Surf in the Seychelles

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool started the topic in Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 9:45am

So I've just been told my sister is getting married in the Seychelles at the end of November. She lives OS & I don't see her much, so I'm there.
A quick scope isn't getting my hopes up for decent surf but there are breaks & a varying coastline. Swell looks like the issue though. It'll be a quick trip 4-7 days? But I'll be family free so, after formalities, I'm free to roam. Anyone been or know's what to expect?

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool's picture
Fleazool Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 9:46am

Cheers for any info.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 9:55am

You can surf in the Seychelles by the seashore.

Thank you, I'll be here all week. Try the chicken parmigiana.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 9:56am

BTW, sorry to hijack. Don't know much about the surf locally but will have a look around.

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool's picture
Fleazool Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 10:19am

Ha. Got a grin at this end so your material is working, or may need some work!?
Looks like it has potential.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 10:47am

Photos of the Seychelles pop up occasionally in The Surfers Journal or the like, always in a I-cant-believe-I-scored type story. Check the portfolios of John S. Callahan or Michael Kew.

Also, get the latest updates on Somali pirates. A few years back resorts in the Seychelles were having issues with pirates reaching the Seychelles in speed boats.

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 10:53am

"If the Republic of Seychelles could move a thousand miles west and trade places with the Chagos Archipelago, surfers would have a new Indian Ocean goldmine. But this won’t happen and Seychelles will be forever marginal, not worth your expense and wasted time for knee-high windswell.

"This is bad for Guillaume Albert. He likes to surf here on Mahé Island..."
AndyM's picture
AndyM's picture
AndyM Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 11:03am

Beautiful place, fascinating history, epic seafood - just a shame that the Seychelles are in the wrong part of the ocean for surf.

I was there from January till April and saw very little swell, however I managed to get a couple of surfs in.
First was at Anse Royale, down the south east of the main island of Mahe. On Google Earth you can see a big gap in the reef in the middle of the bay - there's an average left that breaks into this gap.
Second was up at Grand Anse, across the island from the main town of Victoria. Grand Anse is a sandy bay with some patchy rock and at the north west end there's a beach break with a right. From memory it was maybe two foot.
And be careful, you don't want to end up with anse in your panse..
Thankyaverymuch and don't forget to try the pretzels.

While you're there make sure you get across to La Digue, magic little spot with no cars, just bicycles. If the weather's rough for the ferry trip from Mahe to La Digue, just be careful who you sit in front of or they may vomit down your back.

Also, while you're in the Seychelles, track down a creole-style seafood buffet. The green job fish and crayfish are all-time.

Just remembered, I seem to recall talk of passable surf right up the north end around Machabee.

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool's picture
Fleazool Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 12:29pm

Cheers Stu
A couple good vids in there.
I noticed how close it was to pirate territory!

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool's picture
Fleazool Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 12:45pm

Thanks heaps Andy.
Looks like options right around so you'd hope there was somewhere, maybe?
I'll hope for a grovel & anything more would be a bonus.
Hungry just thinking about a crayfish dinner.

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 12:47pm

"If the Republic of Seychelles could move a thousand miles west and trade places with the Chagos Archipelago, surfers would have a new Indian Ocean goldmine."

Reckon the Seychelles would be better off moving east to achieve this ;)

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 12:52pm

Ha ha...dry Andy.

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Thursday, 26 Oct 2017 at 1:12pm

Yeah Flea, I think if you've got plenty of volume in your board you'll find a grovel somewhere, and you never know, you might luck into something really fun.

It's a great place though, the locals are friendly enough and there's a bit to do if you feel motivated.

- walk up Morne Seychellois or the Trois Freres behind Victoria

- track down a local beach party, when I was there they were a regular thing in Port Launay, maybe on Sundays? You'll probably be the only foreigner there but no dramas.

- live out your Robinson Crusoe fantasies and swim from the mainland across to Ille Therese which is about 700m. Hang out on the island husking coconuts and swimming. The water clarity in that channel was some of the best I've ever seen anywhere, 50m+ visibility, just phenomenal. No fuck it, I'll call the viz 80m that day, it was unbelievable.

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool's picture
Fleazool Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 at 10:17am

Cheers for the pre trip comments fellas. Thought I'd let you know how I went.
Only a couple feet of trade swell from the south east predicted so expectations weren't high. Only a short trip too so had to make do with the main island.
So day one followed my nose down to the southern end which looked like the best chance of waves. Found the beach I was after & paddled out on my own into bath warm 2-3 ft turquoise peaks. Patchy reef jacked the swell into little lefts and rights. Couple of local kids joined me after a bit. Nice to get one under the belt.
Back the next day and had the joint to myself for the whole sesh. Similar conditions. Nothing epic, but the waves were only part of the experience. Pretty trippy.
I'd kept an eye out for options on the trips down and found a couple of rights that looked kinda dreamy. Maybe it was the heat? Just not enough swell wrapping up the coast to get them going. A log maybe would have been fun.
The beachies were ok but when the monsoon storms picked up, and there was a couple feet of wind swell from the west, I looked to other corners of the island. At one spot the angle of the coast, and the continuous near shore reef that runs along it, was just teasing as the short period swell once again failed to deliver. Parts of the reef seemed likely. Maybe it was the heat again? If that corner, along with many others I passed, did get a quality swell anything is possible.
No doubt more breaks lay dormant, hiding in plain sight. I got word of a few on the west coast, but this time of year? With time & a boat there must real gems further afield on the 100 plus others islands.
Maybe next time........maybe.

As far as a return surf trip goes I dunno. You'd want to be sure of swell or have time up your sleeve at the right time of year. Having said that the scenery, landscape & food is worth the effort. The people are pretty laid back and don't seem bothered by tourists, just go about their business. So laid back that often half the speed limit was the right pace to be getting around. Everyone I did speak to though were happy for a chat or offer directions, and I never felt uneasy cruising around on my own.

Never posted a pic so hopefully these come through.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Friday, 8 Dec 2017 at 12:46pm

Nice work.

Looks beautiful. You got my lady even keener for a trip there....if that's possible.

Nice food you say ?

Fleazool's picture
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Fleazool Friday, 8 Dec 2017 at 1:03pm

Cheers. Yeah it is a nice place & the food was good. Kinda basic but full of flavour.
Fish of the day straight from the boat to the bbq at the Sunday market, or more traditional local Creole cuisine of curried fish with rice, noodles, salads etc at a restaurant.
A few refreshing Seybrews got downed in the short time I was there too.

amb's picture
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amb Friday, 8 Dec 2017 at 3:15pm

great pics