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More information on Paragliding in Floripa

Description: Paragliding in Floripa

Flying over beaches, lagoons, dunes, for many people is just a dream but this dream can be an awesome reality in Floripa. The island has good places where you can take off.

The Mole Beach (Coastal North : 120 m; South: 145 m) is a traditional area for experienced para-gliders. Lagoa da Conceicao Hill has a launch ramp (225 m) in one of the most  beautiful views in Brazil. The beaches of Santinho, Brava (140 m) and the town of Red River (95 m) are also suitable for para-gliding. Morro da Lagoa was the first site to serve as a basis for jumps and is still a favorite for fans of the sport. Jumps are from two different places on the hill. Access to both is made by the same dirt road, leaving the SC-405 on top of the hill behind the old hotel. 

The first ramp is just a flat area at the beginning of the climb. The second is actually a concrete ramp, but much more difficult to jump from: you must travel a dirt road (about 3 km) in hazardous conditions. One attraction is the beauty of the scenery as the road goes up the ramp amidst dense vegetation (the place is also frequented by adventurous mountain bikers or on foot). The  ideal winds for the ramp of the Morro da Lagoa are south, southeast and east.

Near the lake, the hills that surround the Mole Beach also attract fans of free flight.  The preferred and most frequented is the hill on the right side of the beach (south corner), but the hill on the north side (between Mole and Galheta) is also occasionally used. For this beach flight the best winds are from the south, northeast and east.

Another great place to jump is the Hill of the Red River, a place less frequented than the others, and is only for experienced jumpers knowledgeable of the conditions. Near the Red River is the Costão das Aranhas (Coast of the Spiders), a special corner of Florianópolis. You can fly on this coast leaving the Hill of the Red River in classic days of east wind. You can also take off almost from the ground, with strong south-southwesterly wind.

When wind hits the northeast, two other little-known places are used by flyers: the Brava and Solidão hills. The natural beauty of the coast makes for a spectacular trip.

A half hour drive from Florianópolis, in the municipality of Santo Amaro da Imperatriz is suitable for "thermal flight," which does not depend on wind conditions. Take off up to 590 m altitude, and you can climb up to a thousand feet above the ramp. This is a great place for those who are interested in learning to do a tandem flight or just learn more about para-gliding. Floripa has flight schools and associations that can help you get off the ground without major risks. The classes usually take place in the dunes of Joaquina and Ingleses / Santinho (where there's a lot of sandboarding.)

More Info: 

Aeroclub of Santa Catarina (San Jose)
Geral da Colônia Santana Road, - Sertão do Imaruim São José - SC   6 km from downtown Florianópolis
Phone: +55 (48) 3257-0400

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