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Home , Aldabra, Aldabra Group, Alphonse Atoll, Alphonse Group, Desroches Island

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Expedition aboard MV Maya’s ALDABRAALDABRA E x p e d i t i o n a b o a r d t h e M V M a y a ’ s D u g o n g

Aldabra, also called the jewel in the crown of , or "Galapagos of the ", is the world's latest raised , the finest surviving tropical atoll ecosystem on earth. It is a tropical wilderness, seen by only a few privileged visitors each year.

Aldabra has inspired ancient explorers, some of paradise, recognised Aldabra's unique natural the world's most famous scientists and the properties, as well as being the only other place in modern travellers of today. the world aside from the Galapagos where giant The name itself is a mystery, believed to be a word could be found naturally. He also of Arabic origin but with any number of theories recommended to British authorities that they about its actual meaning, which could be 'green' ensure the atoll would be protected from or 'door-knocker' or possibly the navigational star exploitation or development. Aldebaran. Indeed, it seems there has always been a mythical Despite its status as one of the world's most aura attached to the name of the most far-flung strictly protected natural wonders, travel to and isolated of all the of the Seychelles Aldabra is still – and will likely always be - archipelago. incredibly difficult due to its extreme isolation. The giant tortoises on the island form by far the With expedition vessel MV Maya’s Dugong, world's largest population and the marine life is operated by Silhouette Cruises, one of the most prolific. The last surviving flightless bird of the recognized names in live-aboard cruising in the Indian Ocean, the Aldabra Rail, is found only here Seychelles, a handful of visitors will be able to as are many other unique land birds and it is a vital experience the atoll of Aldabra and its fascinating breeding ground for and seabirds. sights and treasures as part of an in-depth eco- tourism and diving expedition. Charles Darwin himself, whose work in the Galapagos is largely responsible for the This is your opportunity to be one of them. archipelago's esteemed status as naturalist's Outer Island Expeditions - Spring 2019 Program 14-nights expedition to Aldabra February 25 to March 11, 2019

Embarkation: Mahe Thursday, 7 Mar - Day 11. Disembarkation: Mahe Dive & Visit Astove. Crossing towatds the during Monday, 25 Feb - Day 1. the night. Embarkation on Mahe. Cruise towards the Amirantes. Friday, 8 Mar - Day 12. At sea – on the way to the Alphonse Group Tuesday, 26 Feb - Day 2. Dive & Visit . Saturday, 9 Mar - Day 13. Crossing to Alphonse during the night. Dive & Visit Bijoutier (Alphonse Group). Crossing to the Amirantes during the night. Wednesday, 27 Feb - Day 3. Dive & Visit Alphonse island. Sunday, 10 Mar - Day 14. Start crossing towards the during Dive & Visit St Joseph (Amirantes). the night. Crossing towards Mahe during the night.

Thursday, 28 Feb - Day 4. Monday, 11 Mar - Day 15. At sea – on the way to the Aldabra Group Disembarkation at apr. 15:00PM on Mahe.

Friday & Saturday, 1-2 Mar - Day 5-6. Dive & Visit . Crossing to Aldabra during the night.

Sunday to Tuesday, 3-5 Mar - Day 7-8-9. Dive & Visit to Aldabra. Crossing to Assumption on the third night.

Wednesday, 6 Mar - Day 10. Dive & Visit Assumption. Crossing to Astove during the night. Highlights of the Eco expedition

Aldabra Astove - Aldabra Group Aldabra is the world's second largest, and latest raised Birds include the Aldabra Rail, the last surviving Astove is surrounded by deep waters where many a coral atoll. With an area of approximately150sq km it flightless bird of the Indian Ocean and frigate birds. ship has come to grief on its treacherous reefs. The comprises about one-third of the landmass of Drift diving is exceptional in the channels that fill and fringing reef averages about 250 meters from the Seychelles, but has no human population other than empty the with the . Shoals of fish stand shoreline and beyond this, the floor plummets the Warden and staff of the Research Station on the sentry at these entrances to the lagoon, where steeply. island of Picard. and other predators sweep by as they commute This wall of is probably the best dive site in the The atoll was known for centuries by Arab navigators between the open ocean and the lagoon. In recent Indian Ocean and indeed has been rated by diving and was first charted by the Portuguese in 1511. The years, have been seen, a sign that this rare experts as one of the finest dive sites in the world. French were the first recorded visitors when Captain mammal may one day return to breed in Seychelles. Hundreds of species of fish, Green Turtles and even Lazare Picault, sent to chart Seychelles in 1742, came We visit the Aldabra Research station, the mangroves the anchors of wrecked ships are to be seen. upon Aldabra. forests, the booby colony at Johnny Channel and the Snorkeling is also excellent on the edge of the drop Soon after Seychelles' independence, the world's second largest colony of frigatebirds (10,000 off. Ashore there are graves of shipwrecked sailors, government granted Aldabra protected status as a pairs of two species, and Lesser bleached bones and buildings including the , and in 1982 Aldabra became a Frigatebird). Many of the endemic land birds can be residence of a former Manager. Laid out around a UNESCO World Heritage Site. seen ashore, including Aldabra Drongo, Aldabra Fody courtyard in the style of a Moorish palace, it has Today, only a small team of rangers and scientists and Sacred Ibis and Aldabra Rail, recently been renovated by Islands Development inhabit the island, managed by the Seychelles Islands together with the world's largest population of giant Company, managers of the island, to provide Foundation, which operates the conservation and tortoises. accommodation. A short walk across the island leads research projects on Aldabra. We will dive and snorkel the main channel, the West to the shallow lagoon where Caspian , rarely It has the world's largest population of Giant , Channel and Johnny Channel, experiencing the encountered in an ocean setting, dive for fish. We with around 100,000 of these prehistoric survivors. exhilaration of being swept along by the shoals, return to the atoll coast via the old settlement., we There are many plants and birds not found elsewhere observing both pelagic and reef fish in the shallow visit the old manager’s house, including the Veevers- and one of the world's most important breeding waters of the lagoon, and it is possible to snorkel at Carter house and old chapel, then cross the island to populations of the endangered Green Turtle. the mangroves forest and the channel in high . the lagoon. We dive the West walls. Highlights of the Eco expedition

Assumption - Aldabra Group Many turtles can be seen, including very young Assumption was laid waste by guano mining ones, in the shallow waters of the lagoon, close to around the turn of the 20th century. This was the the main island of Menai. We visit the deserted fate Aldabra escaped, wiping out seabird colonies settlement and dive the West Island of Cosmoledo including Abbott's Booby, now restricted to (Menai) where turtles abound. Christmas Island. However, the vegetation is now slowly recovering and there are plans for the Alphonse & Bijoutier - Alphonse Group rehabilitation of the island. One day it could The Alphonse Group consists of two neighboring become a mini-Aldabra. , and St Francois Atoll, the There is a small human population, connected by latter comprising of two islands St Francois and air to Mahé, though flights are few and far Bijoutier. These are some of the most beautiful between. There is a long, beautiful arc of coral sand islands of Seychelles. Alphonse is shaped like an on one side of the island, beyond which the marine arrowhead, with trails of white foam flying out life is very rich and diving is excellent. Shoals of behind it as though it was skimming through the snappers, butterfly fish and angelfish flit between water. It was once a productive plantation, the corals in one of the most colorful and diverse generating 100,000 coconuts a month. If you were reefs of Seychelles. looking for a dream island, the tiny, uninhabited Bijoutier is it. A circle of white sand capped with Cosmoledo - Aldabra Group bright green vegetation, fringed by purple reefs and A visit to Cosmoledo is comparable to one to turquoise sea. The diving around these islands is Aldabra but in some ways, Cosmoledo even excellent, though currents can be strong. Features surpasses this famous atoll in its extreme include forests of tall Gorgonian fan corals, shoals atmosphere of remoteness. The island is of barracuda and other predators together with the uninhabited and very rarely visited by the outside occasional Hawksbill Turtle that drifts by. world. There are some bird species on Cosmoledo not found on Aldabra, including enormous seabird Desroches & St Joseph - Amirantes colonies with Seychelles largest populations of Red- The Amirantes is a linear chain of coral islands and footed Booby, Masked Booby and Sooty . A atolls west of the granitics. Desroches, the largest race of Madagascar White-eye (named menaienis) and nearest to Mahe, measures 6 km long and up to is unique to the island. It is the last breeding site for 1.5 km wide. Its coast is lined with shady coconut Brown Booby, extinct everywhere else in the palms and other native vegetation. Many turtles islands. The diving is also excellent and the marine nest on the 14km of immaculate white sandy life is very rich. The corals have survived here more beaches that wrap around Desroches and crystal in tact than elsewhere in the western Indian Ocean. clear blue water laps at the shore. Expedition aboard MV Maya’s Dugong

There's cruising, and then there's It is expected that no two expedition cruising. For travellers expeditions will be exactly alike, w h o c o n s i d e r t h e m s e l v e s because weather, tides and chance adventurers and not just tourists, nature encounters will influence who seek fulfilment from a holiday the day-to-day activities that are and not just leisure, and who possible throughout a given week. appreciate the excitement and Therefore, we kindly ask for the unpredictable nature of travelling patience and understanding of all to isolated locales in a unique way, of our guests if there are certain there may be no better way to adjustments to the expedition plan make use of a holiday than on an to cater for these events. expedition cruise. Rest assured our crew will do their Operated by Silhouette Cruises, the utmost to ensure the proposed leading live-aboard cruise operator activities for each day are in the in the Seychelles Islands, the spirit of the expedition plan and expedition programmes are hosted aimed at providing the maximum aboard the oceanographic vessel possible level of enjoyment for all MV Maya's Dugong and sailing our guests. yacht SY Sea Bird. Both vessels are ideal to reach the far corners of the Excursions & Tides globe in comfortable and pleasant Aldabra's massive lagoon is subject way, backed by more than a decade to powerful tidal currents which of experience in the tourism and require all excursions into the hospitality industry. lagoon to follow strict timelines. The speed at which water travels in Travelling on an Expedition and out of the channels means that One of the most exciting aspects of certain areas of the atoll can be an expedition is the fact that experiencing high tide at the same natural events and sightings can time as other areas in the lagoon help shape our journey. For this are impassable at low tide. reason, the expedition plan Ensuring the safety of our featured in this document should passengers is the number one only be used as a general guide priority of our crew, so the timings instead of being treated as an exact for some excursions may have to be scheduled itinerary. modified according to the tide movements of a given day. MV Maya’s Dugong - Facilities & Cabins

About the Vessel Cabins Originally built as a research vessel by the MV Maya’s Dugong boasts 7 spacious Canadian Government in 1966, the Maya's airconditioned guest cabins: Dugong was completely retro-fitted in the early - 2 Commander cabins on the upper deck 2000s as a private yacht, before being overhauled - 1 Commander cabin on the mid-deck and once again in 2009 to accommodate charters and - 4 Explorer cabins on the lower deck. cabin cruise voyages. It now serves as an Each cabin features an en-suite bathroom, and oceanographic and expedition cruising vessel are cleaned by the hostesses on daily base. throughout the Indian Ocean. It serves as ideal platform for discovering the Crew islands’ most exclusive and hard-to-reach places. We offer a high staff-to-guest ratio to ensure all of our passengers are well looked-after throughout Facilities the expedition. In addition to the captain, A number of different areas onboard, from the engineer, and two deckhands, all expedition two-tiered sundeck toward the bow, to the cruises are staffed with 2 stewardesses, a dive covered back deck and leisure area, ensure ample instructor and a dedicated chef. space for passengers to unwind. Meals can be enjoyed in the air-conditioned Dining & Cuisine dining salon, or al fresco on the back deck’s dining The cruises are full board (breakfast, lunch and table. dinner) and also include afternoon tea/coffee and Air conditioning in all interiors (cabins, dining cake. A dedicated chef prepares an enticing blend salon & lounge/bar). of authentic Indian Ocean cuisine and traditional European fare. Also available onboard: - Flat-screen TV, DVD stereo in the Dining Beverages Salon/Lounge Table water and tea & coffee are served with all - DVD player & Stereo meals. A full range of beverages are also available - Games, cards, small library onboard at extra charge. Price list available on - Ice Machine request. - Laundry Service (extra charge) - Deck showers - Bottled water, soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits are all available for purchase. Activities

Island visits Diving

Each day onboard presents a new MV Maya’s Dugong is a certified opportunity to explore the remote PADI dive resort, with a full range of atolls, protected nature reserves, equipment onboard as well as a uninhabited islands and colourful dedicated dive instructor with vast underwater life. Indian Ocean experience. A variety Please note that Aldabra is a 'no- of interesting dive sites will be take' nature reserve, meaning that a c c e s s i b l e t h ro u g h o u t t h e fishing is prohibited on this cruise, expedition, and may vary on each and visitors are not allowed to v o y a g e d e p e n d i n g o n s e a collect shells or to damage or conditions, visibility and itinerary interfere with the plants and timings. animals. No biological or geological Drift dives in the channels are specimen can be collected, and possible but are recommended visitors are also required to abide only for experienced divers and to sanitary measures to avoid strong swimmers. introducing alien plant seeds. All The boat features a convenient visitors to Aldabra must at all times swimming platform allowing be accompanied by an Aldabra divers to easily access the water staff member and it is not directly from the vessel. Other permitted to wander about dives will utilise the vessel's tender unsupervised. boat for dives sites which are further afield or inaccessible by the Snorkelling yacht.

Throughout the expedition there w i l l b e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r snorkelling, the use of the is free of charge. It is recommended that only strong swimmers should take part in the activity near the channels of the lagoon. Useful Information

Travel Insurance Other items to consider bringing along include: Aldabra is one of the most remote and pristine binoculars, notebooks/logbooks for birding and places on earth for a reason: the atoll is diving finds, and any personal medicinal completely isolated from civilisation in every supplies, such as mosquito repellent (please sense and is, to a certain degree, inhospitable note that there is NO malaria in Seychelles, for humans. We have operated many however). expeditions safely to Aldabra over the past decade, but due to the remoteness and nature of this expedition, as a precaution we require all Supporting Aldabra & the SIF of our guests to show proof of adequate travel The Seychelles Islands Foundation is a not-for- insurance which would cover the cost of any profit organisation entrusted with the emergencies that could possibly arise during the management and protection of Aldabra. The SIF cruise. has implemented and maintained a wide range of scientific research and conservation initiatives on the island, including one of the Important Information longest running monitoring programmes for Your safety and comfort are our highest priority. turtles and tortoises in the Western Indian In the event of adverse conditions, all itineraries Ocean, with over 40 years worth of data. If you are subject to change at the captain's discretion. would like to support the SIF with contributions Be sure to bring plenty of reef-friendly sun- toward these research and conservation screen, a cap or hat and sunglasses - Seychelles initiatives to ensure the sustained protection of is generally warm and sunny throughout the Aldabra, please contact the SIF by e-mail on year and the sun's rays can be especially [email protected]. A variety of SIF sundries and impactful onboard the vessel, due to the souvenirs are available for purchase, and will reflection from the sea. also go towards the SIF. Bring suitable footwear for walking on deck and on the beach/shore. Some areas of Aldabra can be quite rugged so good walking shoes/boots Photo Credit: are recommended. Martin Harvey, Michel Vely, Alex Schwannhaeuser, Pascal Buffard, Tal Chen, Jako, ICS, SIF