Mayotte
On reaching the beautiful island of Mayotte, a part of the Cormoro Islands administered as an overseas collectivity of France, we found ourselves well and truly in the Indian Ocean tropics. As we disembarked just after breakfast, the day was already hot and humid with bright sunshine streaming down between puffy white clouds and reflecting from the azure waters of the lagoon. All around our anchorage were islands of different sizes and shapes like a fistful of emeralds flung onto the surface of the sea. There were jungles and reefs to explore, a couple of small towns to get to know and all the delights of the idyllic life found on tropical islands all around the world.
The highlight of the visit for many was a trip to the small island of Mbouzi, a reserve for the Mayotte lemur. Not knowing exactly what to expect, we were delighted when we discovered numerous lemurs in the trees and shrubs just a few steps above the beach. Sighting the feeding platforms that have been built in several small trees we understood the reason for the lemurs’ tameness, but this in no way dampened our enthusiasm for having such a very close encounter with these gentle and lovely creatures.
Mbouzi also offered us a wonderful respite from the heat of the afternoon in a marine reserve just off shore where many of us enjoyed some top quality snorkeling on a large coral bommie. The vertical and overhanging sides of this patch reef rose to a nearly flat summit only three feet below the glassy calm surface, just about the best conditions imaginable for easy snorkeling. There were a beautiful variety of corals including delicate Acorpora table coral, lettuce coral and several nice colonies of bubble coral, all providing home for a delightful spectrum of reef fish, including butterflies, surgeons, tangs, damsels, parrots and the special good-observer-prize of the day, the delicate banded pipefish.
Ah, the tropics! It’s always wonderful to return to these easy-going latitudes and to feel the caress of warm waters and gentle evening breezes.
On reaching the beautiful island of Mayotte, a part of the Cormoro Islands administered as an overseas collectivity of France, we found ourselves well and truly in the Indian Ocean tropics. As we disembarked just after breakfast, the day was already hot and humid with bright sunshine streaming down between puffy white clouds and reflecting from the azure waters of the lagoon. All around our anchorage were islands of different sizes and shapes like a fistful of emeralds flung onto the surface of the sea. There were jungles and reefs to explore, a couple of small towns to get to know and all the delights of the idyllic life found on tropical islands all around the world.
The highlight of the visit for many was a trip to the small island of Mbouzi, a reserve for the Mayotte lemur. Not knowing exactly what to expect, we were delighted when we discovered numerous lemurs in the trees and shrubs just a few steps above the beach. Sighting the feeding platforms that have been built in several small trees we understood the reason for the lemurs’ tameness, but this in no way dampened our enthusiasm for having such a very close encounter with these gentle and lovely creatures.
Mbouzi also offered us a wonderful respite from the heat of the afternoon in a marine reserve just off shore where many of us enjoyed some top quality snorkeling on a large coral bommie. The vertical and overhanging sides of this patch reef rose to a nearly flat summit only three feet below the glassy calm surface, just about the best conditions imaginable for easy snorkeling. There were a beautiful variety of corals including delicate Acorpora table coral, lettuce coral and several nice colonies of bubble coral, all providing home for a delightful spectrum of reef fish, including butterflies, surgeons, tangs, damsels, parrots and the special good-observer-prize of the day, the delicate banded pipefish.
Ah, the tropics! It’s always wonderful to return to these easy-going latitudes and to feel the caress of warm waters and gentle evening breezes.
