Where in the world can you:
- visit the reputed Garden of Eden?
- see the world's largest seed?
- pet rare giant tortoises, rescued from extinction?
- tour a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the earth's largest population of tortoises – five times the number on the Galapagos?
- learn about a fossil fish, with legs, believed to be extinct for 65 million years?
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| Coco de mer palm. Botanical Garden. Victoria, Mahé. |
| Photo © Barb & Ron Kroll |
WHERE ARE THE SEYCHELLES?
Located 1,600 kilometers from any continent, the Seychelles define escape. Spread over 1.3 million square kilometers, in the Indian Ocean, the 115 Seychelles islands cover a land area of just 455 square kilometers.
With their palm-stencilled sunsets, emerald peaks, orchid-filled valleys and pristine beaches, scalloped with turquoise lagoons, the Seychelles islands are idyllic. Paul McCartney brought his bride, Heather Mills, here to honeymoon after their 2002 wedding.
La Digue
Cruises on the 56-passenger Le Ponant include gourmet meals, wine with meals, port taxes, gratuities and guided shore excursions.
On La Digue, we strolled along talcum powder beaches, between pink granite boulders scattered like house-size Henry Moore sculptures. At Curieuse, we snorkelled in water the colour of peacock feathers. Birdwatching was a highlight on both islands.
COCO DE MER
In Vallée de Mai, on Praslin Island, we half-expected to see a T. rex munching on the Jurassic vegetation. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a primeval forest of 4,000 coco de mer trees that grow 30 meters high and live for 200 to 400 years.
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| Seychelles islands viewed from Curieuse. |
| Photo © Barb & Ron Kroll |
Female coco de mer palms produce the largest seeds in the world. Weighing up to 20 kg each, the seed has the shape of a female pelvis. The male coco de mer palm flaunts cylinder-shaped clusters of small flowers called catkins.
In 1881, General Gordon of Khartoum proclaimed the Vallée de Mai was the biblical Garden of Eden, and the coco de mer, the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. For years, European leaders imported and gorged on jelly from young coco de mer seeds, which they believed was an aphrodisiac. Today, the coco de mer is protected.
Silhouette
A lecturer entertains and inspires passengers on Zegrahm Seychelles cruises. Ours was Ron Gerlach, who lives with his wife, Gill, on Silhouette. Before our scheduled stop on the island, Ron explained how they, and their son, Justin, found eight surviving Seychelles Giant Tortoises, a species thought to be extinct since 1840.
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| Ron Gerlach with Seychelles giant tortoise. Seychelles. |
| Photo © Barb & Ron Kroll |
We could hardly wait to see these rare creatures after hearing how the Gerlachs bartered for them, moved the 230-kilo tortoises from other islands to Silhouette and painstakingly, egg-by-egg, increased their numbers in a hatchery. (The Gerlachs fund their conservation through an Adopt-a-Baby-Tortoise program.)
When Ron Gerlach introduced us to our first Seychelles Giant Tortoise, we gently stroked its neck. Rising on its toes, it stretched out like a kitten, encouraging the caresses. We swear it smiled.
Coelacanth
Each Seychelles cruise tantalises passengers with other islands, like Desroches, Cousin, Alphonse, Aride, Astove and Mahé. On our way to Victoria, the Seychelles capital city on Mahé, Ron Gerlach enlightened us about the coelacanth.
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| Coelacanth. National Museum. Grande Comore. |
| Photo © Barb & Ron Kroll |
The human-length fish, with four leg-like fins, was thought to be extinct for 65 million years until a fisherman caught one in 1938, near Mayotte. Visitors to Grand Comore can view a preserved coelacanth in the National Museum.
World's largest atoll
The vast distances between islands only became evident when we sailed a day and a half from Poivre Island to the Aldabra Group. The world's largest atoll is inaccessible, except by scientists, a bimonthly supply ship and Le Ponant, which has permission to bring passengers to the research station on Picard Island, one of four islands comprising the Aldabra atoll.
Wardens describe their studies of the 100,000 Aldabra tortoises that inhabit the UNESCO nature reserve. Zodiacs also bring passengers into the central lagoon where frigate birds create a cacophony in the surrounding mangroves. The birdwatching, combined with underwater views of reef fish, sharks and rays, made it the highlight of our Seychelles trip.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions: www.zeco.com
More things to do in the Seychelles:
Romantic Beach on La Digue Seychelles – Anse Source D'Argent