Seychelles Bareboats

The Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, close to Madagascar, have been a favorite destination for both crewed yacht charterers and bare boaters for years. Europeans especially from France, since French is widely spoken in the Seychelles, make this beautiful place their preferred bare boating destination. Lying 1,000 miles off Africa’s east coast, between 240 and 600 miles north of the equator in the Indian Ocean, the 115 islands that comprise the Republic of Seychelles are among the most isolated in the world.

history tells us that Arab traders first sailed to the Seychelles around 800 A.D. Phoenician, Polynesian, Chinese, and European explorers followed, but it wasn’t until the 1700s that French colonists settled on the larger islands. Today, the population of the entire country numbers only 84,000, and it represents a rich commingling of French, British, Indian, Middle Eastern, and African culture. The French influence remains prominent; Creole is commonly spoken along with English.

While coral atolls make up most of the 72 low-lying Outer Islands, the majority of the Inner Islands, the largest of which consist of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, are geological wonders of twisted granite, mountainous and lush with tropical forests that support species of birds found nowhere else on Earth. Giant tortoises inhabit some of the Seychelles, nesting on the fine, white-sand beaches fronted with exquisitely beautiful coral reefs and azure seas that make a Seychelles sailing vacation unique and enriching.

Since there is a minimum of pollution in the Indian Ocean, the waters around the Seychelles are some of the clearest in the world. The sailing is splendid, featuring a mix of open-water passages and island hopping to beautiful coves for a restful night at anchor. Chartering in this less-traveled destination is a unique and memorable adventure. These isles, unlike anyplace else on earth are world-famous for abundant wildlife, coral reefs teeming with sealife, pristine white-sand beaches.