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Sea Pearl
Port Victoria to Mahé
Overview
Dive the depths of the world’s most ancient islands on a 7-night cruise that seeks out the archipelago’s most prolific underwater sites. This cruise combines the underwater world of the Seychelles with a PADI dive instructor as your guide, together with the rustic charms of our historic early 1900s vessels that double as full-service floating hotels. The limited dates we’ve selected for our dive safaris coincide with the best diving conditions the islands have to offer. This not only makes for great visibility, but also allows us to venture to out-of-the-way, open-sea dive sites that may not offer good enough shelter for diving at other times of the year. A dedicated tender allows divers comfort, space and mobility, while also making it easier for non-diving companions to partake in other activities during the cruise including snorkeling, kayaking and island excursions. Most of the dive sites we’ll visit feature large granite rock formations that create different passages and caves. These are home to a rich population of tropical fish, large numbers of pelagic species such as sharks, barracudas, jacks and tunas as well as rays and turtles.
Departures
Cruise Itinerary
Embarkation at the Inter-Island Quay at 10:30hrs, followed by the Captain's welcome briefing. Depart Port Victoria at 12:00hrs, sailing from Mahé to a late afternoon anchorage at Round Island, just off the isle of Praslin. In the evening, introduce yourself to Creole cuisine with a welcome barbecue dinner onboard.
Sail to Praslin, Seychelles' second-largest inhabited island, for disembarkation to the famous World Heritage Site, the Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve. This ancient forest is home to the curiously shaped double coconut, the coco de mer, as well as the Black Parrot, unique to Praslin. Explore the valley's eerie pathways beneath its canopy of massive palms, before returning onboard for afternoon opportunities to dive, snorkel or enjoy other water sports.
Sail to La Digue, a sleepy island community where ox-carts and bicycles still remain the most common mode of transportation throughout the island. La Digue is home to the endemic Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, and is perhaps most famous for its massive granite boulder formations at Anse Source d'Argent, which is thought to be the most photographed beach on earth. Explore the island, perhaps stopping by Union Estate, a sprawling network of traditional island activities, including a copra mill, vanilla plantation, and shipyard.
The vessel sails toward Grande Soeur and Petite Soeur (the Sisters). The waters surrounding these two uninhabited private islands provide excellent diving, meanwhile non-diver guests will have the opportunity to visit the island. In the afternoon, visit Coco Island, one of Seychelles’ tiny granite jewels, a fantastic spot for snorkeling within a kaleidoscope of tropical fish.
Sail to Booby Island for a morning of diving and water sports. After lunch, sail to Aride Island, a globally important nature reserve with more native bird species than any other island, including five endemics and the world's largest population of 3 species (Lesser Noddy, Audubon's Shearwater and Seychelles Warbler). The nature trail leads to a spectacular cliff-top view with the largest frigatebird roost outside of Aldabra. Aride is the only natural location in the world for Wright's Gardenia and 400 species of fish have been recorded around the island.
Disembark at Curieuse for a visit of this virtually uninhabited island. Experience the island's vast mangrove forests and its giant tortoise farm, along with the historic ruins of this former leper colony. After a barbecue lunch on the island, enjoy an array of water sports or simply relax and enjoy the island's beautiful beach and turquoise waters.
After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely sail back towards Mahé, with a last stop at Ile Seche for more diving/ or snorkeling, followed by a farewell barbecue. The vessel then sails into Port Victoria for an overnight stay.
08.30am at Inter Island Quay, Mahé.
For the well-being and overall enjoyment of guests, adjustments to the itinerary and/or the dive sites visited may be necessary, in the event of certain weather conditions or other factors. Any such changes are at the discretion of the captain.
Sea Pearl
Vessel Type: Sail Ship Schooner Length: 35m Passenger Capacity: 20 Built: 1915 / Recent Refurbishment: 1997 / 1999 ACCOMMODATION Air-conditioned Dining Salon TV, DVD, stereo, ice-machine, washing machine, dryer Upper Sun Deck and Bow Net for sun bathing Covered Back Deck Lounge Fully air-conditioned cabins with wash basin: 6 Double-bed cabins +1 bunk (Category A) 2 Triple cabins with 3 bunk beds (Category B) 4 Showers - 3 Toilets - 1 Deck Shower CREW 1 Captain 1 Chef 1 Mechanic 2 Stewardesses 1 Dive instructor 2 Deckhands
Highlights
• Best Possible Conditions - We have carefully selected the dates for our diving safaris to coincide with the calmest periods the islands have to offer. There may be no guarantees with weather, but with these dates falling in between the opposing tradewind seasons, it’s the best bet for flat-calm seas and amazing visibility. • Open-Sea Diving - Another benefit of the dates we’ve selected: calm conditions allow us to venture to some open-sea dive sites that may not offer good enough shelter for diving at other times of the year. These sites typically offer some of the most dramatic scenery and marine life to be found on Seychelles’ inner-island plateau, including large pelagic. • Companions Welcome. While diving is the primary focus of this cruise, the Seychelles archipelago is as diverse as it is beautiful, allowing us to accommodate non-diving companions with no shortage of activities parallel to the diving excursions. Visits to nature reserves and island sanctuaries, as well as snorkeling and kayaking, are available throughout the cruise, meaning partners unable to dive can enjoy the experience fully, with or without a good book.
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