A Seychelles delegation consisting of Alain Mason and Lenny Alvis from Mason's Travel; Lt. Colonel Andre Ciseau, CEO of Seychelles Ports Authority; and Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board with members of his team, visited the cruise ship Clipper Odyssey on charter to Zegrahm and Eco Expeditions, newly arrived in port after successful stops at Aldabra and the Amirantes Islands.
Founded more than 20 years ago, Zegrahm and Eco Expeditions occupies a very special niche in the world of adventure travel as a top-end organizer of expeditions to the lesser-frequented parts of the world: the North Pole, Antarctica, the Himalayas, Botswana, the South Pacific islands, and the Indian Ocean. The founder members of the company have each visited more than 100 countries and collectively have been to the Antarctica more than 250 times. Some of the places visited by Zegrahm Expeditions are so remote that they are rarely, if ever, visited.
Handled in Seychelles by Mason's Travel, which is responsible for arranging transfers and creating enticing, custom-made expeditions for the visitors, the Clipper Odyssey which has just 55 cabins, has recently docked in Port Victoria after a successful Indian Ocean itinerary that included Aldabra, Astove, and the Amirantes Islands.
"The arrival of this vessel in Seychelles after its successful tour of some of our remoter islands sends a powerful signal that, with the proper precautions, possibilities for sea travel in our corner of the Indian Ocean remain undiminished despite the threat of piracy," stated Alain St.Ange.
In an interview with Seychelles' Broadcasting Corporation, author Mr. Jack Grove, one of the directors and founders of Zegrahm and Eco Expeditions, explained that operating a cruise in this region of the Indian Ocean that has witnessed sporadic pirate activity over recent years, was rather like attaching a seat belt prior to driving a car. "It is just a sensible precaution to take and, once taken, allows us to use a motor vehicle as a successful means of transport," elaborated Jack Grove who has a PhD in ichthyology and is one of the chief marine biologists of the nature-oriented expeditions who has visited Aldabra some 10 times already.
"It is very uplifting to be able to welcome Zegrahm and Eco Expeditions back to Seychelles," enthused Lenny Alvis from Mason's Travel, "and in particular, Jack Grove, who is an old personal friend. I believe that crafting excursions for such discerning clients is good for our creativity, because it means that we really have to scratch our heads and bring out the best in ourselves."
In an interview the captain of the vessel, Peter Fielding, he stated that he had enjoyed excellent relations with the Seychelles' authorities, notably with the Seychelles Ports Authority, and had felt very safe and secure cruising in Seychelles' waters.
Presenting two gifts to the expedition leader, a Coco-de-mer and a commemorative book of the Seychelles Carnival, Alain St.Ange repeated the great significance of the voyage of the Clipper Odyssey to Seychelles and its importance as a confidence-builder for other members of the cruise ship industry to consider the islands of the western Indian Ocean in their itineraries. "The islands of the western Indian Ocean have a great deal to offer to cruise ships and excellent possibilities exist to create amazing itineraries that include Seychelles, Aldabra, Astove, and the wonders of La Reunion island as well."
Clipper Odyssey will be rotating captains in Port Victoria, as well as certain other members of its staff, before heading back into the Indian Ocean on yet another exclusive voyage of discovery that will include Aldabra and the island of Zanzibar with a new group of passengers who flew into Seychelles the day before the arrival of the cruise ship.
The disembarking passengers are scheduled to fly out from Seychelles after discovering the islands for the first time.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
