MAURITIUS

Grand Baie:

We entered at high tide (60 cm) and I saw no less than about 3 m of water. There is a red and white buoy in position 19:59.822S 057:34.221E. The bouy look inflatable and quite low and wide. Keep the bouy on your starboard side when entering. From the bouy we sailed in more or less a straight line to the anchorage outside the yacht club in pos 20:00.50S 057:34.51E. It was nice to be close to the very friendly yacht club, but it was quite rolly there. We anchored later in post 20:00.76S 057:34.69E, further in the bay. There is a lot of mooring buoys there, but there were many I never saw in use.

There is water in the showers in the yacht club, but that is only for washing. There is a tap for potable water just to the left when you enter the yacht club parking lot. Sometimes there is no water there in the middle of the day. It is best to fill in the morning or in the evening. Talk to the security people. They will know.

We asked the resort next door (The Veranda resort) if we as members of the yacht club might use the sunbeds. The answer was yes. I can also recommend an Italian restaurant that is about 10 min walk from the yacht club. Walk from the yacht club along the beach further into the bay and cross the road where the path leaves the beach. It is next to EuroCar car rental. The name of the restaurant is Botteghita. Royal Road, Ground Floor of Sunny Bay apartments. Tel 263 1635, Mobile 5701 635. Email botteghita@hotmail.com

Open for dinner 1800-22:30. Sunday closed. Fridays and Saturdays are often fully booked, so a reservation is advisable.

Diesel can easily be filled using jerry cans if you park your dinghy outside the stairs in the wall that is closest to the end of the bay. The gas station is just across the road. There is also fuel available on the jetty at the yacht club, but it is not possible for boats with a deep keel. We have 2.07 and that was too deep.

There is a big SuperU (supermarket) a five-minute walk from the bay. Fresh baguettes all day, and all you can wish for. They do not open until 0900 in the morning, but I found a local store in one of the small roads that lead away from the beach that sells baguettes from 0500. There is also a big fanco shopping centre for those who like shopping. A free shuttle bus leaves every 10 minutes from opposite the sign that says “public beach” in the bay.

Personally, I think Grand Baie is a much nicer place than Port Louis.

Port Louis:

There is a Laundryman that does laundry for 115 rupees pr kg. His name is Deodath Goreeba. He will find you, probably even before you have secured properly at the customs jetty, but his mobile number is 5706 1103. He will pick up in the morning and return in the evening or around lunch. You can also deliver your laundry at the marina for 80 rupees per kg. People I have been talking to were satisfied with both laundry services.

Deodath Goreeba has a friend that drives a taxi. He will take you everywhere, and has experience with where yachties need to go. He knows where you can get your sail fixed, LPG tanks filled, stainless steel, rig, canvas. Whatever. His name is something like Rasheed. He will also find you, otherwise, the Laundryman can give you his phone number.

You can buy some yachting equipment at RR Yachting Equipment. 68-70 Royal Road, GRNW, Mauritius. Tel (230)2331582 Mobile 5750 5061 Email: rryachting@yahoo.com

Rodrigues:

First of all, it is a lovely place. My favourite when you compare it to Mauritius. All the officials are the best we have met ever! The ship arrives one or two times a week in the morning, but it is no big problem. If you anchor close to the reef in the corner they may let you stay when the ship arrives. The ship turns around in the basin before it goes alongside. When the ship leaves, most yachts may stay in the anchorage if they are not too close. Ask the harbourmaster. After the ship has secured alongside, you may anchor anywhere in the basin.

Ask someone to take you to the place that sells local sausages and meat. I think the name was Citronelle. Lovely products. You may also stop at Valerie. Valerie and her husband make a lovely jam, marmalade, pesto, ginger…

Do not miss the coastal trail from St. Fransois down to Graviers. Stunning beaches! Bring your hiking shoes and not your flip-flops. We took a bus both ways. I think the hike is about 6 km.

I can also recommend to hire a car and drive around the beautiful island.

REUNION

St. Pierre:

The phone number for the marina in St. Pierre is 00262262323265. You can use this number to book a berth. You must find a French-speaking friend to call for you if you do not speak French. My impression is that it is not possible for very big yachts or catamarans to moor in the harbour.

We visited St.Pierre, and after talking to other yachties in Le Port, I would recommend St. Pierre.

However – the entrance to the harbour will be closed if the swell from the sea is too high. You are supposed to request permission before you enter, but you will find nobody in the harbour on the weekends. We called several times in the weekend but got no answer so we just entered. We had made reservations in advance and had a friend on the inside that arrived the day before. The conditions did not look that good, especially because it looks very hairy when the waves are breaking on the shallow reef on each side of the entrance.

Friends on SY “Moin” were able to get permission to enter from the coast guard who answered the VHF the following day. Conditions were even worse than the day before. I filmed their approach, and the video can be seen here:http://youtu.be/FZo6xqNUDGc. Later that day another sailing yacht was denied permission to enter, so I think Moin’s approach is the limit.

It is important to sort out the leading marks, follow them up close and use sufficient speed. My C-map C-card over the harbour seemed very accurate. The Navionics charts Moin used was also dead on. Here are the waypoints and direction I sent to “Moin”:  Line up for the leading marks in 21:20.96S 055:28.62E. Follow the leading marks to 21:20.769S 055:28.728E. Then turn immediately to port and keep the breakwater with the red mark to the port side and hold the green buoy to starboard side. Then continue until you see the yachts. Ps: I arrived from the South, so I do not know if you can go directly to the first waypoint from the North.

Formalities: Clearing in is very relaxed. No worries if you arrive on the weekends. You just go to the harbour office in the tower and they will take care of everything. No official ever came to our boat.

Marina: Electricity and water on the piers. Showers, but low standard.

Internet: You have free Wi-Fi in the boat for two hours for each e-mail address you have access to a day, but it is not very fast. Fastest internet you can get on the Factory Pub. They also have fast Wi-Fi in the red restaurant on the opposite side, marina side, of the road for the Factory Pub.

Sailmaker: Dom Voliere. 10 min with a car from the marina. Pierre that works there speaks English (Dom do not), and his phone number is: 0692737446

Activities: I would very much recommend a hike in the mountains. We did a four-day hike, and it was absolutely beautiful! The tourist office, also situated in the tower, have all the information and maps.

Inger “Johanna” Moen

S/Y Flow