I would have been thrilled to spend another month traveling Sri Lanka with its resplendent landscapes and colorful festivals.
But the Captain was dreaming of diving off the back of Amandla in abandoned anchorages and experiencing the sea’s bounty underwater.
So we lifted anchor and set sail for The Maldives.
In preparation for our visit, I’d referenced Lonely Planet, a good starting point to form the basis for any holiday. But while it highlighted a bit of Maldivian history, a few prime dive spots and a couple of interesting things to do in the capital city of Malé, it seemed to be primarily focused on the 100 + resorts; ‘one for every budget’ starting at $400 per day. And another 120 resorts are slated for development in the coming years!!!
Sailing friends had recommended a few boat friendly properties, but anchoring off resorts was not on The Captain’s itinerary, so I looked for travel inspiration elsewhere.
I referenced Noonsite and several blogs from favorite mariners (Ocelot, Totem, Adina, Alba) who had sailed here in previous years. The posts that were written in 2015 and before told of a rich underwater world. Those written afterward told a markedly different story. Mass coral bleaching starting with the last El Nino in 2015 and continuing with elevated water temperatures well into 2016 had turned many of the reefs into coral graveyards.
Still, we had hope. There were reports of healthy coral in some areas and the possibility of swimming with mantas, whale sharks, white tips, black tips, eagle rays, stingrays, turtles, and dolphins.
We arrived on 16 April and were given a warm welcome from the local officials in Uligamu. Our agent Assad from Real Seahawks organized a lovely beach barbeque for Amandla and another boat calling in at Uligamu. At sunset, we were treated to dolphins jumping in the anchorage.
As we made our way through the north and central atolls, we enjoyed ‘50 shades of blue’ in every anchorage, but underwater our hopes were dashed time and again. We witnessed 90% to 100% coral mortality and a scarcity of large (and sometimes small) reef fish.
We set out to try our luck with manta rays in Rasfari, but only managed to see a dive boat, a few large sting-rays, and a very handsome turtle.
And while I did manage to spot a whale shark in Dhigurah, South Ari Atoll, it was a bit of a traumatizing experience. Unlike most areas that we’ve visited in The Maldives, this spot was LITTERED with dive boats.
I was in the water with The Captain, our friend Lucio and a couple of snorkelers from one of the dive boats when a whale shark swam past. I started to swim alongside her but then the other dive boats started to close in en masse and throngs of snorkelers (50+) jumped into the water, swarming the gentle giant. I didn’t want to be part of it so I turned around and swam back to our dinghy, dodging more dive boats that were moving in to let their snorkelers have a go.
If done correctly, ‘eco-tourism’ can be a great thing for wildlife, local populations, and visitors. A more respectful, sustainable model, conducted with gratitude is needed.
When we swam with the humpbacks in Vava’u Tonga, there were few boats in the area and the companies had an unwritten rule – 1 boat (no more than 6 divers) to a whale pod at a time. The other boats had to wait in the distance or go find another pod. Luckily, the pods abound in Vava’u. The humpback whales there swam with us for quite some time and did not seem at all bothered by our presence. They were playfully interactive.
The highlight for me in the central atolls was a visit to Malé (you can take the girl out of the city but you can’t take the city out of the gal). City streets, bountiful markets, and friendly locals can always perk up my spirits.
We anchored in nearby Himmafushi – a cool little place in its own right – and were quickly transported by fast ferry to Malé.
As we make our way south, healthier reefs are encouraging us once again. We are currently anchored of uninhabited Kadufushi at the top of Thaa atoll spending our days underwater exploring numerous, well-spaced bommies.
The coral seems to be making a comeback here and we’ve seen small and large fish as well as sting-rays, white tip sharks, black tip sharks, dolphins, an octopus, and lobsters.
We’ve heard that reef health will continue to improve as we make our way to the far south.
We will exit The Maldives from Gan on 15 May and sail onward to Madagascar with an extended stopover in remote Chagos. We will be off-grid for about 45 days until we arrive in Madagascar but I will send periodic position updates through our Iridium which you can follow on this website’s sidebar, Farkwar or Twitter.
And if you miss me while I am away, be sure to listen to my interview with Aaron Schlein on his Dramatic Travels Podcast.
I first learned of Aaron’s podcast through my friend and fellow-traveler Third-Eye Mom (Nicole Melancon) and have been a fan ever since.
Aaron started this Podcast to ignite ‘curiosity and open minds to the power of travel. He also wants us, as adults, to have a greater understanding of what we can do to inspire the young people in our lives.’
The Dramatic Travels podcast is a great tool to help you turn your travel dreams into reality. You’ll find many inspirational stories from ‘the world’s most passionate and influential travelers who share emotionally-charged memories of the people and places that inspired them—and changed their lives forever.’
You can find my interview here and Aaron’s Dramtic Travels website here.
See you in Madagascar!
Hi, Lisa – I am glad to hear that you are currently anchored off of uninhabited Kadufushi, spending your days with underwater exploring. Your photos are stunning (as usual) and your post is extremely thought-provoking. I look forward to following your updates.
Always a pleasure to see you here Donna! Thank you as always for your lovely compliments. Have been thinking of your ‘Experiment’ as we prepare to spend 45 days offline in Chagos. Time without an internet connection will certainly reduce my screen time, but I have visions of using that downtime to write and hone my photography skills which may just shift my screen time from ‘internet’ based activities to books, pre-downloaded videos, and reflective writing. My top priority is to spend twice a day exploring the underwater world of Chagos…and to do a bit of spring cleaning. We shall see how it all turns out.
Is it cynical of me to wonder how long it will be until the southern islands are also overrun with resorts and dive boats and their reefs die off?
Reef and marine life are national treasures which must be protected. Lose these things and the tourists will eventually go elsewhere. The focus has shifted ‘from solar power and carbon neutrality to development for mass tourism to give its young people hope for the future’. But dredging and dumping of millions of tonnes of sand to build tourist islands is also believed contribute to coral mortality. It is a balancing act that I hope The Maldives gets right.
The building of artificial islands seems to be a hot trend. Even Sweden, supposedly dedicated to a sustainable future, has done it. As the ocean levels rise, it is predicted more and more nations will consider this as an option for those who can afford it.
I wonder if Sweden has found a way to build artificial islands sustainably. Your recent post has me longing to explore her vast archipelago under sail.
That would be an interesting topic to explore! You would love sailing in Scandinavia! All those coves and fjords and harbors, all set to pretty villages or vast wilderness….
That’s absolutely heartbreaking about the reef devastation. Greed at its finest. Does not inspire me to visit the Maldives. At all. Male would probably be the high point for me as well. At least there’s life there. I’m starting to rant. Sorry. Safe sailing to Madagascar. I’m really envious of that one.
I wish that greed took a longer time view ‘Let’s invest in our future, treasuring what we have so that it flourishes and provides for us for years to come.” But now it is me that is ranting. I do hope that the reefs return to their former glory! Thank you for your bon voyage. I am so looking forward to Madagascar…and to 45 days offline before I arrive there. I hope the world manages not to blow itself up while I am gone. BTW, I thought of you the other day when reading the reflections of a young friend who is just completing his first year of world travel (‘Travel Is Not A Cure’ ). Wanderlust is eternal.
Ohhh, I’m so glad that the coral situation is improving towards the south. I’ve seen the film Chasing Coral, just mind-blowing. The next day as you leave I will celebrate my birthday and toast to safe Amandla’s voyage as well. Excellent report!
Hello from Gan! We just completed an overnight sail across the equator! I had not heard of Chasing Coral but so glad you let me know it is out there. We hope to stream it before we leave for Chagos! We will toast your birthday as we make way and share a glass of beer with Neptune in your honor. Look forward to catching up again when we get to Madagascar.
Yeah! Hello, Lisa! Some dream about it, others cross the equator in the night. I’m so glad that I mentioned this film then! I was sure you’ve seen it yet. It’s quite horrendous though, but you’ve seen how it is with your own eyes. Cin cin, Neptune! And Lisa!
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Thanks so much for the “mini vacation” through my screen, those shades of blue are absolutely lovely! Safe travels to Madagascar, I’ll be following your position updates.
Ha! It is me that should thank you for satisfying my city cravings with your magnificent black and white series of Seattle architecture. As I said ‘you can take the gal out of the city…’. Still, I am loving the blues as we make our way south and then west to Madagascar via Chagos. We arrived in Gan this morning after crossing the equator overnight and are anchored off a lovely little village at the seeming ‘edge of the world’. Thanks for sailing to Madagascar with us virtually on Twitter
I’ll happily share black and white city photos if it means I get to “virtually” sail along on your adventures! Now I can’t wait to see your photos from Gan and hear all about the sail to Madagascar once you arrive.
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Great blog ! Quite a few others recently told us they were quite disappointed with the Maladives … Fair winds and enjoy your crossing! Xx
Ahoy from Gan! We just completed an overnight across the equator! 5th time across on Amandla. We are quite keen to continue on to Chagos in hopes of a better underwater experience there. Look forward to catching up with you again virtually once we get to Madagascar.
Thanks for the insightful update, Lisa! Have a great sail over to Madagascar. Cheers, Nora
Thanks for sailing along with us virtually Nora. I am guessing that you will be bringing out the Blue Beast more frequently now that the sailing season is upon you there.
What a pity – Andrew visited the Maldives 30 odd years ago and found the coral fascinating….’seems everything must come to an end eventually – but from the ashes (or in this cases bleaches…). Safe trip…. xx
How lucky Andrew was to visit here 30 years ago. The first coral bleaching occurred in 1998 (probably after his visit) and it took 10 years to recover. I am hopeful that health returns to the reefs again. The signs of recovery that we’ve seen in the south are encouraging. Thank you for the bon voyage. Look forward to catching up with you again when we reach Madagascar.
Wow Lisa. What a picturesque adventure you are having in the Maldives. But absolutely saddening to hear about the marine and coral life over there. It was very reserved of you to not rush with the pack and go after the whale shark. I wonder if the other divers made it swim away really fast. Lovely to hear you had a better experience with the humpback whales – sounds quiet, non-disruptive and like friends approaching friends. Also lovely to hear you got to visit Malé and you got to experience a bit of bustling town life again.
Congrats on the podcast feature It is a lovely panorama shot you took. As usual, your photography is ace. Good luck onwards towards Madagascar. It sounds like it will be another new adventure for you. Wobbles and clan over here wish you well. Sail safe ??
Thank you for all the love Mabel. Always puts a smile on my face to hear from you, Mr Wobbles, and his entourage. Speaking of Mr Wobbles, did he deliver any cupcakes and balloons recently? I love how you linked the ‘cupcakes’ in your recent post to the ‘Unlikely’ challenge ;-).
We’ve done our last passage in The Maldives to Gan, crossing the equator overnight, and are now enjoying a few quiet days to prepare for the next leg of our journey. Looking forward to it.
Good to hear you are enroute to your next destination. Hoping it will b ea peaceful month for you and Amandla. It seems that Mr Wobbles downed all the cupcakes and left no trace. No surprise since he is a very cheeky little thing, and it was a quiet birthday – which is good
Cheeky monkey…but that is why we love him. Glad you had an enjoyable day even if it was sans cupcakes
It’s not easy, is it? Once upon a time Maldives and Seychelles were just names and inaccessible except to the rich. These days I have a friend who’s been to the Maldives twice, and she doesn’t come in the rich category. The more accessible places become the more damage we are liable to do. The coral situation is tragic but at least there is awareness now and a will to improve things. Take a few hugs along with you, Lisa
Definitely not easy. I am in favor of access for all but also in favor of conservation and protection of national treasures. A balance between the two is needed. I am curious to know of your friend’s experience here. She has visited twice. What brought her back a second time?
They wanted a lazy holiday and they really enjoyed proximity to the beach (and swim up pool bar ). They stayed on a different island the second time. They’re not very active people, Lisa.
Well the beaches and accommodations here are second to none so they definitely came to the right place. And the sense of luxurious remoteness is also very alluring ?
What a disappointment to find the ecosystem deteriorating in an unhealthy way. Still, you were able to take some fabulous shots. The color of the water always impresses me and makes me long for the ocean. I can’t wait to listen to the podcast and actually hear your voice. Happy sailing and I look forward to reports of your Madagascar adventure.
Thank you for all the love (and support (and for voluntarily listening to my podcast)) Michele. There are definitely positives in The Maldives. I will not soon forget energy filled Malé, the ’50 shades of blue’ or anchoring off uninhabited islands. We are in Gan now, having sailed across the equator overnight. Finishing up preparations to be ‘off-grid’ (meaning no grocery stores in addition to no internet) for 45 days. Looking forward to the timeout and to arriving in Madagascar.
I know the Maldives were your version of my Ecuador, but it sounds like there were some redeeming moments. I didn’t realize you’d be offline the whole way to Madagascar … I’ll try to spend those 45 days or more working on my plan to appear there!
? The Maldives were definitely my version of your Ecuador. I actually used your ‘silver lining’ adage to turn things around here for me. About halfway through, I put a daily reminder in my calendar to reflect on the good thing(s) that had happened each day. That put things in perspective. Looking forward to seeing how your Madagascar plans shape up. We will have a blast!
Your photos are super amazing, the excitement of swimming with whales, OMG, and your adventurous travels, they are just so exciting, although some come with sadness. Madagascar! I can’t wait to learn of your experiences there.
Thank you Lisa for your experiences help me learn more of the other side, of their cultures, their way of living, the good and the bad, and helps me realize how big this planet really is, and that we are not so different although it may look that way. I hope I made sense. God Bless!
I am bowled over by your generous compliments Eva! While it is a big planet it is a small world indeed. The differences make it interesting and the similarities give hope of a brighter tomorrow. I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful art when I reach Madagascar. You’ve got 50 days to create. No pressure.
How sad to read of the coral and the problems of “over tourism”. It’s a conundrum – allowing people to enjoy the world’s resources while protecting them at the same time. But that Maldives blue! Stunning.
A conundrum indeed Anabel. One that I will be mulling over in the weeks to come. Above the waterline, The Maldives is quite breathtaking. I am hopeful that underwater it can return to its former glory soon.
It’s always exciting to see an email alerting me to a new post from you. Like you (and your commenters) I am saddened to see the destruction of the coral reefs. I read somewhere recently that scientists are testing 3D printing as a way to recreate the reefs. That would be good (I hope) for the sealife that makes their home among the coral, but it certainly wouldn’t be the same for the divers who appreciate the beauty of the area. I’m glad to know that you have crossed the equator (did you notice the change from spring to fall ?) and will be spending a good amount of time diving and photographing. Stunning photos as usual… keep ’em coming!
I adore seeing your comments here Janis! Thank you for your visit and supportive friendship.
I had not heard of the use of 3D printing as a way to recreate reefs and was curious to learn more. Here is the article that you may have come across although there are many others. It is a curious idea that seems like it just may work not only to give a protective environment for marine life but also to give real coral a place to flourish again. Very interesting.
And the first thing that I thought of when we crossed the equator again was my jump from spring to fall (and gasp, soon winter will be upon us ?). While it is hard to tell the difference in the tropics, I suddenly find myself thinking in terms of autumnal colors rather than tulips and daffodils even if its only coconuts and palm trees outside of my mind.
Your shot of the two humpback is incredible!
?Thank you Allan. That was the top moment of my entire sailing adventure. I feel blessed to have swum with those gentle giants.
I was really saddened reading this post. While the photos are beautiful (as usual), I understand now your comment on IG about not enjoying the Maldives. For the past few years, I’ve been increasingly concerned about our footprint as we travel. Scenes with throngs of tourists, and situations like you described with the diving boats, are alarming. The question I haven’t resolved for myself is how can I travel without being just one more tourist impacting the local environment? It’s easy to be delusional and pretend I’m not part of the problem ?
As always, safe travels Lisa. Looking forward to your next update!
I totally hear you Joanne and I haven’t resolved that question for myself either. It is definitely a question I want to explore further. Consumers have a lot of power. Perhaps it is steering clear of less respectful destinations, visiting destinations off-the-beaten-track, opting for local foods and accommodation, spending more time at home appreciating what is in our own backyards? At a minimum, it is being environmentally conscious wherever one travels. Thank you for your visit, compliments, and your ear while I was having my little pity party in paradise.
I wouldn’t think of it as you having a pity party. That would be much too close to that hated expression ‘first world problem’. That obnoxious expression implies that you don’t have a right to your feelings and sense of dissatisfaction with what is happening. On the contrary, your feelings and dissatisfaction were both thoughtful and caring – appropriate under the circumstances!
Well you are lovely to say. Thank you for your supportive words. I was self-critical because I feel that I am blessed to be out here and should not feel sorry for myself when the world shows me its uglier side. I definitely feel sorry for the reefs, the invaded marine life, and the impacted populations, but I am grateful for my experiences, good or ill.
Just one word, Lisa. BREATHTAKING. Everything about this post is so grand and humble at the same time. A good human sees beauty and if there’s a scar, discusses ways to cure it. Your absolute love for reefs is apparent and inspiring. There are travelers and then there are travelers who’re sensitive – you are the latter and I’m so proud of you. Keep up your great responsible adventurism and I look forward to more and more of these stunning posts. All the best, and happy Mother’s day
Thank you for all the love Mahesh ?. Your kind support and generous compliments have made my day. Looking forward to reconnecting with you in the virtual anchorage when we reach Madagascar and reading more of you wonderful stories.
What a shame about the bleached reefs. Lisa. We’ve seen a few of those in French Polynesia and it is a sad sight. The effect seems to be much worse in the Maldives, though. I’m sorry you haven’t been able to swim with the mantas. You still got time!
And what a horrible tourist experience with the whale shark. Yikes! It reminds me of the time we did a whale watch tour a year or so ago, in Southern California. From the moment a whale was spotted, all the tour boats and private vessels would crowd in. Awful and unethical, and this was in the US! Or, those other times when wildlife watching in less developed countries, and tons of tourists are dumped in the water to swim with turtles. Insane.
I hope your last week in the Maldives was/is more spectacular, or at least pleasant and agreeable. Any street art in Male? Wishing you smooth sailing to Madagascar. Another milestone!!
PS: I read your blog yesterday, but my iPad didn’t let me comment. I hope to check out your podcast interview one of these weeks as well.
The only street art that we have seen is political with a picture of a candidate and the tagline ‘vote for so-and-so’. I’ve snapped some interesting pics as we’ve made our way through the atolls and may share them here in a future post.
We did enjoy a bit more time in the water this week and found healthier reefs as we made our way south, but the predominance of our time has been spent on passage making and provisioning for our next journey. We set sail tonight at 10:00 UTC (03:00 local time on 15 May). Maybe we will get lucky and see Mantas in Chagos
The beautiful reefs in the Tuamotus French Polynesia are the standard by which we judge every reef we’ve visited since 2013. We plan to sail back there by 2020 and hope that the bleaching you witnessed hasn’t spread widely there. Your marine tourism experiences are just heartbreaking.
PS.Thank you for even considering listening to the Podcast ?
Lisa, Fantastic pics. Some could be paintings. Here in NY they are taking parts of the old Tappan Zee bridge structure and transporting it elswhere in the area to create artificial reefs. They have had success with other concrete waste.
OMG! How cool is that! I was unaware of this and quickly went online to look up the announcement. Recycling at its finest. Something to look forward to visiting when I return home. Thanks for your visit and very generous compliments. Always a pleasure to hear from you.
Another great post and stunning photos! Sad to hear about the condition of the under water world. Mother Nature has a virus and it is called humans. She will recover but I doubt mankind will live to see it.
Curious why you will be off line for 45 days? What is the under water camera that you use?
Fair winds and stay safe,
Cheers,
John and Susan
Exactly! (Mother Nature’s virus). I do hope that we learn to live in sync with her again.
We will be offline for 45 days because it takes three days to sail to remote Chagos, we hope to stay there for the entirety of our 28 day permit, from there we have a 12-day sail to Madagascar, and then we have to check into that country and get data SIMS. We use our Iridium for text only email and weather and to send position updates and brief tweets. We do not use it to ‘surf the net’ due to the high expense and slow speed.
For underwater photography, I use a Canon G5X in Ikelite housing. Love it
Thank you for your visit and kind feedback on the photos. Look forward to catchong up again in July.
Stunning photos as usual, Lisa. I hope your last week in the Maldives was more pleasant than seeing how irresponsible tourism affects the wild. Wishing you and the crew safe sailing to Madagascar. I look forward to reading your next post, and will check out your podcast interview.
Wow Lisa just catching up! I can hardly wait to hear the podcast!!!! I am in such awe of your amazing adventures! Will listen to it ASAP and thanks for bringing me to parts of the world that I can hardly wait to see!!!!
Ahoy from Madagascar Nicole! Thank you so much for introducing me to Dramatic Travels and for listening to my interview! And as always, thank you for sailing with me virtually and taking me along on your grand adventures ?
So glad to hear you are doing well, wonderful photos and as usual Beautiful places! <3
Ahoy from Madagascar T! Thank you for your visit and lovely compliments on the photos. The Indian Ocean has taken us to so many beautiful places. I can’t believe we’ve almost made our way to Africa
I wish I had the Maldives blues, I just want to dive into them. I enjoyed the captivating photos, happy sails.
I am a lucky girl :-). Delighted that you enjoyed the photos. Ahoy from Madagascar ??
Lisa, the water is just such an amazing colour! Really love to follow your progress as you are getting nearer to South Africa! Happy sailing!
Ahoy from Madagascar Aletta. We haven’t seen those kinds of blues since leaving The Maldives although we’ve seen many other beautiful things along the way! We are super close to South Africa now that we’ve made our way to Madagascar. It was a tough passage here from Chagos, but the most challenging ones await us in the Mozambique Channel and around The Cape. Daunting but doable ?
Indeed the blue Maldives, the colors are incredible! Interesting the see the effects of time and tourists on some of these areas. I got annoyed reading about the snorkelers crowding the whale shark (my own experience was both thrilling and sublime). You were smart to swim away…don’t those knuckleheads know that one swipe from the tail of the LARGEST fish in ocean would break their backs, and he would serenely swim away as if he’s batted a fly. Enjoy your disconnected time, Lisa, ironically, I may be more connected this summer, but my deck chair just outside my bedroom window is calling!
Ahoy from Madagascar Terri. Always a pleasure to see you here. The downtime time was awesome. Chagos was paradise and Madagascar sublime, albeit the sail here was a bit lively ?. And luckily we will have plenty of internet-free anchorages to enjoy here.
Hosting the Sunday Stills challenge will definitely keep you engaged this summer, but your timely relaunch is welcome given the ending of the Daily Post Weekly Challenge
Sounds good so far Lisa. Though it does look as if man is pouring concrete on every piece of desert island he can find. The island of my childhood now has a hotel with a tin roof on it…
Coral? When we went to Koh-Lanta, we took the almost obligatory boat trip, with snorkeling around the islands. I thought the coral was in bad shape. Too many improvised divers, hurting the coral with their fins, or even standing atop the reef…
Anyway, enjoy the turtles and the dolphins.
Brian
Luckily the coral did get a bit better in the south and we were blessed to visit Chagos where the lack of tourism and hotels has kept it even healthier. We are now enjoying Madagascar which sees less tourism than The Maldives (and thus, less concrete). Not sure what we will find underneath the waterline here but looking forward to exploring.
All the best. (Just mind the Plague, but I understand that’s in the highlands and later in the year…)
Most likely the sea should be cleaner than elsewhere. Madagascar is a poor country. Can’t afford to litter…
The sea is almost free of plastic and other garbage. We hope to remain plague free throughout our stay.
Please do.
And garbage/plastic free is good news.
Oh, bons vents.
Thank you Brian. It was a lively passage here (seas up to 5m and winds up to 30 kts on the beam) but we flew with the winds and arrived In Madagascar earlier than expected. Now it’s a lot of repairing and cleaning. Such is the life of a sailor
Such it is. We will be meeting in Paris with very old friends who have already bought their boat for a long trip around South America they are planning next year when he retires.
(You did have some rough seas…) Glad you are on land. Take care Lisa
How very exciting for your friends. We hope to do that same circuit in 2019-2020. Maybe we will see them somewhere along the way
Possibly. They told us the name of the boat, but I forgot. We have dinner booked with them in Paris early July. I will ask them the name again.
Wow! Your travels never fail to amaze me. I could keep reading and taking in every moment you spent in those gorgeous blue waters. I loved the picture of the forest, the journey from land to sea, and the last picture of the rainbow! It’s quite a transition that you’ve captured there. Your photography makes me feel like a virtual traveller. And since I don’t do too well with water and get nervous on boats or ferries, you post takes me so close to the beauty of our blue planet. Thank you for sharing your wonderful adventure! Safe travels to Madagascar. xo
I am delighted that you enjoyed this voyage through the blue Cheryl. Everyone has their discomfort zone. I feel at home in the open ocean, even in storm force conditions …although I prefer a gentle breeze. But put me in the air, even for brief flight as brief from NY to DC and watch me white knuckle it all the way. Ahoy from Madagascar ??
Wow! Madagascar sounds amazing. It’s been on my list forever. We’re just back from Indonesia. We couldn’t visit Komodo National Park though. I remember your travels from last year.
Madagascar gets more magical every day. I hope a visit here is in your near future. I can’t wait to read about all the wonderful places you did visit in Indonesia #I???
Wow! Those waters are gorgeous. That whale pic is awesome! Love the dolphins. and that one in Sri Lanka wear the men are pushing the (don’t know what it’s called — it’s all carved and too beautiful to be called a cart) is great–I can feel the effort as they push.
Thank you for all the love. Your compliments on the images have made my month. The men in Sri Lanka were pushing one of three ceremonial chariots that are brought out for the annual Chariot Festival. We were so fortunate to be anchored in Trincomalee during the festival and experience an explosion of color on a daily basis.
This is such a beautiful post. They’re getting better and better! Such expensive resorts! So many dead coral reefs! But sprawling ecosystems are out there and I’m so happy you’re hot on the trail! That picture with the humpback whales is just absolutely majestic. By the way, that podcast was wonderful to listen to today on my day off. You inspire me (in photography, blogging, living life) so much more every time I learn more about you. I can’t wait to get a chance to sit down with you next to a fire and just talk!
OMG Gerald feeling the love ?. How awesome are you to have listened to the podcast AND to shower me with so many lovely compliments. I look forward to meeting in person someday as your writing is an inspiration for me. Wherever we meet up, it will be grand.
The Maldives are one of the most mesmerizing travel destinations I have been to, Lisa. Your wonderful pictures brought back so many wonderful memories. I warmly recommend going on a yoga retreat there, it’s an unforgettable experience!
Your yoga retreat sounds and looks lovely Lydia. Just read your post and you’ve convinced me that a yoga retreat is a wonderful way to see The Maldives. Next time around. Cheers from Madagascar.
LIsa! Always such a joy to read your posts and look at the beautiful pictures you take! I hope your passage to madagascar will be peaceful. Stopping over in Reunion Island could be interesting: 2 volcanoes, an incredibly beautiful rock in the middle of the ocean. Ping me when you arrive in Madagascar, coming from the East, I would recommend anchoring in Ste Marie, the lagoon is amazing and is home to humpback whales and their calves. I lived there 2 years and loved it, if you need any recommendations — this is a magical island and I hope you are planning to stay a long time! Fair winds !
Ahoy from Nosy Be Sophie! Oh how we would have loved to have visited Ile Ste Marie (or Le Reunion for that matter) but The Captain did not want to sail that far southward (not a great angle from Chagos) so we approached Cap de Ambre from 12° 30 S and headed straight to the calmer, gentler westside of Madagascar. We’ll be hanging here (with a brief trip to Mayotte) until mid-September. If we can find a safe place to leave the boat (we’ve heard Sakatia might be an option), we will do some land travel, so I would welcome recommendations from your experience here! How lucky are you to have lived here for two years? The place is just marvelous!
It’s a wonderful place, with a lot of history, culture, good food, super nice friendly people and all the complications of an island! Nosy Be is a good start, Mahjanga is interesting, so is Diego, Morondava, Fort Dauphin, Tamatave and Antananarivo of course! I am trying to put in touch with good friends who’ve been living there for most of their lives and have a cool restaurant/lounge in Tana (Le KUDETA) and a B&B too (Lapasoa)…
So many good options! Thank you for your recommendations here and on Messenger. Would love to meet up with your friends if (when) we make our way to Tana. Also, did you ever have the good fortune to attend a Famadihanas?!?
The pictures here are beautiful!
Ahoy from Madagascar Tracy and thank you for your lovely compliments. After I submitted my help request, I dug deeper into settings and realized that I had disabled comments on posts after 28 days. I submitted a ‘disregard my help request’ but it is probably somewhere further down your queue. Anyhow, thank you for your response and kind comment. Cheers!
Hi Lisa. Have you touched land somewhere? Long time no hear.
Ahoy from Nosy Be Brian. Great to hear from you! Sorry for my delay on responding to your earlier comments. We arrived in Madagascar on 4 June after a crazy passage and immediately busied ourselves with checking in, cleaning, repairs and sleeping. I had intended to respond to comments three days ago, but we sailed into an anchorage without connection (lovely little Nosy Mamoko where the Lemur’s run free, time has stood still, and the internet has yet to arrive) so I was further delayed. Luckily, I had downloaded all the comments in the WP Reader so I was able to respond offline and then send when we reached internet again. We are headed back to Nosy Be for provisions and then will set out again. I’ll be over to your place for a virtual visit before we depart Nosy Be.
Hi Lisa. Several messages from you today left me reassured. Nosy Be? Quite a little corner of paradise I hear. My parents and little sister went in the ’70’s while we were in Kenya. (Couldn’t go as I was in boarder school. Darn) But I remember they loved it. Enjoy the peace. Take your time and make all necessary repairs.
Cheers. Ci vediamo doppo
There is so much to love here. Perhaps you are due for a visit?!? Va Bene
Madagascar must be interesting. A few childhood friends were raised there. I understand a good part of the population actually come from Indonesia, sailed to the island thousands of years ago. You haven’t posted yet have you?
Madagascar is a veritable melting pot of peoples. You can see Malay, Arabic, Asian, African, Indian, and even Polynesian influences. So cool. And the population is still sailing. Outriggers and handmade schooners dominate the waters here. Much commerce is still conducted under sail. As you can imagine, I am in heaven.
No new posts as of yet. Still need to write about our amazing 9 days in Chagos (and early eviction from that paradise due to a data error on our permit renewal – crazy). Cleaning, boat work and all the wow of Madagascar has me distracted but I promise something soon. But first, a visit to your place.
Place as in blog? Most welcome.
I can imagine your bliss. As you ay know I was practically raised “in” the sea. With the water only a few yards away from the breakfast table. Homeschooled so I could rush through lessons and jump into the water, snorkel, fish, take my inflatable boat out. And we had a small out-board to go to the islands every sunday. So, yes I can relate.
Hope the boat refurbishing goes well. Ci vediamo doppo.
What camera did you use the make that shot of the humpbacks?
Ahoy from Nosy Be, Madagascar Allan! I used a Canon G11 PowerShot for that photo. Sadly that camera ‘drowned’ on Hook Reef in Australia (underwater camera case filled with water). I now use a Canon G5X but I’ve never been able to reproduce the quality of the G11 photos with it. The G11 had this amazing underwater setting that got the photos right ever time. I have to create the settings on the GX5 and have yet to get the same effect. Of course, I haven’t run into humpback whales with the new camera either. I might get lucky here in Madagascar however. They swim through Nosy Be in June.
Good, because I really like that shot and I hope that you get to do more like that. The best wildlife shots are not the ones that simply show impressive animals but also capture animal behaviour. You nailed that with the whales.
The camera was clearly an excellent tool for the underwater work but still, you showed excellent skill to capture that image.
???
You are lovely to say Allan. We were blessed to be able to swim with these beautiful creatures for over an hour. It was us who left first because we didn’t want to overstay our welcome ?
Lisa it is so good to read you again… You paint a rather alarming picture of deterioration of the coral reef and natural environment. Thank you for your objective read on the eco tourism culture, it was pretty shocking to read about the lack of respect shown and the self inflicted wound by local boats who by their overly aggressive practices are setting the stage for deterioration.
It is not often when reading about the Maldives that one hears about the market place in the city, so that was surely a Dorenfest novelty.
We have yet to get to the Maldives, even though our home base in Sri Lanka is so close. I think we have been put off a bit by the high prices and by the political developments by the current government.
Ben & Peta
Ahoy from Madagascar Peta and Ben! Always a pleasure to hear from you. I roared at your comment about ‘the Dorenfest novelty’ in this post ;-). If you do ever find yourself in The Maldives, I recommend going the Guest House / Holiday Home route. More affordable and off-the-beaten-track with a better opportunity to meet the locals while looking out onto the gorgeous blue. These places started popping up during Mohamed Nasheed’s presidency and happily have remained open in spite of the political coup that resulted in his ouster.
Read this good news story about recent elections in the Maldives and thought of our on-line conversation from earlier this year #hopeful
I agree with what you say as to Eco- Turism … we should definitely be more careful with our seas ?… an invasive approach could be really harming for fishes, whales, dolphins, etc ????
The photos are amazing… (I loved that you used the expression: 50 shades of blue, by the way.
Hope Madagascar was amazing too. Love and best wishes, dear Lisa ?
Ahoy from Madagascar Amalia! Lovely to hear from you. We will remain here until late September when the conditions are optimal for a crossing to South Africa. This allows us time to slowly settle in to this amazing country that I’ve already fallen in love with. I hope to post something soon about our travels here. Those 50 shades of blue’ (?) remain in my dreams …and the mismanaged eco-tourism in my nightmares.
These photos are remarkable, Liza! What an amazing journey!!
Thank you for your very generous feedback Amy. Those Maldives blues were ‘postcard perfect’ every day!
Hi Lisa – I needed to leave a comment reply to finish up our last little comment chat – hope it is okay to
Leave my comment here – esp because something you wrote fits right in.
I wanted to thank you for bringing some
Freshness my way when we first started connecting in blogosphere a few years ago! Seriously – you were early in the sailing journey and brought that my way – but you also bright your New York girl side! And this post reminded me of that:
” (you can take the girl out of the city but you can’t take the city out of the gal)”
–
Also with this post….
I hope the eco-tourism industry does not damage and hurt wildlife as they find enjoyment –
And the picture with the two men on the boat is my fav of this post –
Wishing you safe travels and sending up a prayer for you both as you journey the seas!
Xxoo
Thank you for all the love on the blog this morning Yvette. I think we first connected in my early days sailing in New Zealand so we’ve been together for almost four years now. Time flies. So appreciate your being a part of the journey.
Reply:
Well a lot of your photos will make great coffee table books some day (or something else) and some (many) are just nat geo quality (or better) and this one with the lady / I can why it is special (for getting permission)
But the mood grabbed is all
“You” – and i thought it was Dora on her shirt – but is not !
Have a great day my friend
You have made my month with your lovely words! Thank you.
Really interesting and thought provoking post Lisa. I do hope awareness will improve the sustainability of the coral reefs – it is so sad to read about the environmental destruction. When we were in Alaska there were strict rules about getting too close to the whales. Scientists have found that they get stressed if humans and boats are too close so I think the rule (from memory) was to stay at least 100 yards away and not linger too long (still an amazing sight even at a distance and good to know the whales were happy!).
Thank you so much for your kind feedback on the post Rosemary and for all your love this morning. I do hope that the coral will return to its former grandeur and that sea creatures will find respect there. Interestingly, when we swam with the whales in Tonga (one boat, six swimmers) they did not seem bothered at all. Actually, they were quite welcoming and played with us for hours. It was us who left their side in the end so as not to overstay our welcome. But when a number of tour boats converge on the Whales at the same time, a safe distance is needed to give adequate breathing room and not to cause stress.
Yes I can well understand that Lisa – I would feel crowded if there were a lot of boats and people nearby! What a special experience you had in Tonga!
All of these photos are beautiful but the Maldives Blues photo is utterly stunning.
I’m delighted you find it so Michael! Hard to believe it has been a year since I’ve sailed away from there; 9400 nautical miles later, it remains deeply etched in my mind. Thank you so much for your visit here. Was a pleasure to stroll through your magnificent photography blog this morning.
Thank you very much. I can certainly see why it would be etched upon your mind. I will be exploring your blog more as I can.
Looking forward to seeing you back here again Michael.
Likewise.
This is so beautiful. I’m seriously jealous! That rainbow photo is fabulous, Lisa. Thanks for taking me there.
Awww – thank you for the love! The envy is mutual given your marvelous travel escapades. Always a pleasure to travel with you on your pages.
Having been to the Maldives to stay in a resort I was really interested to hear what the “real” Maldives is like. So sad that the coral is dead and dying and horrendous that the tour boats let so many divers and snorklers into the water all at once. Your blog has been an eye-opener into another side of the islands.
I would love to hear what the stay in resort experience was like. Have you written a post about your time there? The good news about the Maldives since we’ve visited there is that a new (former) government was swept (back) into power with an eye toward conservation. Already seeing good things being done for the people there. Hopeful that healthy reefs follow.