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Sailing in Paradise - 22/11/2018

Seychelles

Mahe, Praslin and minor islands

Our goal with this article is creating a resource center with useful information for sailing crews arriving to Mahe or Praslin ( Seychelles ) between December and February, when prevailing winds are monsoon NorthWesterlies.

Arrival

Embarkation port will be Eden Island Marina, a luxury residential complex located just off the east coast of the main island of Mahe. Linked to the mainland by a 300m bridge and just 5 km away from Seychelles International Airport. The transfer takes approximately 5 minutes by car.

Taxis - The one way trip from the airport to the base costs from 100 SCR to 125 SCR (approximately 15€ - 20€). Max 4 pax with luggage. No reservation is necessary. Taxis are always available at the Airport.

Electricity

Voltage is 220-240 volts AC 50 Hz. Seychelles uses the British standard square three-pin, 13 amp sharp electric plug.

Climate

The Seychelles lie around 4 degrees south Ecuator, so expect tropical temperatures between 24ºC and 30ºC all year round. [More info]

Currency

Local currency is the SCR - Seychelles rupee. One rupee breaks down in 100 cents. At the moment of this writing has a value in Eur of 0,06433 Eur, so 100 Ruppes make 6,41 Eur, or 7,33 Usd [ Check current value ]

Weather Forecast

Check the weather forecast provided by the SMA ( Seychelles Meteorological Authority bases in Mahe Airport. The website has a Weather warning Section for heavy rains and strong wind forecast [ SMA Website - Marine Forecast - Satellite Imagery ]

Weather bulletin is broadcasted in English between 8.30am and 8.45am. Seychelles Radio can provide a forecast on request on VHF channel 16. Clearance on channel 26 or 27.
The weather station on Mahe (37 33 37) issues a detailed bulletin covering the remote islands.

Seychelles National Parks:

[ Website ]

Saint Anne National Marine Park

Coordinates 4 ° 37'16 " S - 55 ° 30'01" E
Surface 14.43 km² (3.80 km² of land space)

The Sainte Anne Marine National Park is located about 5 km from Victoria, the capital of the African island nation of Seychelles, and encompasses six small islands.
The Marine Park was created in 1973 for the preservation of wildlife. Fishing and water skiing are prohibited in the Marine Park.

The national park consists of the following six islands, all of which are part of the district of Mont Fleuri:

Ste. Anne Island (Santa Ana), 2.19 km², with a large luxury resort called Sainte Anne Island Resort
Cerf Island, 1,27 km², with a population of around 100 people, with three hotels-resorts.
Cachée Island, 0.021 km², southeast near Cerf, a nesting site for seabirds.
Round Island, 0.018 km², a former leper colony, with an exclusive five-star resort called "Round Island Resort", with 10 villas.
Long Island (Long Island), 0.212 km², a quarantine area before, now the site of a state prison with 170 inmates
Moyenne Island, 0.089 km², with a population of two people and a Maison Moyenne restaurant.

Sailing Route proposal:

Cruising 7 days / 7 nights : Mahé / Mahé

Day 1 : Mahé – St. Anne Marine Park.

Onboarding at Mahé in the afternoon, check in. Sailing to Saint Anne and its marine reserve. Anchorage at Sainte Anne for the night.

Day 2 : Ste Anne Marine Park – Beauvallon Beach – Anse Major – Port Launay.

Sailing to the Beauvallon Bay and Anse Major. Situated at the middle of the « Morne Seychellois, this aera which you can not reached by car is winderspread by hills. Its landscapes are looking particulary wild. We advise this aera for snorkelling.

Anchorage at Port Launay or Anse du Riz.

Day 3 : La Digue

La digue

La Digue Island

You should rent a bike to visit this splendid island, where you will never find lots of tourists. With ways bordered by huge coco palm trees, tumble down plantations house, its smalls manufacturies of coprah, its powdery white sand , its weathered granite boulders , this island is supposed to be the nicest island of Seychelles archipel. Little cars, only bikes and for peoples are interested in it : horsing. Anchorage at the port of La Digue for the night

Day 4 : La digue - Coco Island – Baie St. Anne (Praslin)

In Praslin you can visit “the vallé de mai “, a primaveral rainforest protected by the UNESCO containing the famous coco de mer palm. The path crosses the darkness created by the huge sheets of the coco palm trees. Their trunk growing up to 40 meters are rocking themselves as if they were rubbing. At the end of the walk, you will reach a wonderfull crete, overhanging the sea.

Anchorage at Côte d’Or, Praslin.

Curieuse Island from South East

Day 5 : Baie St. Anne – Grande Sœur – Curieuse

Cap to Grande Sœur and its wonderful beach , barbecue on the beach, visit of the island via a “Romantic way”, snorkelling.

La digue

Grande Soeur private Island

In the evening, we will set course to Curieuse, just 9 miles away. Anchorage for the night.

Curiese Island Map

Day 6 : Curieuse – Saint Pierre – Anse Volbert (Praslin).

The island belongs to the Marine National Park Reserve with more than 100 giant tortoises.

After lunch head to Saint Pierre: weathered granite boulders bordered by large palm trees. Wonderful landscape described as the so called “Seychelles landscape”

Marvellous snorkelling with multicoloured fish and turtles.

Anchorage at Anse Volbert, Praslin

Anse Volbert

Day 7 : Anse Volbert (Praslin) – Cousin Island – Mahé.

In the morning, a visit to Cousin Island.

Since 1968, the island is a natural reserve where you will find huge flocks of sea birds and giant tortoises. Coming back to eden Island Marina to Mahe