Calheta de São Martinho, located on the southern coast of Santiago Island, in the Municipality of Ribeira Grande de Santiago, holds a prominent place in the history of world aviation. It was here that Cabo Verde became part, for the first time, of one of the most important air routes of the 20th century, established by the Compagnie Générale Aéropostale.

In 1927, as part of the expansion of the postal connection between Europe and South America, Aéropostale identified the bay of Calheta de São Martinho as a strategic location for the establishment of a seaplane base, thanks to its sheltered waters and excellent conditions for seaplane landings.

The following year, on 6 March 1928, the facility welcomed the first seaplane arriving from Saint-Louis, Senegal, carrying mail on the transatlantic route.

This event marked Cabo Verde´s integration into the international air and postal transport network. The seaplane base became part of a historic route linking Europe and South America, with stopovers at various points across the Atlantic, including Cabo Verde, playing a decisive role in supporting the first intercontinental air operations.

Among the protagonists of this remarkable venture was the French lieutenant Paulin Louis Jérôme Paris, known as Paulin Paris, who piloted one of the first seaplanes to land in the bay of Calheta de São Martinho.

Although technological advances made some of these stopovers unnecessary only a few years later, the historical significance of Calheta de São Martinho remains unquestionable. The site stands as an important testimony to the pioneering days of transatlantic aviation.

Today, remnants of the former seaplane base still survive, constituting a heritage site of great historical, cultural and scientific value. In 2003, the Cabo Verde Postal Service issued a series of four commemorative stamps marking the 75th anniversary of its inauguration.

The seaplane base remained in operation until 1933, when Air France was created through the merger of Aéropostale with other airlines.

Calheta de São Martinho thus remains a symbol of the meeting of continents and of Cabo Verde´s participation in one of the most remarkable chapters in 20th-century aviation history.

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