The GALINI crew is heading to the Indian Ocean! We have already discovered many places and sailing areas together in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Now we are off to the Seychelles. Our friend Jens has been sailing there for many years and knows dreamy spots. We are joining in with a boat. Although we are not sailing with our GALINI (Hanse 575), we have a catamaran that also offers plenty of space.
Palm-fringed beaches, breathtakingly beautiful anchorages, warm water, corals, tropical fauna of all kinds, bizarre granite rock formations, snorkelling, fishing … and that water colour… All of that is the Seychelles and so much more.
We decide our stops in harbours and anchorages together. We are a crew that plans the route according to preferences, wind and weather.
The many islands lie just 4° south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles offer a fantastic sailing area that is not overrun by mass tourism and are therefore ideal for nature lovers and guests who want to really relax. But one should not leave the island world of the Seychelles without having seen one of the legendary giant tortoises or Coco de Mer palms. After our arrival and provisioning in Mahe, we will do some snorkelling first. Then we sail, with a stopover on the beautiful island of Silhouette, to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Vallée de Mai nature park. This heart of Praslin is home to a remnant of the Seychelles' original palm forests and has often been described as the 'Garden of Eden' because of its lonely and mystical character.
Furthermore, on Praslin we will see Anse Lazio, the long-time leader in the world's Top 10 most beautiful beaches. But the competition here in the Seychelles is strong. We will see for ourselves and vote. Because there are only a few marinas, we usually anchor in bays and also spend the night there. We often have the dreamy starry sky and the bay all to ourselves. Let our carefree souls decide! Before the return flight, some time should also be planned for Victoria. The smallest capital in the world invites you to a leisurely stroll.
Our trip begins at 'Eden Island Marina'. This new and modern harbour is nestled between Eden Island and the island of Mahe. Eden Island is ultra-modernly developed with apartments, shopping mall, shops, supermarket and diverse bars and restaurants.
After loading the boat and completing the shopping, we set off. First, we will explore the main island of Mahe. South of Pointe Matoopa lies Port Launay, a quiet and dreamy anchorage. From here, the offshore islands of Ile Conception and Ile Therese are only a stone's throw away. On the latter, a paradisiacal island idyll awaits us with a dreamy beach and an offshore reef for snorkelling. From here, a detour to the neighbouring island of Silhouette is also possible. Afterwards we continue to Praslin. The Vallée de Mai Nature Park is a botanical garden and is world-famous for its Coco de Mer palms and its immense biodiversity and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Furthermore, Praslin can boast world-class beaches. For example, 'Anse Lazio' has been voted the most beautiful beach in the world by a majority in many surveys. The island of La Digue is a little smaller than Praslin and has preserved a large part of its originality. There are hardly any cars here and many things are still transported by oxcart to this day. The main attraction is the beach 'Anse Source d'Argent'. The gigantic rock scenery, combined with the white, fine sandy beach washed by turquoise water, has already served as a backdrop for one or the other commercial or Hollywood movie. Praslin and La Digue are just 5 nautical miles apart. In the immediate vicinity of these two islands there are many small, mostly uninhabited islands, which also invite a day stop. Most of them are part of the Marine Park. From here you can take countless excursions with the catamaran. Such as a visit to the bird island of Aride and much, much more. Everything is quite close together, so there are no long distances to cover. In recent years, the trip to Bird Island, which lies on the far northern edge of the inner Seychelles Plateau, has developed into an absolute highlight for everyone. In contrast to most of the other Seychelles islands, the island is a flat coral island. Out here millions of seabirds live, and the island with its powder-sugar beaches is a pure nature and bird paradise. Esmeralda, the oldest and largest tortoise in the Seychelles, also lives here in complete freedom together with its fellow tortoises. The island is home to a small bungalow resort, which is owned and operated by a long-established Seychellois family. We have a long-standing, trusting relationship with the operators and are always warmly welcomed with our crews. As a result, we enjoy the privilege of being able to move freely on this dreamy island. In the small lobby there is the island's WiFi, showers, as well as a bar and a restaurant.
On our Seychelles cruise we sail with a comfortable and modern cruising catamaran of the type Lagoon 42 – one of the most popular premium catamarans in its class. This elegant vessel combines confident sailing characteristics with thoughtful design, modern technology and exceptional living comfort.
The Lagoon 42 has 4 double cabins, each with its own bathroom, 2 crew cabins (single) and thus offers space, comfort and privacy for up to 10 guests. Four of the cabins are particularly spacious, while two slightly smaller crew cabins are offered as standard cabins – ideal for single travellers or guests with less space requirements.
The light-flooded saloon with panoramic views, the spacious flybridge with lounge and helm area, and the roomy cockpit invite relaxation and enjoyment – perfect for experiencing the Seychelles at their best.
A powerful generator, air conditioning in all interior spaces and high-quality on-board equipment ensure maximum comfort even in tropical temperatures. Thanks to watermaker, solar system and modern navigation technology, the catamaran is largely self-sufficient and ideally suited for longer stays in remote bays.
The Lagoon 42 stands for comfort, safety and timeless elegance – a floating home under sail that leaves nothing to be desired.
The climate in the Seychelles is tropical with high humidity. Air temperatures fluctuate only slightly. Overall, the weather is quite pleasant at all times of year – not too hot, not too cold. A light breeze always blows. The main islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so they are hardly ever hit by storms. When the tropical rain falls a little more frequently in January and February, the sun can already be shining again on the opposite side of the island. From May to October the wind usually blows from a south-easterly direction and brings drier and cooler air. From December to March, in the summer of the southern hemisphere, the air brought by the prevailing north-west monsoon is somewhat more humid.
Water temperature: Ø 27-29°C
Air temperature: Ø 28-32°C
Anyone can help with sailing if they want, steer the boat occasionally, or simply enjoy the beautiful nature and the day. In addition, everyone is jointly responsible for the crew's well-being. This means that everyone takes turns preparing breakfast or dinner. Usually, the hobby cooks quickly emerge on board, and those who are not so keen on cooking simply step back and wash the dishes. When mooring and casting off, everyone usually lends a hand according to their abilities and after instruction by the skipper. The boat must be kept clean by the crew during the cruise. However, the final cleaning is done by the marina staff.
All crew members (except the skipper) pay a jointly agreed amount into the crew fund. This fund covers all common costs incurred during the cruise (e.g., diesel, harbour fees, deposit insurance, transit log, visitor's tax, national and nature park fees, service pack for the provided bed linen, final cleaning, gas, marina fee for the first and last night in harbour, etc.). According to old seafaring tradition, the skipper is fed by the crew during the cruise.
Berth charter is the best option for anyone who wants to get to know the sailing life. No prior knowledge or own sailing experience is necessary. But perhaps you already have sailing experience, have done sailing training and want to deepen it? – Then the skipper will give you the opportunity to try yourself out and help you gain future confidence. The crew can help shape the course of the cruise and their wishes will be taken into account, subject to safety and weather. On such a cruise you meet like-minded people, can make new nice acquaintances and have an experienced skipper at your side who takes care of all nautical matters. The cabins on the yacht are usually equipped with different but very similar cabins. The berths are allocated by the skipper taking crew wishes into account. Whole cabins can be chartered by individuals, couples or families. Payment is per person and you don't have to worry about anything else.
We want to make sailing more sustainable and environmentally friendly. On GALINI we test various products that provide a great sailing experience while putting less strain on the environment. At the same time, she is on a journey to explore the world. Her base is on Poros, Greece. Most of the time, however, she is on a long voyage. Our small team of skippers looks forward to sharing a real sailing experience with you!
