D’ARROS AND ST JOSEPH ISLANDS
After breakfast on board, make your way to the Save Our Seas Research Centre. Here you can learn about the marine wildlife of the Seychelles from local experts. Discover the patterns and complex lifestyles of animals such as the lemon shark, the manta ray and turtles that call the Seychelles home. Take part in research and rehabilitation projects undertaken by this phenomenal institution. Help replant depleted mangrove forests, track endangered marine species or help the reforestation of the island.
In the afternoon, paddle through dense mangrove forests. These lush ocean-water jungles are vital for local ecosystems and the larger world as they remove so much CO2 from the atmosphere. These forests are teeming with marine species of every variety. Used as nursing grounds for turtles, fish, and sharks even a small section of these sprawling trees can house more species than swathes of ocean. Kayaking, paddleboarding or snorkelling through these mangroves allows you to get a closer look at young marine species such as triggerfish, fusiliers, and rockfish, as well as a number of sharks. Gain a deeper understanding of the importance of preserving and restoring these vitally important jungles. Return to your vessel and enjoy dinner a well-earned sundowner on deck before settling down for a delicious dinner.
Spend the day getting to know the waters of these islands even better. Snorkel or dive in the waters that you are now intimately acquainted with thanks to the time you have spent with local researchers and marine biologists. Encounter some of the rare and endangered species that you have studied in their natural habitat. Some of the many species you will see include bumphead parrotfish – the largest species of parrotfish in the world, Convick surgeons and huge humphead wrasses. Enjoy the raw and unrivalled beauty of these islands as you take to the seas before being castaway on a deserted beach where you can enjoy a wild picnic on the sand and spend the night in complete seclusion watching the unrivalled beauty of the star-filled sky above you. If you are here at the right time of year you may even get the chance to see turtles laying their eggs, or even more amazingly, see those eggs hatch and the young turtles making their steady way towards the ocean.
POIVRE AND DESROCHES ISLANDS
Wake up in glorious isolation at your castaway camp on the pristine beach. Leave your stunning raised bed swathed in billowing mosquito nets and be picked up by your crew before enjoying a sumptuous breakfast on board. Enjoy a morning of pure relaxation as you cruise towards the Poivre and Desroches Islands. Once there, explore the stunning reef flats and coral reefs of these deserted islands. Home to turtles, reef and lemon sharks, coral reef fish, fairy and sooty terns there is no shortage of interesting and unique species to encounter during your time in the water. Discover the water by simply snorkelling on the surface, diving to the depths, or on paddle boards or kayaks. Silently paddling through the crystal-clear water is a peaceful and relaxed way to experience the ocean wildlife at closer quarters. Diving under the water, will allow you to uncover a hidden world thrumming with diverse wildlife.