Open your eyes one morning and thinking "I'm in heaven" can happen to any of you during a stopover exotic or not, into the arms of your lover or solo. But opening the shutters listening to blackbirds singing at your window, take a shower or open a Jacuzzi watching the ball lizards who burn in the sun on a hot stone, through the beach to reach the restaurant and enjoy a mango juice knowing that thirty minutes later you go to a day of sailing between the islands before returning to spend the night on shore, is an unspeakable luxury. I'll tell you anyway ...

In an archipelago, even if you have a small budget, it is imperative to try to enjoy the sea and the options are many: to learn to sail sailing boats use postal connect the islands to the outside world, starting in diving cruise even for a day or two, fishing at sea, make excursions. Or rent a boat for a half-day or full day. For the latter option, it is often possible (and advised) to share the rent with one to four couples (depending on vessel size) in order to reduce the amount of the invoice. And you freedom!

Whenever possible, I always tried to approach the islands by sea, although I often on an international flight. Once there, after a day or two to explore, if the option presents itself, I get to see the islands from the outside to enter the path along which borrowed some of my ancestors browsers, and early explorers. In Seychelles a fortnight ago, and since I had already done that for the ferry between the island of Praslin and La Digue twice, I took advantage of the desire of a French couple to share the rent a boat for the day and go on a mini cruise through the islands and islets between the latter two. At first glance this might seem superfluous, but in reality it is a necessity!

At 08:30, a weighted breakfast diet but not limited to (so much for soft crepe filled with a tropical fruit jam), I get so aboard the Temptation made available by the sailing center of the Lemuria Resort Hotel Praslin. Perfectly maintained, absolutely clean, the machine has powerful engines (2 x 250 hp) and is driven by a beefy fellow smile consuming. Our skipper of the day, wavering between adolescence and adult status, shows immediately the cabin with double bed, kitchenette, lounge, toilet and shower room. As the cooler cheerfully supplied. Time to listen to the safety rules, and set sail while the first holiday appropriators chairs of Anse Kerlan under a thick cloud which then throws a light almost "dramatic" on the lagoon.

Muzzle the wind, his eyes fixed on the far horizon in search of what I can not tell yet, I soon forget the recommendations for use and must remember to order so I spread out conscientiously sunscreen on my members of freshly landed in the Western Indian Ocean. The sunglasses are in place (a reflex for me) but the cap is impossible: the wind whipping their faces, lips and dries prohibits cap. The engine started hard, I'm happy the sun still shaving launches massive silver on the surface of a dark blue when I walked in yesterday afternoon, the day my companions are charming and they are blackmailing our Seychellois emphasis.

We follow quickly the secret beach of Anse Georgette then the most famous Anse Lazio, two of the most glittering jewels in the Seychelles. And we head further north to join the high seas eye on the sounder our captain monitors the movements of fish schools, our program includes two hours fishing at sea and although it is not my hobby of choice, far away, I'm curious to see how this unfolds. And forty-five minutes later, while we chantonnons on ballads Scorpions (totally anachronistic in Seychelles ...), our skipper tends to point the finger on the left. On the Radar points are more numerous and the captain steers the boat in the right direction, guided also by the flight of white terns who seem to have found what they call breakfast: they skim the surface in circles narrow dip in second quarter and then resume their flight without having been able to distinguish whether they have really gone completely under water or not!

Before us, the thick green silhouette of the island Arid reiterates its most northerly of the granitic islands of the archipelago, located 16 km north of Praslin. It also houses, and the presence of birds at sea I am assured, the largest seabird colony in the world with not less than ten species of seabirds that have elected their breeding grounds. This means if the island is protected: 70 acres in area, it is classified as a nature reserve since 1967 and serves as a refuge from the straw-in-tail to beak yellow, sooty terns, red-tailed phaeton, noddies, shearwaters terns and turnstone. Five species of endemic land birds returned to live since the classification in reserve. There is no possibility of accommodation on the island of Arid (which has thick vegetation, contrary to what its name suggests), but visitors are allowed three days a week for guided tours during which you will identify plant species endemic to Seychelles rarest, such as wood lemon (gardenia).

But for now my friends are busy behind the boat and the lines are already under water within a few seconds a reel cringe and nylon thread unwinds. The first prize is in sight! The skipper came to the rescue of a fisherman and he says the right thing, the right tactics. Just curious among impatient, I caught sight of excited, smiles enticed. We await the verdict: is it a big catch? ... No, obviously the skipper smiled quietly. Too quiet for it is a swordfish or tuna. Here I am secretly relieved, I am the diver would have been difficult to rejoice over such a decision, I prefer to cross under water, in perfect health.

Tours reel, tension the wire, leaving the fish from the back a few turns of the handle, letting go, raise and lift the trophy: a beautiful bonito nearly three kilograms stirs frenzy at the end of the hook stuck in its mouth (pictured cons, in the hands of the skipper Seychelles). Our French wears a broad smile and happy just confess not expect big catch: fish is enough, no need to record it just for fun. He willingly posed for the photo and then joined a huge bonito cooler that is to house some much bigger fish. As soon as the lid is closed, another candidate is fisherman's line, then the third! In less than one hour are five beautiful bonito weighing over two kilos to go before our common ice anglers do not declare themselves happy and satisfied. These jacks are enough to my mates, and we can go back to sea

Captain sets course to the east and we let slip the island Curious on our right while sailing Praslin already a slight heat haze. Curious is located less than 15 minutes by boat from Praslin, easily accessible, yet it offers no accommodation and tours are organized with receptive (ask the hotel reception who will do it for you). Curious, formerly called Island Red (because of the color of its earth) has been renamed after one of the ships of French explorer Marion Dufresne who discovered the satellite islands of Praslin in 1768. After collecting a leper colony in 1870, she became in turn a nature reserve and home to colonies of loggerhead turtles who come to lay eggs in nests of hawksbill turtles and aboriginal who is a major breeding center. Curieuse Island is also the second island after Praslin with native coconut palm bearer of more sea known as coconut buttock.

A few minutes later we pass the islands of Little Sister and Big Sister, located 6 km north of the island of La Digue. We will not stop there as each passenger must pay in this case a right of access for € 25 foot on the intact dream beaches or take a swim in the lagoons. But along the coast can appreciate the scenery and revel in a horizon hesitating between blue and green, golden sands of bacon to perfection. No accommodation is provided on these two islands belong yet to the owner of the Chateau de Feuilles in Praslin. But in exchange for this fee, you can easily follow a few walking trails on Big Sister Island in the shape of figure 8 and offers a beautiful beach in its narrowest part. Little Sister (s photograph one of its beaches below) is separated from its twin by a deep water channel, blue and diving (bottled or single fins, mask and snorkel) are deemed very high around these sister islands.

But our boat trip takes us to the Cocos Island, a rocky islet located a few hundred meters off the island Bliss. By zooming on the map located at the end of this article you can clearly see the island and its lagoon ... They are the sighs of wonder that we escape to the lagoon and exclamations of impatience when the boat slows down to us allow us to save water fins, mask and snorkel since turtle comes spontaneously from our skipper already on the surface!

The Cocos Island (pictured below) is classified site National Marine Park and is to be the best place to snorkel near La Digue. In fact, schools of snappers compete for territory with blue trevally, and various species of corals are home to swarms of young ladies, dominoes, butterfly fish and angelfish. A shark slips away in our fins to take to their heels before my companions had time to realize how lucky they are to have an overview, while a second turtle approached with curiosity . If you want to find yourself in a natural pool, then go under the arch immersion formed between two rocks that overlap, few divers visit them and yet the wave is almost nonexistent ... A haven for lovers in difficulty of isolation!

After an hour we find naturally the way we monitor boat nearby, having followed our labyrinthine wanderings. Before getting back on board we spend a few minutes with the second turtle that is definitely well on our company and one of us is stroke the hand has been left lying near the head of animal! In a marine park and under close supervision of a boat engine that enforces places, I doubt that it is fed artificially. No damage to the swimmer unwise, but a severe pinch anyway!

Going back on board we have the smug smile of the blessed, and chilled ginger ale given to us not refuse. We sat back on a thick towel in front of the boat while he takes the road with a cruising speed, the beaches of La Digue discrete. If Anse Source d'Argent is the most photographed beach in the world (look women's magazines who will present the new collections of swimwear in a few weeks), few are approaching some beaches inaccessible from land. We thus discover the unique jewelry of Anse Caiman before stopping in the sublime bay of Anse Cocos.

How to describe such an environment? ...

My companions into the water, inevitably attracted to the milky turquoise lagoon which is approaching 29 °, without any intention of joining the long stretch of deserted beach yet we tend arms. I make three, four photos, then I realize that it is simply impossible to realize an image of such beauty. Sometimes the pictures "do not make anything" ... We must accept it even though it is often frustrating for a photographer!

When my new friends back on board we share our wonder. She whispers, "it's too good ..." and her husband outbid "incredible ...." Like me, their eyes are too small to absorb their beauty. Like me, they are aware of the scarcity of time and the privilege we have to share this moment. A communion in the beauty of art in its purest form, which is priceless.

Lying prone on the foredeck of the boat rocked gently in the swell almost nonexistent, I take while being deeply conscious of the immense opportunity that I have spent a few moments of life in such a lovely location. This view, these colors, this moment of peace and harmony, I will not forget.

This article contains the keywords: La Digue , Lemuria Resort , beach photo , turtle , Seychelles Travel

This article was published March 23, 2009 at 2h 04 min in the category Indian Ocean . Follow the RSS comments.