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Day 1
February 14
Mauritius / Réunion After most of us endured long flights from points north, the tropical air of the Indian Ocean was most welcome. The island of Mauritius, cloaked in the youthful green of cane fields, was only a transit point for us, but we were at last in the Southern Hemisphere.
Following some negotiating concerning luggage allowances, we were off on the 40-minute flight to the impressive volcanic cone that is the island of Réunion. As part of France, the island has an impressive infrastructure relative to its size, and a four-lane coastal highway carved out of a cliff side took us to our hotel. French-colonial architecture and a bienvenue cocktail helped remind us that we were on vacation.
At our buffet dinner we were introduced to the staff and representatives of the World Wildlife Fund and Lemur Conservation Foundation. Many of us went to bed dreaming of tomorrow, when we will board our sailing vessel, Le Ponant. back to the top Day 2
February 15
Réunion  The high winds of the previous afternoon had died, and we awoke to a gentle, warm rain. Our buses carried us around the north end of the island, and we soon arrived at Le Maison du Vanille. We learned of the intricacies of the vanilla bean industry, from the planting of the Mexican orchid, which yields the seed pods, to the hand coddling of these aromatic black sticks. Of course we were treated to some vanilla liqueur before we reboarded the buses and headed up a spectacular canyon that is the breached rim of one of four distinct craters on this island, the largest of the Indian Ocean's active volcanoes. Hundred-foot waterfalls striped the lush, green canyon walls with white vertical lines.
Salads and subtly spiced meat dishes greeted us at the restaurant when we arrived in the quaint mountain town of Hell-Bourg. The rain set in seriously now, swelling the waterfalls as we headed back down the canyon, toward our ship. We saw her masts as we neared the harbor, and marveled at her sleek, modern superstructure as she came into full view. The captain and cruise director were at the bottom of the gangway to greet us, and we were soon exploring our beautiful home for the next two weeks: the three-masted sailing vessel Le Ponant.
We received a warm sendoff from the departing crew members on the quay as the captain turned the ship toward the sunset and raised the three main sails. We were under way to Madagascar. The sails served to stabilize the ship, smoothing the open Indian Ocean swell, and we were lulled to sleep after a fine dinner in the forward dining room. After a mandatory life-jacket drill we were ready for a full day at sea. back to the top Day 3
February 16
At Sea The rolling ship helped many of us sleep in on our first full day at sea. Early risers were treated to Audubon's shearwaters skimming the tops of the cobalt-blue waves. After breakfast Ian Tattersall gave an overview of Madagascar, touching on natural, cultural, and political history. We realized just how much of a treat we are in for, heading for extremely remote areas of northeastern Madagascar. Afterwards we enjoyed a leisurely morning sunning on deck, scanning the horizon for pelagic birds, and generally appreciating a ship under sail. A perfect crème brûlée finished a lunch of salads, aged French cheeses, fresh breads, and pastries.
After many took an obligatory nap, Kate Newman spoke to us about World Wildlife Fund's efforts to preserve critical marine habitats in the western Indian Ocean. This helped us appreciate how special the snorkeling and diving ahead will be, so we were eager when snorkel equipment was handed out. After stowing our gear we were treated to original digital video of Malagasy and Seychelles wildlife shot by Greg Homel. Full-frame shots of lemur faces excited us for the next day's land excursion at Tamatave. back to the top Day 4
February 17
Tamatave, Madagascar  We woke as the ship approached the east coast of Madagascar, a thrilling sight for those of us who have not been here before. The smells of land greeted us on deck in the rising light as we rounded the breaking reef that protects this second largest of Madagascar's ports. Mostly a container port, it served us well, allowing vehicle access to the little-visited northern end of this island continent.
A short van ride and we were at Ivoloina Lemur Reserve, which is affiliated with Duke University and is primarily a breeding and educational center. It afforded us wonderful interactions with ruffed, crowned, brown, and aye-aye lemurs. Many of us also got to see
chameleons close-up, and delighted in a feeding demonstration as an employee held grasshoppers and the chameleons snapped them from his hands with their body-length tongues.
The access road that leads to and from the lemur reserve appeared to be the local sand and gravel source, and the acquisition process was fascinating to watch. Men swimming with buckets hand scoop sand from the bottom of the adjacent river. The wet sand is dumped into dugout canoes, where it drains. After a bit of bailing, the canoe, with only several inches of freeboard, is paddled to shore and the piled sand shoveled up the bank in stages. The gravel production appears to be the work of women and children who use various types of hand sledgehammers to break basalt cobbles and boulders into angular, coarse gravel. Each hut had small piles of sand and gravel in front for sale.
Heading north again we passed Fenerive, and in an hour or so we arrived at the resort hotel of Manda Bay, where we found waiting for us live music, a pool, and the beach. We were impressed with the amplified sounds coming from a Raid can full of pebbles used as maracas and what looked like a mailbox converted into a string instrument.
Another hour north and we were at the Tampolo Lemur Reserve, where Penelope Bodry-Sanders of the Lemur Conservation Foundation presented a donation on behalf of us all. Our short hike revealed a littoral forest recovering from complete deforestation. An aye-aye nest was spotted, but he was waiting for the night to go hunting for grubs with his ridiculously long third digit. The ship had now repositioned to meet us, and we had glimpses of her through the trees as we drove along the coastal road, crossing a river on a floating bridge. We were soon back on board, and the long day melted away as cocktails were served. Tomorrow, we are going exploring. back to the top Day 5
February 18
Antafa Island / Masoala National Park, Madagascar  Antafa Island greeted us at sunrise. As a snorkel spot was scouted, breakfast was served and the first Zodiac was soon heading for the island, which no one on board had been to before. There appeared to be birds circling the center of the island, and the possibility of frigatebirds was suggested. But the wing beat was not quite right, and as we neared the island we realized they were bats! Hundreds of bats the size of ravens had been stirred from their daytime roosts and were darkening the sky. Hiking into the center of the island was surreal. The bats made screaming noises, and when we looked up between the branches, only semitransparent wings could be seen keeping furry red-and-black bodies aloft. In French they are called chauve souris, or bald mouse, but it was difficult to think of them as mice when they were so large. Indeed, another name for them is flying foxes, as they have long, canidlike snouts. We will not soon forget this magical place.
Meanwhile, the snorkelers had left the idyllic white-sand beach and were swimming out to the anchored Zodiac. Along the way were patches of reef on which were seen lionfish, cowries, and extremely colorful corals.
With everyone back on board, the Zodiacs were hoisted as lunch was served on the afterdeck. We headed north again, into the huge Baie d'Antongil. We were heading to an island again, this one part of Masoala National Park, where we planned a night hike, looking for nocturnal lemurs. The island, called Nosy Mangabe, lay off the stern as we gathered headlamps and mosquito protection.
We landed our Zodiacs on a beautiful sandy beach as the sky began to darken, and we were soon making our way along a coastal trail, marveling at leaf-tailed geckos. These eight-inch, nocturnal, camouflaged creatures have tiger-striped eyes and fringed lower jaws.
Then we found the mouse lemur. We had so far spotted diurnal ruffed and brown lemurs by finding eye shine. We first detected the mouse lemur by its movement. It was clinging to a branch and stayed, staring at our flashlights, for as long as we wanted to gape at this gerbil-sized primate.
As we left the night sounds of the forest and talked excitedly about the mighty mouse lemur, an outdoor dinner was being set on the afterdeck of Le Ponant. back to the top Day 6
February 19
Tanjoni Masoala, Madagascar  A spectacular sunrise greeted early risers; the sea was calm and black-blue, the clouds red and ornate. We anchored off one of the most remote places in all of Madagascar, the only access is by boat or two-day hike. An early-morning Zodiac exploratory cruise provided us with good looks at vangas, fodys, and the mineralogically appropriately named malachite kingfisher, sporting electric-blue back and wing feathers.
Back to the ship for another amazing breakfast spread, but we were soon eager to get in the water, and the snorkel Zodiacs headed out. The beach was perfect, with shade, white sand, and calm pools. Picasso triggerfish seemed to prefer the pools; their bizarre striping patterns and color schemes attracted our attention. Meanwhile the scuba divers in the group were having wonderful close encounters with large lobsters despite a strong surge.
After lunch we set sail as Voahangy, our adopted Malagasy guide, spoke about fascinating aspects of Malagasy culture including the disturbing tradition of abandoning twin newborns in the forest practiced by an eastern clan. As we sailed in light winds, Bill Mercadante presented a slide-illustrated talk on the coral ecosystem. We learned about reef organisms through slides, diagrams, and humor.
Tonight, those of us who made it to the lounge after dinner were treated to casino night. The crew had set up roulette, blackjack, and an impossible to lose at, tabletop version of a slot machine. Widespread cheating was suspected among the staff, and they were barred from the final auction, where winnings were spent on ship T-shirts, hats, and other Le Ponant accessories. A good time was certainly had by all. back to the top Day 7
February 20
At Sea / Diego Suarez / Amber Mountain Reserve, Madagascar  This morning we were at sea, making our way to the northernmost tip of Madagascar. We watched the windward, dry coastline pass by as we ate breakfast and wondered at an unusual amount of debris in the water, including several enormous trees.
It was to be a morning of presentations, beginning with Greg's spectacular digital video of birds. We learned important points about the art of birding, including behavior, field markings, and habitat. Greg has captured the only existing footage of some of the species we saw.
More delightful salads, cheeses, and desserts enticed us onto the afterdeck for lunch under sail. As we were finishing dessert, a pair of white-tailed tropicbirds flew in behind us at the Antigua deck level, and many took advantage of the opportunity to take photos.
We were soon entering Diego Suarez harbor, and we noticed a distinct change in the appearance of the coastline. Sandy beaches had given way to jagged cliffs; the entrance to the harbor was dramatic, with Amber Mountain looming to the south. With the help of some local tugboats we came alongside an industrial concrete pier, where 15 four-wheel-drive vehicles waited to take us into the rain forest of Amber Mountain National Park.
The drive itself was a herpetological adventure, with a boa constrictor, a gecko, and several species of chameleon spotted along the way. As we passed small clusters of shacks made from corrugated roofing tin, smiling children ran out and waved heartily at our caravan.
A light rain was falling by the time we reached the parking area. We broke into several groups, some heading for spectacular waterfalls dropping over enormous ferns, others for the high forest to look for birds and lemurs. Many of us made the mistake of thinking vigorous hiking to the farthest point would increase the chance of seeing lemurs, but alas we saw none until we returned to the parking lot, and a small troupe caroused in the trees over the latrines. These were brown lemurs, the fourth species we have seen in the wild, and the first young we have seen. The rain began again, which ensured that we brought back samples of red mud, which flowed in the scuppers of Le Ponant as we cleaned up for this evening's captain's dinner.
During the night, the new halyard on the mainsail was tested as we rounded the northern tip of Madagascar and took advantage of the unusual west wind. We were headed to our last stop in the country of Madagascar. back to the top Day 8
February 21
Nosy Hara, Madagascar  We awoke to a fairy-tale surrounding. Islands made up of limestone spires with clinging vegetation dotted the calm sea before us. The rising sun flamed the sculpted walls with color as the staff scouted the landings and informed us that there were indeed Madagascar fish-eagles about, one of our main reasons for coming to Nosy Arulantsara and Nosy Hara.
An early breakfast and we were off on a Zodiac cruise. After we explored the larger islands, a fish eagle was spotted, and we all converged to marvel at this osprey of the East that looks much like a bald eagle.
We then divided the late morning among snorkeling, diving, and hiking. The snorkelers swam from their own private beach on the south side of Nosy Arulantsara. The divers explored a windward shelf where the crinoid diversity was high and Moorish idols were in abundance. Hikers, meanwhile, took in views of tropicbirds and the entire bay.
All of this before 1030, at which time we were back on the ship and enjoying a brunch, complete with mimosas and hamburgers. The raising of the sails brought on the urge to nap, and we made our way toward Africa.
Well rested, we donned bright clothing for tropical island night and danced to steel drums on the fantail. Rum drinks, limbo dancing, and palm-frond décor brought to mind the Antilles. Dinner was soon announced and appropriately served under the stars, on the afterdeck. We went to bed anticipating our visit to the Comoro island of Mayotte. back to the top Day 9
February 22
Mayotte, Comoro Islands  During the night we encountered torrential rain and wind gusts of 45 knots. The sails were up and pulled us along at 13-plus knots. Water poured down the stairwells, and the scuppers flooded as Le Ponant drained what the 9,000 square feet of sail had captured.
By sunup we were passing through the narrow cut in the reef to the east of the island of Mayotte. The night's downpour had brought large amounts of debris into the lagoon behind the reef, and the ship maneuvered to avoid large tree stumps and lengths of bamboo on the way to our anchorage.
With the logistics briefing out of the way, Zodiacs were soon heading to town, the lemur island, and a forest hike. Mamoudzou, the largest town on Mayotte, exhibits a mixture of cultures. French-colonial architecture and First World technology and infrastructure contrast with African and Muslim dress and customs such as face painting. With our requisite shopping completed, Zodiacs were off to Ile M'Bouzi to find brown lemurs. A balancing act across wet rocks gave us access to a small kiosk and greeting area where we met the dedicated island resident Brigitte Gandon, adoptive mother to over 300 brown lemurs. These Malagasy endemics were probably introduced to Mayotte approximately 2,000 years ago by the Malagasy. That population is dwindling, and this small island in the lagoon may contain the future of the brown lemur.
We walked the trails and were mesmerized by the animals moving around us. Their facial expressions were almost readable, their movements fluid and comfortable. With great close-up shots in our cameras and lemur's looks in our hearts, we bid goodbye to Ile M'Bouzi.
Meanwhile, Greg took a group hiking on the main island to the high point of Pic Compani. They were fortunate to see a birthday bird for Greg, called the Mayotte drongo, as well as several other endemics. A troupe of brown lemurs was also seen and well filmed for all to enjoy in high definition at recap later that night.
The divers headed out to the reef, and despite extensive muddy runoff in the lagoon, they encountered good visibility and were fortunate to see three sea turtles: a green and two hawksbills.
The anchor was soon up, and we made our way out of the lagoon while lunch was served. At sea the winds were favorable, and the three main sails were raised, presenting nearly 10,000 square feet of canvas to the heavy trade winds.
As naptime was observed, Penelope prepared a presentation on the work of the Lemur Conservation Foundation. The very lemurs we had just seen are the focus of a conservation effort based in Florida. None of these have arrived in Madagascar yet, but there is hope that the brown lemur will be the base of a breeding population.
The sails were left up through the night and helped us make good time toward our next port, Mozambique, Africa. back to the top Day 10
February 23
Pemba, Mozambique  We woke to rolling seas and intermittent rain squalls. These forced us into the forward dining room for breakfast. After the seas calmed a bit, Ian told the fascinating story of the coelacanth. This fish was last known to be abundant 70 million years ago, and was thought to have become extinct along with the dinosaurs. In 1938 one was caught off the east coast of South Africa. Since then many have been caught at between 500 and 1,000 feet deep, mostly in the waters around Madagascar and specifically near the Comoro Islands we had just visited.
After a short break, Kate gave a bit of the history of the formation of Quirimbas National Park, which we will visit. This coastal park contains islands where conservation efforts are under way to establish no-take zones. Early indications are that there is strong local support because fishermen see the size and number of the fish they catch go up after these “nursery areas” are delineated.
As we moved onto the deck we could see the coast of Mozambique. For those of us who had never been to Africa, this was a powerful moment: our first time to this cradle of humankind. Entering the port of Pemba, Le Ponant was quite the spectacle, as we were the first passenger ship ever to come to this poor town in this second poorest of African countries. It took a bit of logistical maneuvering with local guides and other contacts, but we soon had a plan, and the first bus was off to find a group of Mecdonde woodcarvers, who specialize in abstract ebony carvings.
Later we found ourselves at the recently built Naval Beach Resort. Here were a pool, local Makua dancers, a bar, and a view of crashing Indian Ocean surf. Meanwhile, Greg's Zodiac group was plying the beach and birding under baobab trees. They saw little bee-eaters, scimitar-bills, African palm swifts, and many other scrub specialties. The birders had an encounter with a local Mozambican who enjoyed the spotting scope. The rest of us got to experience his enthusiasm and grace on the big screen at recap, and he made us feel welcome in this new country.
Back on the ship there was a caviar tasting on the sun deck, with beluga caviar from the Black Sea. Peter Bechtel, our local contact in Mozambique, was in full African garb. We dressed up the caviar with small blini, capers, egg, and sour crème, all chased down by Stolichnaya vodka poured from a bottle frozen in a block of ice. We topped it off with a fine dinner, and sleep came easily. back to the top Day 11
February 24
Ibo Island, Mozambique  Morning light found the ship anchored in the channel southwest of the island of Ibo. Kate and Peter had led us to this island where World Wildlife Fund has its district headquarters. The first Zodiacs were off to Ilha Rolas to look for the giant coconut-eating land crab. This type of hermit crab was once found throughout the Indo- Pacific, but it is tasty and slow, a bad combination when cohabiting with humans, and its range is now restricted to several small islands, including the one our group planned to visit.
The upper reaches of the bay were too shallow for the ship to anchor closer, so the Zodiac ride was ten miles upwind, but we soon managed to get into the lee of a small island, and the ride was smoothed considerably. Nonetheless, by the time we arrived at Ilha Rolas we were ready to be on land. We hiked to a rock pile where fisherman had located a coconut crab. Once uncovered, the crab's full colors were visible, with spectacular bright orange-and-white patterns. A walk to the tip of the island yielded a probable sighting of an Eleanora's falcon.
On our return to the beach we stopped in the fishing village and marveled at all manner of fish butterflied and drying on racks. There were snappers with crushing teeth, parrotfish with scraping beaklike teeth, and moray eels with barbed throats. We saw local fisherman respecting a no-take area boundary, with all boats beyond the buoys. The return ride was quicker, and Peter found some coral heads with huge surgeonfish and feeding squid.
After another lunch on board, which, as usual, included delicious French cheeses and desserts such as crème brûlée and mousse au chocolate, we were treated to a talk by Peter, who described his work with World Wildlife Fund helping establish Quirimbas National Park. No time for a nap today, because we were off to the town of Ibo. The architecture spoke of a grander day, when the Portuguese used this as a major trading port on the east coast of Africa.
Regarding this as a strategic port, the Portuguese constructed a fort to defend the entrance to the channel. We walked the fort's ramparts and thought about the now-idle, rusting cannons. Later we found the crew had shuttled drinks ashore for us to enjoy under a courtyard shade tree at the center of the fort. Several of the former cells are now occupied by silversmiths who craft a sort of chain-mail jewelry out of obsolete silver coins of various nationalities.
Meanwhile the Zodiacs had repositioned to the shoreline near the fort, and we loaded for an easy, albeit somewhat wet, ride back to the ship. The evening was full of talk of the day's activities, and we were soon called to dinner, where beef spring rolls were among the delicacies. In the morning we will be near another new-to-all-aboard island, Ilha Vamizi. back to the top Day 12
February 25
Ilha Vamizi, Mozambique The low island of Ilha Vamizi formed our horizon in the morning light as we ate an early breakfast and worked out the logistics of the day's activities. We had not been able to make a contact on this island yet, so Luiz and Yolanda Ritzman, the only Portuguese speakers on board, agreed to land with Kate to help translate our way onto this beautiful island. We approached a stark white-sand beach, and the water began to shallow. Within the 15 minutes it took for us to unload into the shallows, the water level dropped by at least a foot. We were clearly dealing with more than the six-foot tidal range predicted by the available tide tables. By the time the decision was made to abort the landing, the remaining Zodiac passengers were stepping out onto dry ground and walking ashore. We were obviously going to be here beyond the projected departure time of two hours hence.
The sense of urgency soon melted away as we were warmly greeted by dozens of brightly clad women with strapped-on infants; strong, healthy young men with bright smiles; and, running, laughing, children. Despite the formidable language barrier there was a brief moment of common communication when the hokey pokey was taught and danced by unabashed members of both groups.
We were soon exploring the village, learning about newlywed-home construction, family size and housing arrangements, and weaver bird control in the village. Soon we came upon a coral-block-cemented limestone structure, which Luiz discovered is from the late 17th century and is Portuguese.
By now the staff had found Zodiac landing sites farther to the west, and some of us began the trek across the low tide flats to meet the boats. By the time we were all back on LePonant, the tide was rising, and the three stranded Zodiacs were beginning to lift. What a wonderful adventure the morning turned out to be.
As we motored toward Mafia Island we recounted our individual experiences over another delicious lunch. Later, Ian presented a slide-illustrated talk on the evolution of hominids, and we were left to wonder about our own origins and how well we understand them. back to the top Day 13
February 26
Mafia and Chole Islands The day greeted us as the ship approached the island of Chole, which is part of the Mafia Island Marine Park. We prepared for a long day of water-and-shore activities by taking a 1030 brunch. Le Ponant anchored in open ocean, just off the marine park. A sizable swell was running, and loading Zodiacs was a difficult task. With the help of much of the crew, loading was a success, and we were soon off to several destinations. Two boats headed for the mangrove to look for birds, two to a snorkel spot, and another group headed to the village on the north end of Chole Island.
After a rather rough ride to windward, the birding group managed to find calm water in the lee of mangroves. Once out of the wind they were treated to good looks at black kites, whimbrels, black-bellied plovers, dimorphic herons, and the rare crab plovers. Meanwhile, snorkelers enjoyed clear water, healthy coral, and great marine diversity, in part as a result of the protection provided by Mafia Island Marine Park.
Everyone now converged on the village, where a shore party of brightly clad women and excited children greeted us enthusiastically. We soon found the market, and many of us bought brightly colored oval prayer mats, a necessity in this largely Muslim country.
A brief hike across the island led to the discovery of small groupings of waddle-and-daub-constructed huts and a tree full of fruit bats. There was also a small school building with palm-frond-woven privacy walls, from which emanated the happy voices of dozens of children. The walk ended at a boat slipway where the hull of large dhow was being worked on solely with hand tools. A generator was in the nearby shed, but we were informed it hasn't worked for ten years. The hull has taken about four months to build, and the launch is scheduled for three weeks hence.
The ten-mile Zodiac run back to the ship was long, but the wind was with us, the tide slack, and the sun setting. And with a fabulous day behind us, the ride was even enjoyable. The Zodiac unloading went quite a bit smoother than the loading had, and we were happy to be back on our ship.
The captain's farewell cocktail party was soon under way, and everyone was sporting tans and fine clothes. The captain arrived in his double-breasted jacket, and we all enjoyed recounting the day's highlights. After dinner there was some brief dancing in the lounge, and we retired for the evening dreaming of tomorrow's destination: Zanzibar, fabled city of sultans and Livingstone and Stanley. back to the top Day 14
February 27
Zanzibar, Tanzania The Tanzanian coast slid by as the sun came up. Zanzibar was on the horizon. The sails of the cargo dhows began to appear and foretold of a trading port ahead. As we entered the protected port we saw everything from tankers to racing dhows and canoes navigating the trade-wind-swept, yet protected, waters.
A tug helped us alongside an enormous pier, and once luggage was sorted and sent ashore to the appropriate vehicles, we loaded into buses. Merchants lined the docks, hawking carvings and all forms of African tourist trinkets. Some of us were heading for the Serengeti and took a bus right to the airport; others were staying on the ship or going home, and these groups were off to spend some time in Stone Town, Zanzibar.
Our first stop was the House of Wonder, so named because of its architecture, progressive for the time, and for its status as the first electrified house in Zanzibar. The filigreed, three-floor structure now houses an excellent museum containing numerous exhibits, including ones on the history of trade in the Indian ocean, religion, Portuguese and Islamic influence, and artifacts from early British expeditions to mainland Africa.
Next we visited a former slave-trading center, which was converted to a church. The altar now sits behind the former whipping-post location, whose now-filled posthole can be seen in the terra cotta floor. In addition, Dr. Livingstone's influence in the area was so significant that an entire stained-glass window is dedicated in his honor.
Some of us now struck out on our own through the narrow, architecturally rich alleyways of Stone Town. Ornately carved doors with solid brass-faceted bolt heads decorated timeworn stucco building facades. Curios and antique shops brimmed with wares from all over Africa, and shopping could have gone on indefinitely. But some had to return for the sailing of Le Ponant to the Seychelles, while others bade the Indian Ocean farewell, Zanzibar providing a perfect sendoff. back to the top
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