Cast Off Forward – Let Go Aft. We are leaving Eden Island Marina and heading out to enjoy the islands that lie just off Mahe.
The Saint Anne Marine Park surrounds the islands of St Anne, Moyene, Round, Long and Cerf. The clear blue and turquoise waters here are teaming with fish and the coral reef is home to a myriad of marine life just waiting to be discovered. On with the mask and snorkel and into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and down just a metre or so and the world has changed into a Disney like Finding Nemo back drop.
We motor on in our 21 metre Ferreti with Vicky Farrow Sales Director at Radek Masin at the helm. A highly accomplished boat handler, she is in her element and adding to that her local knowledge and lively commentary she makes the scene positively come alive.
We round the top of the island, the SE Monsoon is being kind today, the waters are calm and the swell low. We sweep into the bay at Beau Vallon a vista that will change dramatically over the coming years as plans to turn it into the Golden Mile, a promenade to rival that of Nice in the south of France
From here on round, the access to this part of the steep sided island is only by sea because no roads exists in this area. The isolated beaches therefore have the added charm of being private and very exclusive.
Our arrival at 20 knots into the stunning horseshoe cove called Anse Major sends a couple, who thought they had total privacy, run for shelter grabbing their towels as they ran. We quickly understood why this part of paradise has the local name Playboy Beach.
Timing, when it comes to photography is everything. That and getting the light just right. So it was with consummate skill and good seamanship Vicky brought us to just the right spot by Lilot, a tiny island of granite rocks and clinging vegetation just of the coast. Here with the sun setting behind it we managed to capture images of the setting sun Seychelles style.