Settling in, Seychelles style

A belated happy new year to all you good tIA readers! I hope you all enjoyed the festive season and have great hopes and plans for 2015 – I have a feeling it’s going to be the best yet!

Apologies for the extended time between blog posts but it has been a very hectic few weeks for me leaving behind my family, friends career and home comforts for a new life on Desroches Island here in the Seychelles – there’s been a lot going on to say the least!

The journey here was as awkward and convoluted as any I seem to make but after two rearranged flights from Heathrow and Dubai and then finding I wasn’t even on the list for the internal flight from Mahe (the capital island) to Desroches I finally landed on the impossibly narrow tree fringed air strip on the Island accompanied only by the band who were to play at the resort on new years eve. They were clearly in it for a good time and after slugging a bottle of rum between them they performed an impromptu rehearsal for me mid-flight!

Desroches is totally stunning, a true Indian Ocean oasis. Every inch of the 14km of coastline is fringed by white sands which contrast beautifully with the lush green tropical rainforest on one side and the glorious azure blue of the ocean on the other. Palm trees create a cooling canopy and nearly every one has a couple of fallen coconuts nestling at its base.

My two weeks here so far have been a fortnight of firsts, a combination of having to learn a new job and a new life rolled in to fourteen days of slightly overwhelming wonder. There are over a hundred staff on the island dedicated to ensuring that the guests here have the most amazing experience, and it’s hard not to in an environment like Desroches. Within a few days of arriving I had seen whales, dolphins, turtles, giant tortoises and most importantly all manner of exciting new fish!

My new job as been a very steep learning curve – I had never even been on an offshore boat before but I feel like I’m already becoming a competent deck hand already and since I’ve never encountered many of the species we’re catching every single take is exciting! We’ve boated yellowfin tuna, wahoo, bonito, grouper, rainbow runners and sailfish in the last seven days alone. The sheer quantity of fish in the waters surrounding Desroches is unfathomable and each client leaves the boat with aching shoulders and big smiles. Unfortunately due to  unseasonably windy weather I’m yet to guide on the flats at Poivre, though I was lucky enough to catch an hours fishing there myself whilst delivering fuel to the homestead. We stalked a pair of permit that didn’t eat before sulking away back through the channel leaving my appetite well and truly whetted.

My first fish on Desroches, an Emperor Snapper

As you would expect I’ve taken as many opportunities to fish as possible, though these chances have been limited due to work. I’ve caught a few fish on fly kit, small bluefin trevally, wave garrick, some snapper and a fish we’re still trying to identify. I’ve spent a little time on the flats here which may be a little more limited than Poivre but have already revealed a few bonefish and GT to me, the latter swimming within a couple of rod lengths of my legs before I decided that he was close enough. I’m excited to tackle our home flats in the near future!

Like something out of an aquarium, a Swallowtail Grouper

I’ve also taken the chance to introduce the fish around the island to my LRF kit and have had great success catching small bluefin rock cod and threadfin on the same kit I use back home to catch little perch from the canal. The fish here definitely pull back harder!

LRF Seychelles style! We’re still not sure what this fish is..

Hopefully next time I find the time to write a post I’ll have news of bigger fish and grander adventures – I’ve got a good feeling that things are going to get even more epic ere fairly soon!

tight lines all!

andy