one of the 48 official neighborhoods into which the city of Niterói

Niterói

Niterói is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeast region of Brazil. It has an estimated population of 487,327 inhabitants and an area of ², being the sixth most populous city in the state and the highest Human Development Index. Integrates the Metropolitan Region of Rio de...

, Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro (state)

Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...

 in Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 is divided.

Beach

Itacoatiara beach is located about 30 minutes east of downtown Niterói by car, or one hour by bus.

Itacoatiara is a beach with fine golden sands and bright blue (sometimes green) water. The main beach is open to the Atlantic Ocean and is dangerous for the casual swimmer while offering ideal conditions for water sports. The left side of the beach ends with a rock face called Costão, and there's is a wave-sheltered small beach on the right side called Prainha (little beach), which is separated from the main beach by a big rock that serves as it shelter, and which is frequented by small kids and their parents.

Surfing

The place is famous for offering the ideal conditions for the practice of Surfing

Surfing

Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...

, Bodysurfing

Bodysurfing

Bodysurfing is the art and sport of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or bodyboard. Bodysurfers typically equip themselves only with a pair of specialized swimfins that stay on during turbulent conditions and optimize propulsion.-Technique:To get on the...

 and Bodyboarding

Bodyboarding

Bodyboarding is a surface water sport . The average board consists of a small, rectangular piece of hydrodynamic foam, sometimes containing a ridged spine called a 'stringer'...

during most of the year.

At Itacoatiara the Atlantic Ocean produces fast and hollow waves, usually ranging from 3 to 6 feet, but on frequent occasion they might swell up to 4 meters (12 feet). A few times per year a huge southeast swell can produce larger waves of up to 5 meters (15 feet) but a swell this strong rarely offers acceptable surfing conditions.

There are 3 main beach breaks in the beach. They are named Costão (in the left side), Meio (middle) and Pampo (in the right side), each breaking differently depending on swell direction and size. Behind the limiting rock between the main beach and the small, wave-sheltered Prainha (little beach) there is a point break named Shock due to its extremely dangerous surfing conditions, with rocks protruding from the sea floor above the water level. Shock starts working on bigger swells.

External links

• History of Itacoatiara on its Homeowners and Friends Association