Location

Madagascar

Yacht Bossi | Yacht Adiva | Dive sites visited

Yacht Bossi

Bossi was launched in 1995 and shortly thereafter sailed in the Cape to Rio race where she finished second in the Multi-hull class. Now based up in Nosy Be Madagascar, Bossi is a luxury cruising catamaran that allows guests to enjoy Madagascar's tropical paradise. The 40ft yacht is tastefully furnished with comfortable interior cabins and a spacious deck. 

Yacht Bossi is in excellent condition having been well maintained over the years. Bossi can comfortably accommodate 6 adults as guests. There are two double cabins with en suite bathroom facilities another two double cabins have shared bathroom facilities. The main saloon is specious and provides comfortable seating for 6 adults. The cockpit area is shaded and is a comfortable area to relax and enjoy the view. The deck is a perfect place for fishing, reading or simply enjoying the sun. The yacht is equipped with scuba diving and snorkeling gear to enjoy Madagascar's beautiful reefs.

Yacht Adiva

Adiva is a Royal Cape Catamaran designed specifically for cruising the Indian Ocean Islands. Launched in 2008 Adiva is stylish, spacious, and a very stable cruising vessel. Measuring 53ft in length the yacht has a large spacious deck with two large trampolines linking the hulls at the bow - Perfect for relaxing as you cruise along or for setting up a fishing line.

The cockpit is shaded and is the popular choice for dining as you still get to enjoy the view and cool ocean breeze as you enjoy your meals. Inside the salon is a second dining area, a TV and DVD player and comfortable seating. A large sliding door and window provide fresh air and easy access to the cockpit area and galley. The interior is also equipped with an air conditioner to add to the comfort of your cruise.

There are six spacious double en suite cabins which are well insulated to ensure that you enjoy your privacy. The showers and toilets are all electrically operated. Each cabin has natural light and is well ventilated. Cabins have ample cupboard space, storage and changing areas. Each cabin is supplied with a fan, reading lights, vanity and power points.

Dive sites visited by Madagascar Diving Cruises

The dive sites visited on your cruise will depend on several factors: The length of your cruise and how much time you have available to get to the various dive sites; the experience levels of the divers on board and preference for different types of dive sites; the prevailing weather, sea and wind conditions; and the decision of the skipper as to whether a particular dive site can be accessed.

Diving is usually done in the morning and sailing between anchorages in the afternoons when the sea breeze blows at about 12-18 knots.  The average water temperature is 26-28 deg C, so you need only a light wetsuit. You can also just dive in a rash vest and swimming costume. Dive gear is available on board, although many people prefer to bring their own.  Please bring your own snorkeling equipment as the yachts have limited availability.  You will get to enjoy two dives per day because of the itinerary and yacht constraints.

NOSY TANIKELY:
Tanikely is a small island situated close to Nosy Be which is at a depth of between 5m and 20m. As a protected marine reserve, it is the ideal place to start a diving holiday. There are stunning corals, sponges and a large diversity of reef fish as well as rays and turtles (hawksbill, green and loggerheads). Suitable for all levels of diver, Tanikely is also great for snorkelling.   

WRECKS OF ZAIDA & MITSIO:
Lying on the sand at 27 m, these big fishing boats have become home to an incredible amount of marine life. You can expect to see: lion fish, box fish, smaller reef fish, large schools of sardines, yellow snappers, batfish, and even bigger species such as barracuda, trevallies and giant groupers.

BANC DES GORGONES:
On a 12-20 m depth range, series of giant sea-fans have created a unique and amazing underwater landscape. The reef is also home to crocodile fish, trumpet fish, lobsters, schools of fusiliers, and huge green turtles.

MANTA POINT:
Located in the Mozambique Channel, this beautiful reef and drop-off is well-known for its manta-ray encounters between October and April. Large coral pinnacles also host a wide variety of marine life. You can expect to see plenty of glass fish, coral groupers, big snappers, and the occasional napoleon wrasse.

BANC ROSARIO:
A superb reef found in the Mozambique Channel, it consists of numerous sea fans and impressive coral pinnacles. Aside from the usual array of colourful reef fish, schools of barracudas, wahoo, and grey reef sharks often visit the site.

BANC DU CHAMEAU:
Located off the small island of Sakatia near Nosy Be, this dive site has an impressive drop-off with several small caves and tunnels. The corals are home to both small and larger reef fish and you can expect encounters with big schools of snappers and fusiliers, as well as wahoo and trevallies.

BANC LOUIS:
Also near Sakatia Island, the shallows of the reef is made up of colourful coral pinnacles. Watch the local marine residents dart in and out of the towering shapes. Here you are likely to see large schools of different snappers and fusiliers, giant trigger fish, blue spotted stingrays, black spotted sweet lips, and schools of jacks and giant trevallies .

GRAND BANC 1,2,3:
Diving on these three drop-offs facing the Mozambique Channel offers divers the unique opportunity to see different kinds of sharks (mainly white tip and grey reef sharks) and from October to May.

SUGARLOAF
Sugarloaf is a volcanic rock protruding from the shelf bottom to a depth of around 20m. The undersea mount provides a home for large corals beautiful underwater structures, and an abundance of marine life.

NOSY IRANJA
Further south around the island of Iranja are spectacular deep dives (25-40m). Suitable only for advanced divers you can explore spectacular drop-offs while enjoying 30m plus visibility. Expect to see octopus, pelagic, napoleon wrasses, reef sharks and even the odd visit by a Marlin or sailfish.

RADAMAS
 Even more to the south, about 50 miles from Nosy Be are the Radama archipelago and the dive jewel of the south - Gregg's Wall. This is a sheer wall starting at 10m and dropping down to 65m. Right next to it is a pinnacle of 6m diameter which starts at 15m and drops to 65m. There is also a narrow cave at a depth 35m that you can swim through. The cave is 20m long and will require that you have dive torches.  The wall has giant gorgonian fans and an impressive array of marine life.  This 100m deep, 3mile wide trench is frequented by whales, dolphins, tuna, shark, marlin and sailfish. It's a superb dive site that needs at least two days of exploring.