Day 101 - Port Victoria (Mahe), Seychelles

 Date: 4/15/2024   Day 101    Port Day: Port Victoria (Mahe), Seychelles

Mahé, the largest island of the Seychelles, was named for Mahé de Labourdonnais, a governor of Mauritius. It is the location of Port Victoria, the capital city. Ringed by steep and magnificent mountains, few capitals can claim a more beautiful backdrop. The nearby reefs and pristine marine national parks are a snorkeler’s paradise

Planned Excursion: CORAL CRUISE (Ed)

4.0 Hours    Moderate Activity    # SEZ-003

Board a catamaran for a relaxing cruise to verdant Moyenne Island.  Receive snorkeling gear and safety information from a knowledgeable guide.  Swim past living corals and myriad species of colorful fish such as parrot and butterfly fish.  Observe the glorious underwater panorama from the comfort of a semi-submersible viewer.  Hand-feed the fish with assistance from a helpful expert.

Planned Excursion: BOTANICAL GARDENS & MISSION LODGE (Cathy)

3.5 Hours  Moderate Activity  #SEZ-004

Take in enchanting Victoria’s colonial-era buildings, such as the Creole-style old courthouse and the National Museum.  Gaze at a silver clock tower modelled after the Vauxhall Clock Tower at London’s Victoria Station.  Admire wooden houses with multi-hued tin roofs and sculptural wrought-iron balconies.  Roam the National Botanical Gardens to survey giant tortoises and indigenous flora, including the unique double coconut palm.  Capture stunning photos at a well-placed viewpoint and at Mission Lodge, once a school for children of emancipated slaves.

Today's Update: When arrived in Mahe last evening our access to the Internet was again disabled when StarLink was blocked.  It's sad that so many countries must fear open access to the Internet for political or economic reasons.  I guess we will be discovering these as we go.

It was a very hot and humid day in this very beautiful place.  My wife Cathy really enjoyed her excursion while I went out on a catamaran to go swimming and snorkeling.   

There has been a head and chest cold spreading throughout the ship for the past few days.  I thought I was fully recovered from it today when decided to go ahead with my snorkeling excursion.  When I finally got into the water I was feeling exhausted just starting out.  The water was not very clear from where I entered the water and swimming over to the reef was about a 100 yard swim.  My Fitbit was already reporting an elevated heart rate over what I usually have while snorkeling.  So I decide to get back onboard the catamaran to be on the safe side.  We lost a good friend a few months ago while he was snorkeling in Hawaii on vacation.  I thought of him when I decided it was better to be safe than have that happen to me as well.  

While not be able to safely snorkel due to my health concerns, the cruise on the catamaran was very enjoyable.  It was fun to see some of the Island Resorts as we cruised around the islands near the harbor.  The crew was fantastic.  Once everyone was back from snorkeling, they started playing a guitar singing a few songs and playing record music out on deck as we sailed back to the ship, singing and dancing.  It was a blast and I have video to upload.   

Videos: These are videos I took going out to the snorkeling area and our return trip back to the ship.  

Click here --> Seychelles CORAL CRUISE - Part 1

Click here --> Seychelles CORAL CRUISE - Part 2

Click here --> Seychelles CORAL CRUISE - Part 3

Click here --> Seychelles CORAL CRUISE - Part 4

Click here --> Seychelles CORAL CRUISE - Part 5