Back to Victoria.
after 8 days onboard (sometimes 4 day with Nitrox), I would like to do it all over again !. Catherine and Eric are so “nice” I'm feeling like I have been on holiday for 8 days !
Thanks to you two !
Chapter 1: Preparation for the Expedition
The tone was set from the beginning: “Let's have some fun, make amazing dives, and "off road dives" !!!!”
Therefore, we will have to plan our expedition according to the weather conditions: Sea conditions, Underwater Visibility, Current, ECT….
Catherine and Eric are OK, they are certified divers and want to live the adventure ! That's great for us !!!!!!, Let's have fun !!!!!
After the welcome at the airport, upon arrival in Mahé, We directly headed towards Gondwana, to discover our boat: Twin Spirit, our Yacht equipped for Scuba Diving, then a little exchange at the best rate, then Cat and Eric joined their guest house on Anse Boileau for 2 days before starting their cruise, just the time to retrieve the travel.
Chapter 2: The Departure
The 21/09, We are ready for the start, we decided to pick our two guests from their guest house.
All the staff is on the bridge, Khalil also the Captain and Instructor Diving (MSDT), Our hostess and cook Lili (Advanced), Jean Marc Boat Man (Rescue Diver), and myself (my name is Christopher and I'm Diving Instructor, Race Director, and founder of Trek miscellaneous).
For that we decide to do a program on a daily, taking into account the weather conditions, Sea, and currents, and by mutual agreement, the circuit will be based on these elements.
Catherine (Dive Master) wants to make maximum dives, always in a spirit of discovery and adventure. Eric
(Advanced), her husband, also wants to dive but also make the scenery photo, So we land on our itinerary islands punctuating enjoying deserted beaches and coves.
It is in this spirit that we leave the coast of Mahé Island for a New Adventure !
Chapter 3: “It is gone !”
Boarding complete, we head out to sea for our first dive Stock Patch, due to infrequent site
its distance from the coast, with the program: Shark grey, Rays, Barracudas, Rock Formations, Canyon, Caves etc...
The impressive number of Sharks Grey revolving around us as Indian cowboys around a caravan will remain imprinted in our memories. Once reinstalled on board, Eric me this : You have set the bar high, we will have to provide for subsequent dives ! (there was still 8 days because of 3 or 4 dives per day !…..). I stood on the idea that he might be right and I was going to have to use their imagination and innovation to raise the level dives over that we had to. But so much better, we were going to have fun !!!!!
The following immersion was on one of my favorite wrecks Aldebaran, installed perfectly horizontal on a sand bottom at 41
mèters. Catherine, Eric and I are greeted by a line pen (or tape) then a huge Loach out of the bowels of the wreck. We go back a few meters to the bridge where the ghost ship is discovered and opened to light, and makes us admire its decoration like a Christmas tree with its corals and gorgonians muticolores white "frosted" hanging on wires, Lanyards, railing and wherever these wonders can find support. Time no longer and only exists as Beeps alarms dive computers we go out of our wonderful world to begin our ascent to the surface.
The dives will succeed to the rhythm of the desire of our two guests wanting to immerse themselves. Or three to four dives per day.
Thanks to the Nitrox, our dive times are not limited, and we support this pace without fatigue.
Chapter 4: Towards the outlying islands
The weather is improving and stabilizing the "Grand Beau", we decided to explore the sites on the outer islands before joining Praslin Island.
We take this opportunity to find sites that none of us had previously explored.
Obviously we go through the biggest wreck of the Seychelles 'Ennerdale', with a length of 215 m on 17 m high posed by 30 meters of water in the middle of nowhere. Inhabited by huge Loches, Sharks and other colorful fish, it's a little popular site due to its distance.
Chapter 5: The islands of Praslin
Then 4 days on Praslin and its surrounding paradise islands.
Punctuated fishing sessions where Lili was discovered a new vocation : the fish itself and choose what she would cook us, it's on a sea of oil that we alternate meal, dives, Creole specialties, seafood tastings and raw or BBQ fish, judgment and findings of the Islands, photo sessions during our hikes.
One evening, returning from a night dive on the island Saint Pierre, the night was so starry and incredible visibility that we decided to do it again the next day at dawn on the site. We therefore spend the evening and the night on the site. The next morning 6:00, after a quick coffee we jump in clear water and pure blue to immerse us on this site in a new look. Day, it is a dazzle of color and life that we discover. Everything turns around us, to believe that each of its underwater inhabitants set out to finish the task assigned to it as soon as possible. The world is active in the water like a big city !
In the meantime, on board, Lili has prepared our breakfast consisting of exotic fruits , Eggs, coffee, tea and fruit juices. Just out of the water, We put the legs under the table, appetite opened after this 1era morning dive, the "flash" still full colored eyes.
Chapter 6: Khalil and Jean Marc disappeared !…..
Khalil and Jean Marc disappeared ! I suspected ! I noticed their brilliant and evil eye at each of our dive lifts. These are divers and since the start of the cruise, they are busy it no lack of anything, fill the bottles, prepare Nitrox mixtures, disassemble and back our equipment, clean, maintain, locate sites, install the anchorages, etc.... So everything, ….. except dive !!!!
Small secretive enjoyed that we are in the process of lunch to jump into the water with their equipment in silence
for an underwater exploration well deserved. They could no longer, they could not resist !
In the middle of the archipelago of Praslin, travel time between each island are very short (maximum 15 mn) and we move from spot to spot through the Bobby Islands, Curious, St Pierre, Small and big sister, Félicité, Marianne, La Digue, the round island, deciding at the last minute from the place of anchorage where we would the night. Very easy: the sea is smooth as a Lake, It is a sea of oil !
Chapter 7: Exploring unknown…
The moment of return on Mahé is imminent, also we decide to leave as soon as possible to explore 2 sites we did not know which one has never been explored diving.
After careful tracking on the chart, then on the GPS, We match for uncharted territories.
Using an indispensable echo sounder for Khalil drops us right over these rock formations located between 25 & 45 depth meters.
To be sure to get off on the site, we must be ready to launch as soon as John Mark give us the signal. Our concentration is therefore the most, exacerbated by a feeling of being the first explorers on this site.
The result was at the height of our expectations, fish in incredible amount, Tuna, Giant trevally, Mako sharks, Sylver Point, Grey, Tips White, Napoleons, Giant Octopus, Ludjans clouds bright yellow and bright mackerel for fireworks !
Chapter 8: The return
Return on Mahé is head full of memories, accompanied by Porpoises and Swordfish that revolve around the boat at a speed greater than 14 Nodes ! These are real cars, we can see from above from the upper deck or front or back !
Arrived on Mahé, Cat and Eric decide to extend their stay on board, and we are off again for a day with new dives, This time in the diving base directory. You have to admit ! otherwise it's still different when you come out of the box !!!!
Thanks to our two friends, and congratulations to Eric for his 2 new certifications on board : Nitrox specialty 2 and deep dive.
Chapter 9: Go to the Amirantes !!!!!
Catherine and Eric, expected you in March 2013 for the great adventure in the Coral Atolls Amirantes !
On the part of all Staff of Trek miscellaneous: Thank you !!!!
Lili, Khalil, Jean Marc and Christophe.
PS : photos and videos of this cruise are available on facebook TREK Divers Seychelles (FB Page), TREK OTHER GROUPS SEYCHELLES, or Christophe Condé.
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