There’s more to Alphonse Island than fly fishing, as many of our non-angling guests will know. We’ve just received this report of August sightings which confirms just this. There were consistent manta encounters, strong shark diversity, and the first humpback whale sighting of the season. It’s worth noting that between July and September visitors to this Seychellois wonderland can take advantage of the Island Season special offer.
Beneath the surface this August
Manta rays showed up with a consistency few would expect from this month. In one week alone, guests joined three separate manta experiences, with every guest getting into the water alongside the mantas, some who’d already had one encounter simply asked for another. Later in the month, a trip out toward St François turned into another find, with guests and the team swimming alongside a manta on the journey home. In the final week, several more mantas were spotted during a surface interval.
Sharks were a near-daily presence throughout the month. Grey reef, silvertip and nurse sharks moved through dives across the weeks, while tawny nurse sharks appeared on every outing during one particularly active stretch. On a single dive, a fever of 13 eagle rays gathered, the kind of encounter that doesn’t happen every month.
In shore and on shore
When the wind kept boats closer to shore, a record 17 guests joined a cycle tour, while 13 took to the water on a guided kayak. As conditions eased, diving picked up in earnest. Two guests extended their stay by a week to dive, while another two logged 10 dives each before departing.
Beyond the guest experiences, every department on Alphonse came together for a beach clean-up covering Alphonse, Bijoutier and St François. By the end of the effort, 393.65 kg of rubbish had been collected, a reminder that a quieter week on the water can be put to giving something back to the islands.
If you our report on Alphonse Island has caught your eye and you would like more information on this stunning location please contact Charlotte Chilcott or Peter McLeod or call us on +44 1980 847389. Alternatively click HERE if you would like us to contact you.
