Part 25: 14th April – Dolphins, Crocodiles and Barbecues

Friday 14^th April

Pete & I got up really early today as we had to be down at “Casa Pizza” by 7.00 to meet our guides for the dolphin trip.

Hanu arrived with his cousin, and we walked together down to the beach where several other guys were milling, including our pilot, Baba. He’s the one wearing the bandana in the picture below. Hanu is on-shore with his arms folded, and won’t be accompanying us. There are just three of us in the boat, including Baba.

Baba and Hanu

Pete just before we set off for the dolphins

Baba produces coffee, Sprite and croissants, which is ideal on a trip like this. We begin heading slowly south down the lagoon. After half a mile or so, Baba has to navigate through a small gap in the barrier reef. This is a tricky business, and he has to time it very carefully, watching for the rise and fall of the waves. I guess if you get it wrong you tear the bottom out of the hull. At just the right moment he opens the throttle and we sear through at top speed. Phew!

Once in the open sea we turn north at speed, following the coastline.

After maybe three miles we arrive at a little inlet where there is no beach, but where the water meets rocks and cliffs. There is a small waterfall cascading straight into the sea. We are the only boat in the area. Dolphins are attracted to this spot presumably because of its relative isolation. We drift about for a short while, approximately 200 metres off-shore. Suddenly Baba points to some activity, and we see our first group of dolphins. From then on, we see them all around, in small or medium-sized groups. It is fascinating how they engage in “synchronised swimming”. We can clearly hear them blowing as they surface then rapidly dive again. Baba reckons there could be as many as 100 here today. Sometimes there are up to 200.

Not much to be said. Let the photos speak for themselves:

I also took plenty of video footage.

Baba asks if we’d like to swim. I ask him how deep it is here. “About 20 metres”. Then no, thanks. We’d rather be able to touch the bottom!

Then the coast guards make an appearance, and there is an exchange between them and Baba. He tells us that apparently today a new law has been introduced prohibiting swimming with the dolphins. We must also remain at least 200 metres from the shore here. This is no problem for us.

Maybe 15 minutes later another boat appears, carrying several tourists with snorkels and flippers. Gradually more and more boats arrive, and there is general jumping in and snorkelling. Someone spots the coast guard in the distance and, magically, everyone is innocently sitting in their boats again. The coastguard makes several return trips.

It feels rather distasteful with all these boats homing in on the dolphins – almost as though we are trying to corral them for a better look. But I guess dolphins are smart. They know how to avoid that.

As it is now gone 9.15 we start to head back to base. Then it’s time for a drink of coffee before all three of us meet once again at “Casa Pizza” for our trip down to “La Vanille” crocodile & wildlife park.

Today’s driver is named “Alain” and is probably the chattiest driver we’ve had so far. Like the impressive trees we see around here, he could be described as “flamboyant”[1]. He begins the tour by taking us to see a part of Flic en Flac that he is sure we won’t have seen. He’s right. I never got down as far as the "Hilton", the "Sugar Beach" and "La Pirogue" – all huge hotel/apartment complexes. On the other hand, I believe I am familiar with the real Flic en Flac: the beach area behind and around the police station and up to the fish-landing point; the Spar supermarket; “La Papayou” and the many other modest but excellent restaurants clustered around.

Then we strike out for “La Vanille”. Not a lot to say about the journey down. Alain continued his effusive and informative banter, and was genuinely pleased when I showed I already knew about some of the things he pointed out to me: such as the “Travellers’ Tree” – a huge fan-shaped member of the banana family; so-called because if you spear it in the right place you get a supply of fresh drinking water. He was impressed that I had done my homework!

The wildlife park is set in wonderfully shady woodland which also houses its most important feature for the moment: the “Hungry Crocodile” restaurant. Yes, it is lunchtime again! Now La Vanille is in fact a crocodile farm, and the restaurant does a good line in crocodile steaks apparently; but we decide crocs look better alive than dead, so select something a little less exotic.

Caroline at "The Hungry Crocodile"

And the lads

From there we follow the route around the park. Here are a few of shots we took:

Madagascar tortoises: in danger of extinction until recently

Pete with flower. Don't know what it is

Stick insect in the insectorium.

All the insects were dead, mounted in glass cases, but this gives a good idea of the sizes of some of them. I’d put up a few more pictures of them but Caroline wouldn’t like it.

One of several iguanas we saw

Mauritian fruit bat

No, the photo is not upside down (although in a way I suppose it is, since we are in the southern hemisphere!). This fellow was very alert, and eager to have his (or her) picture taken. Kept clambering to the front part of the cage and posing for us. When you see them in full, you can immediately recognise the inspiration for Count Dracula with his cape wrapped around him. Notice his eyes are big and bright. These bats are not exclusively nocturnal. So “blind as a bat” maybe, but not “blind as a fruit bat”.

"Grumpy Fish", spotted by Pete in the aquarium - the fish that is, not Pete.

I won't tell you what some of these were up to, but they certainly made it sound like hard work – as you can probably imagine!

While we were out I got a call on my mobile from Souda to say they were organising a bit of a barbecue on Flic en Flac beach this evening. Unfortunately Dharma would not be able to make it, owing to another commitment. However, here are the others:

“Souda” Rosunee, Head of Department of Textiles at UoM

Souda and Goonesh (right)

Souda again

Goonesh and Caroline

Arvind (left), Asvin (centre) and Jay (right)

Jay

Arvind

Kamlesh (right)

Souda leads the way...

Goonesh, Pete and Caroline

Apologies if I have got any of the names mixed up! Anyway, suffice it to say that a good night was had by all. Good food, good beer and, most importantly, great company.

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[1] The French name for the “Flame Tree”