 |
Aldabra Expeditions
| Aldabra! An island group whose very name evokes magical images. Located 1150 km southwest of Mahé, this atoll designated as aWorld Heritage Site is home to an incredible number of giant Indian Ocean tortoises and huge colonies of sea birds. Because of its protected nature, numerous types of rare and native plant and animal species can be found here in their natural surroundings. |
| Prepare yourself for seeing dozens of green sea turtles seeking a path along the beach to find a nest for their eggs. |
| One hundred and ten kilometres southeast of Aldabra lies the atoll of Cosmoledo whose huge ring of 12 islands offers divers a wonderland of wall diving experiences. Some of the largest hard coral formations recorded in the Seychelles are found along these pristine reefs. There is also an abundance of huge Gorgonian fans, massive barrel sponges and a watchful guard of inquisitive Potato Bass! |
| The last island on this spectacular itinerary is Astove. Once a hub of copra production, this island is now largely abandoned but is home to the endangered Seychelles Sunbird. Settlement Reef bears witness to the passage of man with its impressive array of heavy chains and anchors discarded from ships that tried unsuccessfully to anchor on its vertical wall. However, the familiar brown Gorgonian fans still populate the reef wall down into the depths while the reef top is incised with crevasses and caves, each with its own surprise: a lost anchor here a Hawksbill Turtle there and always in the back of your mind -- tales of wrecked pirate ships! |
| Diving at Aldabra's terrace-like wall is awesome. However, the highlight of this atoll is the fantastic drift-diving through the canals into Aldabra's immense lagoon. Sweep effortlessly into this huge body of water at a speed of 6 knots in the company of schools of snappers, surgeon fish and sting rays! The greater part of this region is uninhabited, thus both land and sea remain virtually untouched and pristine. Settlement Reef near Astove, however, bears witness to a former human presence with its impressive array of heavy iron chains left behind by ships that unsuccessfully tried to anchor on the vertical wall. Forests of brown Gorgonian fan coral march down into the deep. Meanwhile, the reef top is riddled with crevices and caves, each with its own surprise hidden within: a lost anchor here, a green sea turtle there, and always in the back of your mind tales of stranded pirates! |
|