Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles

April 25, 2008

We arrived early in Victoria, Seychelles to find a stormy rainy morning. We certainly have been lucky with good weather...but of all the places to have rain, it is too bad that it was here.

I have always heard how beautiful the Seychelles Islands (some say 155, others 115!?) are....and even in the rain they looked lovely. But, obviously not as majestic and inviting as they would have been if it had been clear.

I had scheduled a glass bottom boat ride that included snorkeling. The rain didn’t stop either...after all, we were going to get wet anyway....so off we went.

The glass bottom boat turned out to be a glass ”sided” boat that was semi-submersed submarine. We sat two by two in this cigar shaped boat with almost full glass sides. If the water had been clear, there is no doubt that what we would have seen would have been magnificent. Unfortunately, because of the weather, it was very murky and difficult to see much at all. Apparently the coral is changing...dying. Every thing seems to be blamed on global warming and here is a prime example. It seems that the water temperature rising a degree or two makes for an adverse living condition for the coral and thus it is dying. We certainly say plenty of it...and plenty of fish, but I have certainly seen “better” in other water.

The snorkeling was equally disappointing. I soon realized that I would not see anything in these waters and just decided to lay back and enjoy the experience. The salt water was beautiful....after an hour or so of floating, when I got out it was as if I had been in a spa with a salt treatment. My skin was so nice.

I think it would be great to go back to the Seychelles some day and have a few days at one of the many resorts there...it certainly looks like a beautiful tropical place.

Now, its off to Kenya and my Safari....stay tuned!