HISTORY OF THE ILHA DO MEL

Carajó indians occupied the littoral region from Cananéia (São Paulo) to Lagoa dos Patos in Rio Grande do Sul before the colonization by portugueses. The existence of sambaquis on islands, mouths of rivers and bays confirms this. Sambaquis are nothing else than the indians' "kitchen leftovers", as oyster shells, fish, etc. They can be several meters high. The colonization of Paraná started at the end of the 16th century.

There are three different versions about the origin of the island's name (Honey Island):

1.) Before world war II the island was known as Admiral Mehl's island, who was dedicated to apiculture and whose family frequented there.

2.) Retired sailors lived on the island and dedicated to extensive beekeeping. Honey production was that big that there was exportation until the 60's.

3.) The island's sweet water contains humid acids. This gives the water a yellow brownish color which remembers honeycombs' color.

Officially the island was called Ilha da Baleia (Wale Island) until the end of the last century.

In 1776 there was initialized the construction of the fort "Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres da Barra de Paranaguá", also called "Fortaleza da Barra". Construction was finished in 1770. The fort's task was to protect the bay of Paranaguá from foreign ships which invaded the harbor entrance of Paranaguá, which was one of the principal ports of the captaincy of São Paulo. The fort was the only military establishment of the state of Paraná in the 18th century and it was the first brazilian fort entering combat by defending the bay of Paranaguá from pirates. In the last century there happened an incident, known as "Cormoran". An english ship, called Cormoran, invaded the bay of Paranaguá, persecuting slave ships. The population of Paranaguá revolted against that invasion and the ship had to flee. When it passed by the island it was averaged and one sailor died. But its flight was not hindered. During World war II there was installed a defense system with the shape of a labyrinth at the top of the "Morro da Baleia" (Hill of the wale) which is situated above the fort. In 1936 the fort was declared historical monument. Its restoration began in 1990 and is now finished.

At the Praia do Farol (Lighthouse Beach) you can find the Lighthouse "Farol das Conchas", which is localized on top of the hill with the same name. The components of the lighthouse were imported from England. The inauguration was on 25th of march, 1872. The lighthouse itself is 18 m high and reaches about 60 m above sea level.
 
 

At the northern extremity of the island can be found another tower, the "Mirante do Cassual" which was constructed in the period between 1904 and 1917. It auxiliates the navigation which uses the northern channel of access to the bay.

During the 20's the Ilha do Mel passed through a first period of tourism, it was the first touristic recess of the state of Paraná. There was even a hotel. At that time, ships left from Paranaguá and came alongside close to the fort, where there was a pier. There also existed a kind of sightseeing bus which circulated on the island. In 1926 the coastal highway on the continent was inaugurated what initialized a phase of decadence cumulating during World war II. The island's population lived again from its original business, artisan fishing. Only in 1988 the island got electricity, water in pipes, regular transport to the continent and other essential infra structural benefits.

During two centuries the difficult access restricted very much the visits to the island. Only in the 70's restarted a touristic movement which could be designed as "ecotourism".