SEYCHELLES

The Seychelles islands are in the Indian Ocean 1000 miles due east of Kenya and the African coast. They stretch between four and five degrees south and 55 to 56 degrees east. The country consists of an archipelago of over 100 islands, five or six islands being easily accessible. The entire archipelago is extremely spread out but the main granite islands are roughly 30 miles apart, making for easy cruising.

The Indian Ocean tradewinds blow from the southeast 15 to 20 knots consistently May through October. Cruising boats sail there year round, but the majority will come through on the trade wind route. Boats from the east will generally have come from Australia, Cocos Keeling, Indonesia or Chagos. Others will be coming down from the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Most long-term cruisers will be in the middle of a circumnavigation heading west.

SEYCHELLES A TURNING POINT

For many, the Seychelles is a turning point, either sailing north or south. The Seychelles have had a bit of a chequered past as far as yachties are concerned. Until several years ago the government was trying to discourage yachts from visiting. Their strategy was to charge 100 dollars per day just for being in the Seychelles and they controlled movement from anchorage to anchorage very tightly. Their plan worked and cruisers stopped going there.

Lately the government has gone through several changes. Originally a French colony, the country was traded back and forth between Britain and France several times. In 1903 the Seychelles became an official British crown Colony. The country gained its independence in 1976 but in 1977 there was a coup d' etat and Albert Rene was installed as president. In the late 80's the economy was hurting. A large chunk of income was European tourism and the recession in Europe was affecting the Seychelles. Eventually, bowing to European pressure, the government changed to a multiparty system in 1992. Rene actually stayed in power after the elections, and European tension eased. For cruisers this meant an overall easing of regulations.

Some restrictions still do apply, but things have changed for the better. Boats are only allowed to anchor in specific anchorages on certain islands, but most of the places cruisers would want to go are on their list. They have a bizarre rule listed on all of the paperwork that states that you can anchor within three miles offshore. Not that any cruising yacht carries enough chain to anchor three miles off shore but it is allowed.

THREE MAIN ISLANDS

There are three main islands to visit. Mahe is the main island, with all amenities available, and the other two are Praslin and La Digue. Each island has a particular flavour and all are worth a visit. Victoria, the capital of Mahe, is where provisioning, phone, fuel, water, showers and mail are available. And of course the yacht club bar. Praslin is best known for the Valle de Mai forest where you can see the indigenous and world famous coco de mer. The palm trees' male stalk and female fruit are remarkably similar to human anatomy. The trees have taken on erotic connotations and spawned many tales. Now the fruit is used as an aphrodisiac. La Digue, the land of honeymooners is truly the gem of the Seychelles. It has a population of only 2000 a handful of cars. The beaches are spectacular and giant round granite boulders 20 feet high are everywhere, giving the Seychelles it's distinctive trademark.

Checking into the country is required in Mahe, so the first port of call is Victoria harbour, the capital and main centre of the island. Arrival formalities are easy. In the inner harbour there are moorings but all belong to yacht club members. Quite a few local boats do charter work and can be gone for a few days at a time, so some cruisers use the moorings.

JOHN WAYNE REMEMBERED

The yacht club is good about holding mail. There are washtubs for doing laundry and even a laundry service which is reasonably priced and good quality. The showers are clean and there is abundant hot water. On the second floor of the club besides having a great view there is a framed flag from John Wayne's boat "Wild Goose" from a 1969 visit.

The town of Victoria is small enough that you can easily walk anywhere. Banks are on the main street. A reliable Cable and Wireless is a two-minute walk from the yacht club and most sailors use them for sending and receiving faxes. In downtown Victoria the first roundabout in town circles a silver clock tower in true British fashion. In keeping with the size of Victoria (30 000 people) the clock is small.

PROVISIONING

Provisioning in the Seychelles is easy. A supermarket holds most supplies although it is expensive. The local market has a great selection of produce, spices and fish. Vanilla, cardamon, nutmeg, lemon grass, bags of curry, saffron and pepper along with flavoured teas are available. They also sell essence oils of the same ingredients, along with citronella and patchouli. The market surrounds an eighty-year-old mango tree and is a gathering place for locals. The prices are flexible to a degree but for the most part the price marked is the price you will pay.

Exploring the island of Mahe is simple. Car rental is easily done from the town or airport and local buses are cheap and easy to use. The bus schedules are somewhat vague but they do get there eventually. The island can be circumnavigated by road in three hours and a full day allows plenty of time for lunch and frequent opportunities to sample Seybrew, the local beer.

The tourist stops are quite obvious. Beau Vallon is the main tourist beach and the only real spot for nightlife and beach bars. They also have a great pizzeria. A tea factory is open for tours and a workshop for model ships is also open to visitors.

HIKING THE FORESTS

One of the best things about Mahe and the other islands are the hiking trails. On Mahe there are several national forests and the tourist office carries trail maps you can purchase. One particular trail from the tea factory to the top on Morne Blanc is steep but short and gives a wonderful view of the west coast of Mahe. There are hiking trails on all of the islands but the trails on Mahe are well marked and there are a variety of levels to suit everyone.

Praslin is the second largest island in the Seychelles. It is only 37 kilometres north east of Mahe and an easy day sail. The main attraction of the island is the Valle de Mai National Park. The anchorages allowed are Bat St Anne, which is close to the park, and Bay Lasio. Bay St Anne is fairly shallow and has good anchoring for boats with a six-foot draft or less. Others anchor in Bay Lasio in the north and take the bus or take the ferry from La Digue. Either way it is definitely worth a visit.

The Valle de Mai National Park is the world's smallest World Heritage site. It is easily explored in a few hours at the most. The Coco de Mer trees and the forest is what inspired the islands reputation as the Garden of Eden. The Coco de Mer trees have leaves growing up to fifteen feet long and can live for up to 400 years. The female nuts can weigh up to twenty kilos. When the wind blows the giant leaves of the Coco de Mer crash and sway against each other. The sound is eerie - it evokes images of a primeval forest and speaks from an age long ago.

LA DIGUE ISLAND

Only six and a half miles away from Praslin lies La Digue, without question a favorite island in the Seychelles. It is a tiny island, five kilometers long and four wide. 2000 people live on the island and the pace is slow. There is only a handful of cars on the island and most people travel on bicycle of on foot. A few ox carts are seen toting tourists and their luggage to the guesthouses. Everyone says hello and it is a pleasure to wander around. The entire island can be circumnavigated by foot in a day.

Besides the overall charm of the island there are several interesting sites to visit. Before tourism became the main industry on La Digue copra was king. The copra factory still runs and there are daily tours. The boatyard is worth a look. They are building wooden boats with traditional methods and most of the ferries in the harbour were built on La Digue. La Passe, the main town (don't blink), has a post office, a bank and a handful of shops. Guinness, delicious fresh samosas, ice cream and a few groceries are available, but that's about it. The restaurants are all attached to their respective small hotels but will take outside guests.

GRANITE BOULDERS

Visually the Seychelles look different from most different tropical islands due to one main feature. The islands are granite and giant boulders are scattered amidst the seascapes. On La Digue the boulders often separate the private beaches that lie scalloped along the coast. The giant granite rocks are sculpted by the sea, often more beautiful than any sculptor can imagine. Trails and footpaths lead to most of the beaches and they are magical.

On the southeast end of the island there is a series of beaches beginning with Grand Anse. The walk goes through a coconut plantation, through a residential area and takes you up a gradual hill to the other side of the island. As you approach the beach you can hear the waves but have to gain a small rise till you are upon the scene. It truly takes your breath away. Grand Anse is spectacular. Giant breakers come into the bay quickly, one after the other. The water is a series of blues; turquoise, teal and a shimmering emerald compete with each other. Farther along the beach there is a trail through palm trees which leads you up a hill and over to Petit Anse and then farther onto Anse Coco. The farther beaches take more effort to get to and are often deserted and private. It is absolutely worth the walk.

Besides the beaches La Passe, the main town, is small but quaint. It is also the main harbour. Cruising boats are allowed in the harbour, anchoring Med-style. The depth is six feet. Some boats enter the harbour and others prefer to anchor just outside the entrance. The holding is good and it is protected when the wind is from the southeast.

INNER AND OUTER ISLANDS

After visiting Mahe, Praslin and La Digue there are several options. The Seychelles are split up into inner and outer islands. Most yachts only visit the inner islands, return to Victoria, check out and then head for the next country. The outer islands are primarily interesting for the fact that they are sparsely populated and the wildlife is untouched.

Aldabra, one of the farthest and probably most well known of the outer islands, is the original habitat for the giant land tortoise. There is a scientific station there studying the 200 000 strong tortoise population. Unfortunately it is still difficult for yachts to visit Aldabra. Due to the unfortunate need to check out of the country in Mahe few sailors want to return 600 miles, and as usual it is to windward. It is possible to request a checkout at Aldabra, but the cost of sending out a customs official to the island is born by the sailor at an intimidating fee of something close to seven hundred dollars.

GOVERNMENT RELAXATION

Yachting in the Seychelles has definitely changed over the last few years. The government has relaxed its attitude towards visiting yachts and is now actively encouraging the sailing community. The islands are not cheap, but are not outrageously expensive. People are sincere, friendly and quite happy to share their local customs and culture. The granite scenery of the islands is truly spectacular and memorable. According to Niels Lutyens at VPM the best thing about the Seychelles is that "you can go to wild places and then back to civilization in a day."