Chagos to Mascarenes

One of Rodriguez Traditional sailing fishing launches

So here we are, over six months since the last post...a lot has happened!

Rodriguez harbor

We left Chagos at a good clip, picking up a favorable wind that shoot us straight down at good speed, early in the season we had no surprises (meaning no squalls, or bad weather). Just two days after leaving I strained my back doing some ordinary thing, and for the whole trip (pretty much!) was confined reclining at the chart table adjusting the autopilot with my toe while keeping an eye on the course, while Miki did lookout now and then for ships. Early on we passed the burned-out hull of a fishing boat, partially sunken but still big enough to damage any vessel who may hit it. I hope the currents washed it ashore somewhere in Chagos so that it is no longer a threat. It is always dreadful to see or hear things about disasters at sea, a chill goes down the spine and reflections are renewed on our fickle existence on the water. A couple days into the crossing we also passed Diego Garcia. We were about 8-10 miles from it and after nearly three months of island living seeing lights an human presence seemed akin to spotting aliens on a starry night. The navigation limit from DG should be twelve miles, but we could not make a better course to stay away from it, and that is maybe why a ship seemed to follow us for most part of the night, escorting us silently to the edge of the now official marine reserve, the biggest in the world.

Ile Hermitage

Ten days of sailing brought us finally to Rodriguez, the remotest of the Mascarenes. We heard many tales of fantastic hospitality and festive nights but while we were there we found none of that. Being mostly English speakers we were not popular, quite a surprise since it's the French who brought the slaves there and wiped out nearly all the endemic species (insects included!) and the English who liberated them and made some efforts to preserve what was left of the environment.

Stalactite

None the less, we found a very friendly and helpful harbor-master who spoke perfect English and who traveled the world on cargo ships -these people are always amazing in spirit and stories!-, we found a supermarket filled with European products (lots of pate') and some delicious locally made pork sausages to die for (after months of canned foods, chunky pork sausages, fresh veggies and cheeses...awwwww!).

Landscape with swine

Being a once in a lifetime occasion to be here, naturally we rented a scooter and in just one day of hard riding we managed to tour the island pretty much all the way around, including a visit to the Turtles re-population project (the original long-necked Rodriguez ones were wiped out in about 20 years, these ones are imported from Seychelles), the included museum, the caves and a nice lunch at a deserted restaurant with a view of Ile Hermitage.

We are also invited by a German "immigrant" to the island for a chat, the conversation soon turns to Chagos and its people's legal battle to return to the islands. We had seen the islanders visiting Peros Banhos courtesy of the British Navy, and with their girths augmented by fast food, FuBu shirts and shiny Nikes we had speculated already about their capability of returning to simple island life (without massive aid from a western power, since nature has reclaimed nearly everything that may help humans resettle the place).

Turtles

The woman of course spouts the politically correct mantra of a people usurped of their rightful land (actually, employees of/sustained by the copra plantation company, with every right to cease activity), then slipping minutes later that the lawsuits by Chagossians are actually backed by Mauritius in the hope of obtaining protector-ship and selling the fishing rights in bulk to the Chinese -so much for a cause propelled by human rights/concern for the environment ugh!-...Thanks, we'll stick to "supporting" the British plan for a marine reserve as much preferable option! (even as they reduce the allowed stay by yachts: no self-serving hypocrisy here!).

Turtles were so friendly, actively seeking petting by humans. Some humans though let their mob of children run wild on them, riding and kicking them. We complained to the "guide" of the inappropriate behavior to no avail...

We had a nice stay, some R&R and interesting sightseeing, but a couple weeks later it's time to move on to Mauritius...

Dried octopus is a main staple food in Rodriguez

Awesome local pork sausages dripping juicy fat

One of the few beaches