The GALINI crew heads to the Indian Ocean! We have already discovered many places and sailing areas in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Now it's off to the Seychelles. Our friend Jens has been sailing there for many years and knows dream spots. We join with a boat. Although we do not sail with our GALINI (Hanse 575), we have a catamaran that also offers plenty of space.
Palm-fringed beaches, breathtakingly beautiful anchorages, warm water, coral, tropical fauna of all kinds, bizarre granite rock formations, snorkelling, fishing… and that colour of the water… All this and so much more are the Seychelles.
The many islands lie just 4° south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles offer a fantastic sailing area, not overrun by mass tourism, and are therefore ideal for nature lovers and guests who want to truly relax. One should not leave the island world of the Seychelles without seeing one of the legendary giant tortoises or Coco de Mer palms. After arrival and provisioning in Mahe, we first go snorkelling. Then we sail with a stopover on the beautiful island of Silhouette to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Valle de Mai Nature Park. This heart of Praslin is home to a remnant of the original palm forests of the Seychelles and has often been described as the 'Garden of Eden' because of its lonely and mystical appearance.
Furthermore, on Praslin we see the long-standing top 10 of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Anse Lazio. But the competition here in the Seychelles is great. We will see and vote ourselves. Because of the few marinas, we mostly anchor in bays and also stay overnight there. We often have the dreamy starry sky and the bay to ourselves. Let our dangling souls decide! Before the return flight, some time should also be planned for Victoria. The smallest capital in the world invites for a leisurely stroll.
Our cruise 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 a variety of 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 calm and dreamy anchorage. From here, the outlying islands of Ile Conception and Ile Therese are just a stone's throw away. On the latter, a paradise island idyll awaits us with a dream beach and an offshore reef for snorkelling. From here, a detour to the neighbouring island of Silhouette is also possible. Afterwards, we continue on to Praslin. The Valle de Mai Nature Park is a botanical garden and is world-famous for its Coco de Mer palms and its incredible biodiversity, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moreover, Praslin boasts world-class beaches. For example, Anse Lazio has been voted the most beautiful beach in the world in many surveys. The island of La Digue is slightly smaller than Praslin and has retained much of its originality. There are few cars and many things are still transported by oxcart today. The main attraction is the beach Anse Source d’Argent. The gigantic rock backdrop combined with the white, fine sandy beach, washed by turquoise water, has served as a backdrop for one or two commercials or Hollywood movies. 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 for a day stop. Most are part of the Marine Park. From here, one can make countless excursions with the catamaran. For example, a visit to the bird island 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 northern outer edge of the inner Seychelles plateau, has become an absolute highlight for everyone. The island, unlike most other Seychelles islands, is a flat coral island. Millions of seabirds live out here, and the island with its powdered sugar beaches is a single natural and bird paradise. Here also lives Esmeralda, the oldest and largest tortoise of the Seychelles, together with her fellow species in complete freedom. The island houses a small bungalow resort, which is owned and operated by an old-established Seychellois family. We have a long-standing and trusting relationship with the operators and are always warmly welcomed with our crews. This gives us the privilege of moving freely on this dream island. In the small lobby there is the island's wifi, showers, 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 vary little. Overall, the weather is quite pleasant in all seasons – not too hot, not too cold. A light breeze always blows. The main islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so they are almost never hit by storms. When tropical rain falls more frequently in January and February, the sun can already be shining on the opposite side of the island. From May to October, the wind usually blows from a southeasterly direction and brings drier and cooler air. From December to March, during the summer of the southern hemisphere, the air brought by the prevailing northwest monsoon is somewhat more humid.
Water temperature: approx. 27-29°C
Air temperature: approx. 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.
