Sodjourne in the Seychelles

NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Wed 8 Aug 2007 14:16
Richard and Ann's visit to the Seychelles
 
 
4:21S 55:49E
Praslin Island, Seychelles
10th August 2007
 
Since Richard and Ann stepped off their Air Seychelles flight last Saturday morning we have been on the move.  First we went from Port Victoria the twelve miles round to Beau Vallon Bay.  There we allowed them to relax, swim and wind down.  Next day a brisk twenty five mile sail in a 15/20 knot beam wind and some sea caused a little mal de mer but not for long.  Sailing round the islands of Cousine and Cousin we anchored in Lazio Bay.  The scene of our upset a few days before. This time there was less swell and going ashore, still not an easy exercise, was conducted more professionally!
 
Having arranged a taxi for 2 pm all I will say is that we did get one but he was a friend of a friend of a friend of the original man we had arranged it with.  Island time is very much the same the world over.  Arriving at the Vallee de Mai reserve we were lucky to get the services of one of the best guides we have had.  A well built local lady, mother of four and guide for over 20 years she was enthusiastic, very knowledgeable and a pleasure to listen to.  A two hour stroll through this magnificent  scenery showed us what most of the islands must have been like two hundred years ago.  The Coco de Mer is of course indigenous to just two islands in the Seychelles group.  Praslin and Curieuse.  Many have been planted elsewhere, including Kew Gardens, but we were told that none of these have produced fruit.
 
Our guide showing us the female nut of the Coco de Mer.
Who says coconuts are not sexy!
 
Richard and Ann with respectively the male and female fruit
 
Next day a half hour motor brought us to the only possible anchorage off Curieuse Island.  This whole island is a national park and was high on our list of places to visit.  Luckily a young Lymingtonian, Charles Kilgour, is working there running volunteer eco tours.  A quick phone call and he told us to go over to Praslin and anchor in a much more protected bay and he would be across in his RIB to get us.  This worked well and he took us to the rangers establishment and showed us the giant tortoises which roam freely here.  He then suggested a walk over the island to the old leper colony where he had his headquarters.  This all worked very well.
 
Charlie are you really sure this came out of an egg?
 
Anchored in Lazio Bay
 
The beach side lunch restaurant in Lazio Bay.  There are no hotels or resorts
allowed in this bay.  Just two restaurants that operate at lunch time only.
 
Today after what turned out to be one of the rolliest nights we have spent since the island of Nuie we motor sailed into twenty knots and got to La Digue.  We managed to find a vacant spot in the harbour and somehow moor with the anchor in the harbour and three long lines ashore.  There is only just enough water for us and the mate is slightly twitchy.  I am sure low water will prove me right, time will tell!  A snorkel check showed that while conducting the arrival manoeuvre we had managed to get our chain over another boats chain.  A Czech guy with a beautiful Seychellois wife and two idyllic little daughters.  He was very relaxed about the whole thing and by the end we had an arrangement to meet in Mahe next weekend.  However after all the exercise of laying another anchor, getting some 50m of chain out of the locker and relaying it under his chain then connecting it back up to Nordlys in a temperature of over 30C I was a little weary.  The ensuing snorkel to check everything cooled me partly and a cold beer did the rest.  
 
So the hard work of being a grey haired nautical nomad goes on.  Next time I will write more about the politics and other aspects of these lovely islands.  Meanwhile happy times to all our readers wherever you are.
 
David