Year 3 -11 June 2026 -Grand Baie- Mauritius- Day out to the Islands.
We woke early as we were going on a trip today. We had an early papaya breakfast with granola and yoghurt. We also had more toast.
We left about 7.45am and went to the club for a while and then walked into town to meet the rep. We paid and waited on the beach for our boat. This was a reasonable sized speed boat with 2x150 hp engines on the back. It was licensed to take 21 but we were about 18 with 4 of them being children.
We set off and the skipper Sandy did a small briefing and then we were off passing Stormbird at a reasonable speed. Once we were through the reef we encountered a bit of swell so he could not go full speed and would ride the waves and he seemed to helm well.
We took about 35 minutes to get to Gabriel Island which was to the North and Flat Island was just South of it and there was a coral reef in the middle. We passed the third island Gunners Quoin on the way which was a shear cliff in the shape of a crocodile’s mouth but filled in.
Gabriel island was about 40 acres of sand and shrub probably about 50 foot high at its highest. There was a large sandy area where we sat and then Hisham, Joyce and Carolyn went for a snorkel. We chatted to the rangers who were there is look after the island and to clean it and monitor it which I thought was a good initative.
There were a lot of white birds with long tails called the White-Tailed Tropical Bird and on Flat Island they have Red Tailed Tropical Birds. They also has some endemic geckos.
We were one of the first boats to arrive and within an hour the party catamarans came which we had seen leave harbour before us and which we had passed on the way. It was soon quite crowded. As we arrived we could see the rays moving – dark patches on the bottom moving slowly around. There were some turtles and Carolyn and Joyce saw one.
We were there a couple of hours and our boat returned and took us off to Flat Island- which was not flat at all and had a lighthouse on it. We had a barbecue overlooking the sea which was lovely. We were given chicken, sausages and salad followed by barbecued pineapple and honey. It was enjoyable and we talked to our fellow guests- Juan and Christina – who were on their honeymoon and who were from Madrid, Spain, John and Sureal from Paris and the family with the children were from Reunion and who were here on holiday.
After a lazy lunch we then left by boat to snorkel at a cove in Gunners Quoin. Coin de Mire, or Gunner’s Quoin as it’s also known, is an offshore island in the north of Mauritius. You can reach Coin de Mire by speedboat or catamaran, but stepping foot on the islet isn’t allowed, as it’s a protected nature reserve. People come here to see the rust-orange cliffs from the water, where seabirds such as the graceful red-tailed tropicbird or wedge-tailed shearwater soar and swoop above you.
Coin de Mire is also known for its amazing snorkelling opportunities. Joyce and Carolyn snorkelled and saw some of the reef’s most curious creatures, from damselfish to moray eels. From the mainland, some say the angular shape of Coin de Mire’s cliffs makes the island look like a giant whale drifting along the Indian Ocean. We were given what was called “Vitamin” en route. This was essentially a rum punch.
Once we finished we returned to Gran Baie. It had been a great day and we walked back to the club and Stormbird. As we had quite a big lunch it was cheese and biscuits again. We go back to Port Louis tomorrow in preparation for leaving for Reunion, the next day.
The picture of the day is the view from Gabriel Island toward Gunners Quoin and Mauritius.
Need/Opportunity Year Three
I am now in Mauritius and will be going to Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.
I have now found additional crew for Mauritius to Durban. There may be space from Durban to Cape Town from about the beginning of July and we should arrive in Cape Town on about 25-30 July 2026. If at all interested contact me on my email below or WhatsApp +44 7931360372.
The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com