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Seychelles & Madagascar with Aldabra

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Seychelles & Madagascar with Aldabra Seychelles & Madagascar with Aldabra Atoll October 20 - November 6, 2018 Praslin SEYCHELLES La Digue Mahé Poivre Atoll INDIAN Aldabra Atoll Assumption Island OCEAN Diego Suarez MOUNT AMBER NATIONAL PARK Maroantsetra MASOALA NATIONAL PARK Nosy Mangabe MADAGASCAR MAURITIUS RÉUNION Monday, October 22, 2018 Mahe Island, Seychelles All fellow travelers arrived safely after seemingly convoluted journeys into the tropical Seychelles, the humidity like a gentle kiss after the dry conditions endured on aircraft. We were met at the airport and transferred to our accommodations at the Eden Bleu Hotel, located on reclaimed land offshore of the main island. Some of us joined one of the excursions on offer, while others simply enjoyed an afternoon at leisure. In the evening we came together for cocktails and dinner before retiring. Tuesday, October 23 Mahe Island / Embark Silver Discoverer An early luggage-pull and breakfast heralded our various departures for tours to explore the island. From reclaimed land we crossed over to the granitic island of Mahe, clothed in lush tropical forest greens. Driving through the small capital of Victoria, various points of interest were identified before the buses began to climb the winding roads to Mission Lodge perched high above the coastal strip. Established in 1876 for the children of ex-slaves, the institution is now being consumed by the forest it once conquered. There were stunning views of the capital below and the inner islands in St. Anne Marine Park. Continuing along the road we drove over La Misere Mountain Pass, where magnificent views were captured intermittently through occasional gaps in the forest. We visited the Seychelles National Botanical Garden where we had our first encounter with the famed coco de mer palms. There were many magnificent endemic and exotic plants and trees to marvel at while the occasional fruit bat flew overhead. The gardens are home to a resident colony of fruit bats, and an enclosure containing giant land tortoises provided a first encounter with these descendants of ancient reptiles. The birders were off on their own excursion to Morne Seychellois National Park looking for endemic species, and they enjoyed successful sightings of the Seychelles white-eye and kestrel. Just before lunch, the rest of the group boarded catamarans for a delicious Seychellois lunch as the vessels made their way to St. Anne Marine Park. Once anchored we were able to snorkel amongst several coral bommies. Of particular note were lots of feather-duster worms, their feeding appendages reaching into the water column for food. Inquisitive spade fish checked us out while black-saddled toby flashed their warning black, white, and yellow colors at any would-be predators. Those wishing to explore Moyenne Island embarked Zodiacs and walked along the beach and into the tropical forest. As the afternoon waned, we embarked the Silver Discoverer, unpacked, and settled into life on the ship. Wednesday, October 24 Praslin Island / La Digue Island This morning we woke to a steady rain that looked set for the day. However, in true expedition style, we prepared for the conditions and ventured out on Zodiacs to our landing on Praslin Island. Three options for this morning’s exploration of Valle de Mai Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, provided opportunities to satisfy everyone’s inclination. ‘Fast Walkers’ were first to disembark and head for the reserve, intending to focus on a good leg stretch rather than a detailed interpretation of what the park offered. However, guides being guides, interpretations could not be ignored and those who hoped for physical challenges were at one point overtaken by the birding group! The ‘Nature Gawkers’ were the last to be disembarked in the rain and once ashore set off to the reserve for a slower guided tour. The Valle de Mai Nature Reserve is home to the unique coco de mer palms. These ancient plants are endemic to Praslin Island and are keenly managed by the local authorities so as to maintain their health and ensure that the genetic material is contained on the island. The palms boast the largest palm leaf in the plant kingdom! Walking under the canopy of these magnificent palms was truly memorable, the giant leaves keeping us dry and the ginormous fruit capturing our imaginations. Most of us were able to see the endemic Seychelles black parrot before a scenic ride to Anse Lazio beach for a mango refreshment and delicious slices of coconut. Returning to the ship for lunch, we repositioned to La Digue Island. Happily, as we dined the clouds lifted and the rain stopped. The more adventurous of us collected local bikes and headed over the mountain ridge of La Digue Island. The tour guaranteed lots of ups and downs. Birders boarded their own vehicles, called Le Camion by the locals, and set out in search of the endemic birds of the island while others likewise had a tour of the island on Le Camions. Yet another group of intrepid bikers took the more leisurely route along the township’s busy streets to ride along the flat shoreline. We all visited the Veuve Reserve to walk through the forest of tall takamaka trees. Searching the branches for the endangered Seychelles paradise flycatcher, most of us were able to see the male with his distinctive long tail feathers and eyes beautifully outlined in white. We proceeded to a coconut plantation that once produced coconuts for processing into copra. Once baked, coconut flesh was pressed to extract oil for industrial use. With the refining of soybean oils towards the end of the last century the market for copra fell and copra plantations around the world ceased to be commercially viable. This one likewise became disused, although today there has been an increased interest in the oil for medicinal and cosmetic use. The famed Anse Source d’Argent was our final destination. A beautiful beach set amongst a small representation of the 17 types of granite on the island. The setting afforded a unique backdrop to our afternoon’s exploration of the shallow waters off the white sandy beaches. Back on board the Silver Discoverer, we showered and dressed and joined Captain Dariusz Grzelak for welcome drinks and dinner. Thursday, October 25 Poivre Atoll A beautiful, sunny day welcomed us as we made our way to Poivre Atoll, one of the 70 southern coralline islands of the Seychelles. Today there are six residents responsible for looking after the island, managing a few pigs, and collecting fallen coconuts to send north for processing. Poivre Island was once managed as a copra plantation by a German expat for the British colonial government somewhere between the late 19th century into the late 20th century. For approximately 100 years the plantation produced coconuts that were processed into copra before being shipped north for processing into industrial-use oils. There were many shore birds that kept us looking into the sky and trees; crab plovers, whimbrels, and gray herons searched the reef for a meal while brown and lesser noddies, white terns, and white-tailed tropicbirds flew overhead or perched in the casuarina trees. We had the opportunity to explore the historic remains of the island before transferring to our snorkel site. This was a good opportunity to check out our snorkeling skills—those who were able to duck dive under the murky surface were rewarded with wonderful clarity, though the water was quite cold. There was a school of small glass fish sticking close together as a means of protection from larger predators. Parrotfish nibbled coral while powder- blue surgeonfish darted into crevices in search of their favorite tidbits. Divers went for their check-out dive to a beautiful section of the reef. They also experienced limited visibility down to approximately 20 feet. The dive gave everyone a chance to adjust their weights and get comfortable with their gear while enjoying a huge diversity of fish and hard and soft corals. Back on board, the kitchen delighted our taste buds with an Asian cookout and sweet treats accompanied by afternoon teas and coffees. Later, Rob Dunbar gave his first presentation, The Indian Ocean: The Craziest Ocean on the Planet. Friday, October 26 At Sea The seas remained challenging throughout the night and promised to keep us taking great care while moving around the vessel. Some brave souls joined Shirley Campbell on deck 7 for Yin Yoga only to be forced to retreat to the lounge after rain interrupted meditation. Rich Pagen began the day’s lecture series with his presentation, Productivity on the Coral Reef: How Interspecies Relationships Have Built an Empire. Jack Grove followed with his presentation, Fishes – Part 1. During the day Brent Stephenson and Machiel Valkenburg were out on deck pointing out the seabirds flying around the ship. Wedge-tail shearwaters, red-footed booby, frigates, and sooty terns, on occasion, flew with the ship. After lunch the ship’s sommelier, Ishmael, gave a presentation, Mixology. Brent was our final lecturer of the day with his presentation,Seabirds of the Tropical Indian Ocean. Saturday, October 27 Assumption Island /Aldabra Atoll After a rough day at sea, the rocking of the ship eased considerably in the early morning. Relieved, we welcomed the gentle rocking of the ship as we sailed towards Aldabra. Mid-morning we picked up a group of Aldabra’s Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) rangers so that we could begin the biosecurity measures necessary for disembarkation. These measures ensure nothing invasive is inadvertently brought on shore. Meanwhile the ship sailed to Assumption Island to disembark a fellow traveler needing medical care. After lunch, Annette Kühlem gave her presentation, Common Origins & Diverse Adaptations: The Australasian Expansion Across Half the Globe.
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