Janneke Kuysters along with Partner, Wietze van der Laan report on the idyllic conditions they found when cruising the Seychelles even during the Covid-19 pandemicIt had been a long time coming but after many days of quarantine onboard, finally finding a Seychelles anchorage a possibility as Janneke Kuysters along with Partner, Wietze van der Laan arrived at the collection of islands in the Indian Ocean.
\nAre you sure?\u201d my partner Wietze asked I nodded: \u201cYes, look at that cloud there. It is different, I\u2019m sure there is an island under it.\u201d I can\u2019t keep my eyes off the cloud, and half an hour later am calling Wietze back on deck with cries of \u201cLand! Land, look there!\u201d
\nWietze joins me in my joy; we hug and look at the dark mass in the distance. Every time when you arrive somewhere after a long crossing it is special. But this one was extra special: the crossing was only 14 days, but it was the closing stage of 102 days of strict isolation on board in the Maldives. Our bodies longed to walk on terra firma, eat fresh food and meet other people. All that was now within reach.
\nJanneke Kuysters and Wietze van der Laan and have been sailing around the world with their 44ft Bruce Roberts design for seven years.
\nOnce in our quarantine anchorage, we took a long look around at the verdant green hills, every shade of green and blue in the reefs all around us, brightly coloured fishing vessels at the quays, and the local sailing club whizzing by in their dinghies.
\n\u201cBonzour!\u201d is the Creole way of greeting. We hand the health officer all our information, he stamps it and grins behind his facemask: \u201cWelcome to Seychelles\u201d, and off he goes with the Pilot cutter. I need all my self-control not to dance around the dock as frigate birds and fruit bats fly overhead.
\nIdyllic Seychelles anchorage
\nIn the middle of the Indian Ocean, the small island nation of Seychelles offers a welcoming point of respite for cruisers on their way to the Atlantic \u2013 never more so than under the travel restrictions of 2020 \u2013 and is also an idyllic sailing and charter destination in its own right.
\nThe cruising options are very seasonal: from December to March the north-west monsoon brings hot air and rain; from May to October the south-east monsoon brings hot, dry air. The south-east monsoon is much stronger than its counterpart: especially in July and August when the winds are usually around the 25-knot mark. The Seychelles lies outside of the cyclone belt.
\nOn a choppy sea we sailed to Praslin, the second largest island. Looking at the chart for suitable anchorages it is obvious how these islands seem to be made for sailing year-round: in every wind direction you can find a protected bay.
\nWe loved Anse Lazio, where the contrast between the dark granitic boulders, the azure sea and the incredible white sand dazzled us. Palm trees bend in the strong wind, with boobies circling overhead.
\nBaie St Anne on the east coast is a very large bay with reasonable \u2013 though rolly \u2013 protection from the south-east trades. It is a convenient stop to visit the little town of St Anne to provision.
\nThis anchorage is also a short taxi ride to Vallee de Mai, one of the world\u2019s smallest UNESCO World Heritage sites, where the mysterious Coco de Mer can be seen.
\nThe source of the Coco de Mer, or sea coconut
\nMany years ago, ancient seafarers witnessed a strange phenomenon of large coconuts floating up from the depths of the sea. They called them Coco de Mer, sea coconut, and believed they grew underwater.
\nIt wasn\u2019t until the Seychelles islands were charted that the source of these coconuts was discovered: they grow on giant palm trees, but once they fall in the water the green husk falls off and the nut sinks to the bottom.
\nThe flesh inside forms a gas and thus the coconut floats to the surface. They can weigh up to 30kg each. Each palm tree takes a year to make one leaf, as big as a king-sized bed.
\nSeychelles history
\nThe islands of the Seychelles were marked on charts from as early as 865 by Arab seafarers. From the 1500s onwards, Portuguese, British and French ships plying the route to India and the Spice Islands knew about the Seychelles, but never settled on them.
\nThey stopped near the lush green islands in the north-west to hunt for crocodiles and tortoises, pick fruits and replenish their water supply and pirates used the Seychelles as a base, but it wasn\u2019t until 1770 when a group of French settlers came to the islands and started plantations.
\nArticle continues below\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tAgulhas Current explained: What it is and how it affects Indian Ocean sailors<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn any round-the-world cruise by the sunny route, there is the dilemma of how to cross the Indian Ocean. For\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to sail across the Indian Ocean: Everything you need to know<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cIt\u2019s still a long way to get home,\u201d Carina Hammarlund muses. My partner Weitze van der Laan and I nod.\u2026<\/p>\n
To this day, the historic Jardin du Roi (King\u2019s Garden) still exists: a valley where new crop plants were tested before using them in the plantations.
\nIn 1814 the Seychelles became part of the British empire and the population grew steadily; a mix of people from Europe, India and mainland Africa. In 1976 Seychelles became an independent republic.
\nDespite consisting of 115 islands, it is a small country with a population of just under 100,000. The three most populous islands are Mah\u00e9 (with the capital Victoria), Praslin and La Digue. Each island has its own characteristics.
\nDiffering pace of life
\nMah\u00e9 has some hustle and bustle. The capital city Victoria offers an interesting national museum, delicious Creole food and a large open market. In the south is the region of Takamaka, where the first five families that inhabited Mah\u00e9 set up their plantations. We visit an old plantation house, where the descendants have set up a rum distillery.
\nThe marina at La Digue. Photo: Dirk Rueter\/Alamy
\nLa Digue, the smallest of the three populated islands, is idyllic and the pace of life is slow. There are hardly any cars, the most common mode of transport is bicycle. It has a tiny, shallow harbour with a ferry jetty and an unusual collection of boats.
\nThe small schooners which normally ply the waters between La Digue and Praslin with tourists have returned to their old roles as fishing boats during the pandemic.
\nThere is room for a few visiting boats, and on calm days the anchorage outside the harbour is pleasant too. When the monsoon changes, the east side of the island offers a large, safe Seychelles anchorage.
\nA steep climb up Nid D\u2019Aigle offers panoramic views: the steep slopes of the surrounding islands are impressive in the vast ocean.
\nIn the north-west of the Seychelles are granitic islands: about one third of which are very distinct with high hills and mountains, green slopes and a multitude of pretty Seychelles anchorages.
\nThe rest are low-lying atolls with small islands dotted around them. A lot are off-limits for cruising because they\u2019re private resorts or protected nature reserves although, for some, permission to sail there can usually be obtained with the Ministry of Environment.
\nAll over the Seychelles the walking is impressive. The Seychelles Tourism Board publishes a handy book with the best routes, and at the end of each is a grand reward of views to die for.
\nWe walk through wild crop plants including pineapple, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon and tea, and see blue pigeon, harmless snakes and black snails, as well as the famous giant tortoises found on all the islands.
\nThe Seychelles has its own genus of giant tortoise.
\nCruising the Seychelles practicalities
\nSeychelles re-opened its borders to foreign yachts on 1 June, 2020. An online form needs to be submitted before arrival. After approval, a yacht needs to be at sea for 21 days.
\nIf the crossing is shorter than that, additional days can be spent in the quarantine anchorage near Victoria. Port Victoria on Mah\u00e9 is the only port of entry\/exit.
\nThe small nation has had a very low amount of COVID-19 infections and is carefully increasing its tourist numbers again. Information through Facebook and government websites is good.
\nProvisioning is good (although eating out can be expensive); health care is as can be expected from a small country.
\nAvailability of boat parts is reasonable, due to large charter and fishing fleets. There are three boatyards where maintenance work can be done: they differ in price and facilities, but all are cheap compared to Europe.
\nThere is one large marina on Mah\u00e9; Eden Island, which is geared to larger yachts and catamarans, but with our 44ft monohull we found a good berth too. Berth prices are on a European level when booked for one month or more, while daily rates are quite high.
\nOn Praslin there is a small marina, which only has spaces available if the resident charter fleet is out. La Digue also has a small harbour that can accommodate visiting yachts. Both harbours are relatively cheap.
\nClose to Victoria on the east coast of Mah\u00e9 there are some excellent anchorages. The Yacht Club in Victoria has free moorings and is conveniently near the centre of the city. Temporary memberships for \u00a315 per week allow cruisers to use the facilities.
\nIf you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/p>\n
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The post Seychelles anchorage: Idyllic Indian Ocean sailing appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Janneke Kuysters along with Partner, Wietze van der Laan report on the idyllic conditions they found when cruising the Seychelles even during the Covid-19 pandemicIt had been a long time coming but after many days of quarantine onboard, finally finding … <\/p>\n