Tag Archives: Seychelles

Sailing in Seychelles to the islands La Digue and Praslin 13/8-22/8

We needed diesel and gasoline so we sailed to Thaylor Smith wharf. We sailed back towards Victoria and Anchored outside the harbour. Next morning we had problems getting the anchor up because the relay to the up deck switch was not working. Lars had to chant the system. When we get out on the ocean we felt a little uncomfortable because it was a long time since we have been sailing. There were 20 knots on the beam and big short swells on 43 meters depth. We started for motor alone and after a while we rolled out the jib. We drop the anchor outside La Digua in the afternoon. It was a very roly anchor place. We had a difficult night for sleeping. Lars would not sail in to the harbour because our draft is to big, and there were a lot of boats. 14/8 The next day Lars replaced some electrical cords to the anchor drive so we could hoist the anchor up and down. We took the dingy in, in the afternoon, because the wind had calmed down. There were a lot of activities and people in the harbour. Ferries came in and out with a lot of tourists. We walked around for a while and found a restaurant by the water to have an early dinner. We could see Alexandra from there. Next day we stayed on board because of strong winds. We had visit from the coast guard next day. Two young recruit came aboard with the usually paper to fill. Al small boats with passengers were checked out for using life-jackets and there were many boats because of the religious holiday celebrating the saint Maria Jesus mother. It started very early in the morning but the wind were then to strong for us to leave Alexandra. Later in the afternoon we sailed in and had a walk along the north east bay and find a nice new seafood restaurant south of the harbour. 17/8 Up early and sailed in and rented electrical bicycles. We had a nice day biking around the small mountainousness island. Lars had a bad cold with fever and used up his power early but he could just get another bike without charge so we could use the stipulated time to ride. At that time we had not seen the wild turtles, but were lucky to see one crossing the road just after. At 16:10 we hoisted the anchor and sailed to the neighbour island Preslin and 17:10 we anchored outside the harbour. It was a good protected anchorage. Unfortunately I woke up by that a cockroach were climbing on me! The roaches probably got on board Alexandra while staying on the wharf. Cleaning and a lot of spray around the edges is the only way to get rid of them when living on board.

We took the dingy in to the harbour and walked downhill to the village but first stop at one of many small shops to get top up data. It was Sunday so everything was closed. We bought cola and beer at the Indies little shop on the way back.

We had a difficult night because a lot of wind and rain. We had nice dingy tour to the village and the supermarket in the afternoon. Bought frozen mutton meat (Sheep) that later on made a nice goulash. We put the food in the dingy and walked further into the village, were we find a restaurant with local food. Fish salad and pork stew with bottle beer for 76 DKK.

Early morning we took a local bus from the dinghy dock to The Natural reserve, Vallée de Mai. In the Information centre we paid 2X350 SCR = 344DKK. We walked the upper trail through the Palm tree jungle, but first we saw exhibit the amazing sized seed, Coco de Mere, from one of the palm trees. It was not the season for seeds now. We had a nice walk while trying to see the differences of the palm trees. Back at the centre we got nice home baked Cake with cappuccino and cola. Luckily the rain came first in the evening.

Dingy in and ask for diving. They said it was not a season for diving because a lot of algae in the water. We got some more internet and shopped a little. We got the dinghy up on davits and we mounted the repaired staysail on its head foil.

Praslin, 9 a clock, cloudy morning when we sail out of the bay with coarse to Victoria. We sailed fast upwind for main and jib and reached Victoria, 26.7 NM, within 4 hours.

In the evening, we had a nice seafood plater for my 69 years birthday dinner, at the Yacht club.

Dnigi ride Praslin

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Dingi ride Praslin

Cascade Slipway Service Mahé Seychelles 26-30/6 2019, 27/7-29/7 2019

After visiting, Eden harbour and Thaylor Smith Harbour and wharf, we ended up choosing Cascade slipway services. We left Alexandra there and went to Denmark for a month. Alexandra was sanded, new antifouling and the freeboard polished for a reasonable price. Big thanks to Tommy for moving Alexandra on high tide to the slipway. When we came back everything we had ordered was done on Alexandra and she looked so good. It was Sunday so there were just a few people working. We launched the dingy and sailed in to the little grocery store. When we left we got a letter to document the time Alexandra had been on the hard for tax reason. No tourist tax when on the hard.

Victoria Mahé Seychelles 14/6-26/6, 22/8-26/9 2019

The capital, Victoria, is situated on the largest island Mahé. Tommy, Helene, Lars and I were guided around Victoria passing immigration, Tourist information centre, post-office, ATM, shop for internet on Market street and were to get cruising permit. The guide was Klaus from the Danish boat Magrethe. Klaus and Gitte had been in Seychelles for a wail and were preparing to go to Tanzania.

Victoria was a nice town and easy to get around by foot. Victoria Yacht-club offered service to us on anchor like shower, washing machine, get rid of garbage, getting drinking water and a nice restaurant with reasonable prices for the temporary membership 300 SCR ca 148 DKK per week. The French cafe around the corner to the left was visited by us almost every day. You could get sour dough baget with seeds, great croissant, Danish wienerbrød and other delicious bakery.

Crossing the Indian Ocean from Gan Maldives to Victoria Seychelles

Time used 12 days 15h 29 min, Distant 1199.7 NM, avg. distant per day 75 NM, best distance per day 139 NM, SOG 4.23 kts. avg., 8.12 kts max, TWA 265.3 avg., TWS in kt. 12.06 avg., 25.4 max. kts

1/6 After changing oil on Yanmar we had to get into town because Ihthisham (we called him Indi) should have his last money for clearance from us and we should have our and Bonnies crew list with his stamp on. Lars fell badly when passing a road work and he got a bleeding wound on his leg. We were on or way to a net shop. They did not take card so Lars had to go to the ATM and back to the shop. Finally we could meet Indi after being able to communicate with him. Marina Monaco came by her diving shop and so Lars bleeding. She helped him, by washing the wound, while I was in the supermarket shopping for the last local money. When I came out of the supermarket eating an ice cream I was told by a local man that it was forbidden to eat outside. At 13 our we left Faydhoo Gan after 21 days of waiting for a “perfect weather window”. On the way out of the atoll Lars took of the canvas of the mainsail with some difficulty because of the waves. He took the first reef in the main. We sail 0.5 a knot faster than Bonnie but keep contact on the VHF at 19 hour.

2/6 We sail 6 knots. Bonnie is 17 NM behind us so we take another reef in the morning. Now both of us sail 5 knots. We got rain in the afternoon. The wind goes up and down and change direction during the day. We have guacamole on cracker and apple juice. Lars tried to get on with the satellite weather program with no success. Also he send SMS on SSB to the kids that everything is OK also with Bonnie. In the evening we had stars and clouds. We sailed 5.5 knots on wind 13-14 knots.

3/6 Lars woke me up at 03:30 because we had seen a thunder-storm on the radar. At 0:04 we manage to got the jib rolled in , with a lot of difficult. 20 knots of wind. We started motor and mainsail boom in to the mid ship at 04:50. Now wind from 213 and 9.4 knots. 07:30 we have a lot of dolphins around Alexandra. Some of them jumped very high. Tommy on VHF is 33 NM away from us. Suddenly our main B&G autopilot did not work. I found the Simrad autopilot and hand to steer for a couple of hours while Lars installed it. At 15:30 we could use the Simrad but not at all conditions, like with the B&G, so Lars had to hand steer quit some time. We had a lot of wind and high waves so a tough night. I fell down in the cockpit because of a large wave. Lars made up ropes to prevent me falling down when sleeping in the cockpit. We kept the lines up on the rest of the trip to Seychelles.

4/6 Storm with wind up to 60 knots in gusts and rain. We got seawater in the cockpit and that is the second time on our circumnavigation. We had only the stay-sail up and we had to take it down, with difficulty, because the sun-protecting sailcloth went lose. It filled the salon for the rest of the sailing to Seychelles.

5/6 During night we had rain, current against and wind in the nose. It could not be worst. In the morning 10 knots in the nose sail 1.8 knots for motor and reef in mainsail. Lots of rain. At 12 a clock we had no more current against. Nice chicken salad sandwich. In the afternoon the cockpit dried up and we could sit down. We sailed with wind on the quarter 4.9 knots with 8.4 knots wind. Nice chicken soup for dinner. More wind at 22 hour and we sail 6.2 knots with wind 13.7 knots and 0.3 knots of current with us.

6/6 We jibe to BB. I had the watch from 02-05. In the end of the watch we met a fishing-boat, Prasanna7-Net6. Before we got close I woke up Lars. They wanted cigarettes and alcohol and showed us a big fish. The boat smelled very much of fish when they came close by. There were a lot of boats from that firm around and you could see them on the AIS. They sailed with Sri Lanka flag. We got the storm sail rolled on to the stay-sail furler just in case we will need it. I wrote on winlink message to our sons and Lars send it on SSB. Lars talked to Tommy on SSB at 12 hour. I rinse Lars wound and I treated it with eosin read. We rolled in the jib, on butterfly, half way in. A seagull flew around Alexandra. It had one naughty habit using our dingy as a toilet. After cola sundowner we took the pole down and rolled in the jib for the night. Now we sail with main and storm sail over night. Beautiful evening with stars and new moon. On the radar there was squalls and one of them passed Alex with 25 knots of wind and some rain for a short time. Now we sailed for storm-sail alone and Lars got a nap. Also he send my mail on wind-link because there wore the right propagation. We could not set the main because of the halyard twisted around the top spreader. Also we can not set the jib because the rope for haling in and out is broken. So we sail with the storm-sail during night very slowly.

7/6 Nice sky with a lot of stars 03:30-06:30 Maria watch. There were cargo ships and fishing boats to watch out for. When Lars came up we began to remove part of the outer lining on the rope for furling and unfurling the jib. Lars sat main and jib and things were good. After dinner we took a reef and rolled in the jib a little. Now we sail good around 6 knots with wind 11-15 knots. At 21:40 the belt on the steering wheel for the Simrad autopilot was broken. We had to hand steer the whole night, 2 hours each and shift. Also Lars managed to send a mail to our sons.

8/6 Lars took the wheel of and mounted a new belt. Now we could use the Simrat autopilot again. Not much wind. We sailed slowly with reef in main and motor. Now we have time to get stay-sail down and move to the salon. Bonnie have sailed south and now close to Chagos to get some more wind. We relaxed, slept in turns and study the clouds in hope for wind. For dinner we had chicken legs with carrot and red onion cocked in my mothers old pressure cooker and spiced with curry from market at Trincomale Sri Lanka. It tasted so good. Lars tried to get grib file on SSB 3 times. They said it was to big. Clouded night so no moon or stars.

9/6 07:05 jib sat give 0.4 knots. Tommy call on VHF at 8 a clock. They have wind 14-18 knots when we have 6-8 knots so we continue to go south. We got no wind so sail haled in and start motor on overdrive. We sailed 5.5 knots. Later on we get 9 knots of wind and can sail for sail alone 5.2 knots. Very nice sky with a lot of stars. The moon is almost half and light white clouds. We got two mails from Kristoffer and telling us that he bought car and Lars got a grib-file finally! Unfortunately lesser wind later on so down to 3 knots.

10/6 Today our grandson Oskar turn 4 years old. We had hoped to be in Denmark but the delay of 20 days waiting for a weather window in Maldives made it impossible. We call him on the satellite phone and so nice to here his lovely voice. We set sail and stop the motor and sail 6 knots on 12 knots of wind. Bonnie is behind sailing with the asymmetric spinnaker. The wind drop during evening and we sail 3 knots. In with the sail and start motor. We sailed 6 knots on overdrive. Nice moon and stars.

11/6 For motor and main during beautiful night with moon and stars. We transfer the last diesel in BB tank to the day-tank. Lars talk with Tommy on the new grib file on VHF. We take main down when a squalls came closer. It passed without any effect. Later on we had several squalls seen on radar with no effect. Boring motor sailing. Filling the rest of diesel from SB tank to day-tank. Left is 20 liter in a jerrycan. We save it for entering Seychelles. Very nice buffalo meat goulash for dinner. The wind is unstable, 5 to 10 knots, from varies direction.

12/6 For motor during night because still very unstable. I woke up Lars in the morning at 05 because we got wind up to 20 knots. We sat storm-sail and after one our when it was light we sat main sail, jib and turn of the motor. Bonnie is south west of us. Sunny morning with wind 12 knots and speed 4.7. The swells, on the bow, are still very large. We jibe and now we sail better. Lars make very nice rotti. At 14 hour we steer directly towards Victoria. I and then Lars got a rest. Lots of wind so I have to wake up Lars. We roll in the jib. Collect a lot of water. No wind so sail slowly, Wind again, 15 knots, sail 5.4 knots. Fiery Squall up to 25 knots passes quickly19 hour but the wind and rain stays. For a short time we sail 6.5 and then the wind dies to 8.7 knots. We sail slowly, 3-4 knots, during night with wind 8-9 knots Socks and shall on for the night.

13/6 Lars woke me up at 01:00 because a squall came close to us with winds 36.5 to 39.7 knots. We drop the main and sail for the rig alone. 2-3 knots. At 02:30 Lars turned of the Simrat and toke the steering wheel because very high waves and swells. We talked, on the VHF, with Tommy on Bonnie and Michael on Ostrika and exchanged position. They were close by. We started motor 03:20. We had only diesel for 2 hours, except for the 20 liter, in a jerrycan, we saved for sailing into Victoria. At 07:00 we unfurl jib and kept main with two reefs, after just having a squall, and sail 1 knots on the quarter. We reefed out. After curing a headache I am fresh and making pancakes using the last eggs. At last we got 17 knots of wind. We took to reef and sail good on the quarter. Reef out 13.50. We sailed 7.1 knots with 13 knots of wind. Tommy on VHF have 29 NM and sail with full speed for motor towards Victoria. We have to go on sail. In the evening we sail good on the beam 6.1 knots with 14 knots of wind.

14/6 00:25 Arrived in Victoria Seychelles at four o’clock in the morning and dropped anchor at the way-point we had bean told to use from the port officials. We were fast asleep, at 8 hour, when the custom, immigration, bio-security and harbour officials came on board Alexandra to clear us in. They left after an hour and everything was in place. We sailed in to the bay of Victoria and dropped the anchor.