#Brendon Grimshaw

[unbfacts]

[justforbooks]

In 1962, Brendon Grimshaw did something many of us only dream of: He bought a tropical island. Moyenne Island lays 4.5km off the north coast of Mahé, the largest of  the 115-island Seychelle archipelago. Uninhabited, overgrown, and with legends of pirate treasure, Grimshaw fell in love with the tiny island the moment he set foot on it. It is just 400m long by 300m wide.

Originally from the UK, Grimshaw was working as a newspaper editor in Kenya. Tanzania had just declared independence and Kenya was about to follow. He figured that his job would pass to someone local. At 37, he began considering what to do next. He wanted a life closer to nature and dreamed of owning land in the Seychelles.

Under the guise of a holiday, Grimshaw went to Seychelles to see if there was any way his dream could become reality. After a few weeks, he started to wonder if he had to rethink his plans. Even in the early 1960s, the prices of the few islands for sale were not for the faint of wallet.

Then just before he left for home, a young man in the street providentially asked if he was interested in buying an island. Later that day, they visited Moyenne Island. “It was totally different,” he said many years later. “It was a special feeling. This is the place I’d been looking for.”

So for about $10,000, Moyenne Island became his. If he thought buying an island was difficult, it was nothing compared with what came next.

Moyenne Island harbored a tiny rainforest so dense that falling coconuts didn’t hit the ground. it was impossible to walk across. The island had suffered from neglect. Weeds choked the native plants, and rats scampering through the undergrowth were about the only wildlife.

Grimshaw enlisted the help of a local man, Rene Antoine Lafortune. Together, in a lifelong project, the pair set out to restore the island to be what Seychelles had been before tourism and development. They cut paths through the forest, cleared scrub, and began to plant native trees and plants. Planting became an obsession. Today, Moyenne has over 16,000 trees.

Grimshaw then turned to the next problem: the lack of native fauna. There were no birds, so he brought 10 over from a neighboring island, to which they swiftly flew back. He did the same thing again and thought he got the same result. But then a few birds returned.

Grimshaw and Lafortune began feeding those first avian residents. Slowly, more settled on the island. As the new trees grew and produced fruit, more birds came. Now 2,000 birds live on this little slice of paradise.

Grimshaw introduced one more animal to his island, the giant Aldabra tortoise. After transporting a number of tortoises to the island, he painstakingly cared for them. The species is native to Seychelles but had become locally extinct on many of the islands.

A poster boy for conservationists, Grimshaw painted numbers on their shells so that he could identify them. He then set up a breeding program.

“The babies are kept in my bedroom,” he told the Financial Times in 2008. “If you let them go, you’ll never see them again.”

For these efforts, he was once aptly described as “the reptilian version of a cat lady”. Moyenne Island now has approximately 50 tortoises.

Grimshaw moved to the island permanently in 1972. Over time, he had water, electricity, and a phone line set up. Many thought that this was the start of the island becoming yet another tourist destination.

But that underestimated Grimshaw. He never wanted his island to become a resort. He wanted it to turn it into a nature preserve. Before his death in 2012, he turned down multiple offers to buy the island. Once, a Saudi prince reportedly offered him $50 million for it.

Grimshaw lived on the island for the rest of his life, but he was not always alone. When his mother died in 1981, he invited his father to come and live with him. He was both thrilled and surprised when his 88-year-old dad agreed.

“We had a wonderful time together and became the best of friends,” Grimshaw said. His father died five years later and was buried on the island, next to the grave that Grimshaw had already dug for himself.

Even after his father passed away, Grimshaw was not alone. Lafortune also stayed on the island. He brought a few stray dogs back to the island, and they allowed day-trippers to visit from Mahé for a small fee. With no jetty, visitors had to wade onto the island’s white sands, where Grimshaw met them. In 2010, a film crew also visited the island to make a documentary, below, about Grimshaw and the work he had done.

In 2007, Lafortune passed away. Grimshaw, now 81, knew that he too had limited time left. Unmarried and with no children, he had no one to take on the custodianship of the island. He set up a perpetual trust and signed an agreement with Seychelles’ Ministry of Environment. His island became Moyenne Island National Park, the world’s smallest national park.

When Grimshaw died in 2012, he was buried next to his father. As requested, his tombstone reads, “Moyenne taught him to open his eyes to the beauty around him and say thank you to God.”

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[tengomilpalabrasparati]

Sabias QUE?

Por 13 mil dólares, el inglés Brendon Grimshaw compró una pequeña isla deshabitada en las Seychelles (África Oriental) y se mudó allí para siempre. Cuando el inglés tenía menos de cuarenta años, renunció a su trabajo como editor de un periódico y comenzó una nueva vida en su isla.

En ese momento, ningún ser humano había puesto un pie en la isla durante 50 años. Pero entonces, Brendon junto a un compañero llamado René Lafortune, comenzaron a equipar su nuevo hogar. Mientras que René venía a la isla solo ocasionalmente, Brendon vivió en ella durante décadas y nunca se fue.

Durante 39 años, Grimshaw y Lafortune plantaron 16 mil árboles con sus propias manos y construyeron casi 5 kilómetros de senderos. En 2007, René Lafortune murió y Brandon se quedó solo en la isla.

Tenía 81 años. Atrajo a la isla 2.000 nuevas especies de aves e introdujo más de un centenar de tortugas gigantes, que en el resto del mundo (incluidas las Seychelles) ya estaban al borde de la extinción. Gracias a los esfuerzos de Grimshaw, la isla una vez desierta ahora alberga dos tercios de la fauna de las Seychelles. Un terreno abandonado se ha convertido en un verdadero paraíso.

Hace unos años, el príncipe de Arabia Saudita le ofreció a Brendon Grimshaw 50 millones de dólares por la isla, pero Robinson se negó. "No quiero que la isla se convierta en el lugar de vacaciones favorito de los ricos. Mejor que sea un parque nacional que todos puedan disfrutar".

Y logró que en 2008 la isla fuera efectivamente declarada parque nacional.

Todo un ejemplo de inspiración.

[mossandfog]

Moyenne Island is the Smallest National Park in the World

(Image credit: Martin Barraud/Getty Images) Hidden amidst the azure waters of the Indian Ocean lies a tiny island that boasts an incredible title: Moyenne Island National Park, the smallest national park in the world. Nestled off the coast of Mahé, the largest island in the Seychelles archipelago, Moyenne Island is a haven of natural splendor and captivating history. Moyenne Island spans a mere…

[entheognosis]

For 13 thousand dollars, Englishman Brendon Grimshaw bought a tiny uninhabited island in the Seychelles and moved there forever. When Grimshaw was under forty, he quit his job as a newspaper editor and started a new life. By this time, no human had set foot on the island for 50 years. As befits a real Robinson, Brendon found himself a companion from among the natives. His name was René Lafortin. Together with Rene, Brendon began to equip his new home. While René came to the island only occasionally, Brendon lived on it for decades by himself, never leaving. For 39 years, Grimshaw and Lafortin planted 16 thousand trees with their own hands and built almost 5 kilometers of paths. In 2007, Rene Lafortin died, and Brendon was left all alone on the island. He was 81 years old. He attracted 2,000 new bird species to the island and introduced more than a hundred giant tortoises, which in the rest of the world (including the Seychelles) were already on the verge of extinction. Thanks to Grimshaw's efforts, the once deserted island now hosts two-thirds of the Seychelles' fauna. An abandoned piece of land has turned into a real paradise. A few years ago, the prince of Saudi Arabia offered Brendon Grimshaw $50 million for the island, but he refused. “I don’t want the island to become a favorite vacation spot for the rich. Better let it be a national park that everyone can enjoy.” And he achieved just that. In 2008 the island was indeed declared a national park.

[alphaman99]

Damn, Thatʼs Interesting!  ·

WoW That's Amaaaaazing  ·

“For 13 thousand dollars, Englishman Brendon Grimshaw bought a tiny uninhabited island in the Seychelles and moved there forever. When Grimshaw was under forty, he quit his job as a newspaper editor and started a new life.

By this time, no human had set foot on the island for 50 years. As befits a real Robinson, Brendon found himself a companion from among the natives. His name was René Lafortin. Together with Rene, Brendon began to equip his new home. While René came to the island only occasionally, Brendon lived on it for decades by himself, never leaving.

For 39 years, Grimshaw and Lafortin planted 16 thousand trees with their own hands and built almost 5 kilometers of paths. In 2007, Rene Lafortin died, and Brendon was left all alone on the island.

He was 81 years old. He attracted 2,000 new bird species to the island and introduced more than a hundred giant tortoises, which in the rest of the world (including the Seychelles) were already on the verge of extinction. Thanks to Grimshaw's efforts, the once deserted island now hosts two-thirds of the Seychelles' fauna. An abandoned piece of land has turned into a real paradise.

A few years ago, the prince of Saudi Arabia offered Brendon Grimshaw $50 million for the island, but he refused. “I don’t want the island to become a favorite vacation spot for the rich. Better let it be a national park that everyone can enjoy.”

And he achieved just that. In 2008 the island was indeed declared a national park.”

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. 

Welcome to Too Much Information Tuesday.

It is illegal to be drunk in a UK pub.

We forget 80% of what we learn every day.

HP Printer black ink is more expensive than human blood.

Strawberries actually contain more vitamin C than oranges.

60% of the alcohol in America is drunk by 10% of the people.

American plumbers refer to the day after Thanksgiving as Brown Friday.

In 2021, the investor community on Reddit adopted 3,500 gorillas in a week.

By 2050, 3.3% of the world’s population will be millionaires (in US dollars.)

In general, the more time you spend with someone, the more you will like them.

Rats emit ultrasonic squeaks of happiness when they get to hang out with another rat.

A cyberchondriac is someone who scours the internet looking for details of their illnesses.

The presence of CCTV cameras increases the fear of crime but doesn’t reduce crime rates.

Not one but two cross-country skiers suffered from a frozen penis during a recent world cup race.

If you keep going North, you will eventually go South, but if you keep going East, you will never go West.

Coffee drunk from a white mug tastes more intense and less sweet than coffee drunk from a clear mug.

Stomach rumblings are caused by air moving through your digestive tract and doesn’t always mean you are hungry.

AI can guess your age, location, gender and income with up to 85% accuracy by analysing your social media posts.

A sophomaniac is a person who’s under the delusion that they are extremely intelligent.  Too many of them about!

Memorizing the lyrics to songs can help strengthen your brain and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.  Do more karaoke!

King Harold didn't die at the battle of Hastings from an arrow in the eye, he was hacked apart by four Norman knights.

Listening to loud music interferes with your vision.  This is why we usually turn the car radio down when looking for somewhere to park.

Negaholics are people who become addicted to self-doubt and negativity.  They find the bad in most things and are hardly ever satisfied.

The directors of ‘Despicable Me’ actually wrote a language for the gibberish the minions speak throughout the film.  Each word has a meaning!

The company that made the modelling clay for Wallace & Gromit has gone out of business.  There is currently only enough clay for one more film.

The first BBC radio presenter with a Northern accent was hired in the second world war to make it harder for the Germans to produce fake news bulletins.

The peanut is not a nut, it is actually a legume.  A legume refers to any plant from the Fabaceae family that would include its leaves, stems and pods.

It’s a myth that you only use 10% of your brain.  Most of your brain is active almost all of the time.  The problem is: some people don’t have much in there!

An American on the national average salary would have to work for 21,000 years before they became a billionaire, assuming that they spent none of their money.

A Crook County, Wyoming, judge has dismissed property destruction charges against a pair of ranchers accused of bleaching penis shapes and other markings on their neighbour’s cows.

In 2011, a 25-year-old Spanish man sued his parents for refusing to give him money unless he tried to find a job.  The court denied his claim and ordered him to leave his parents’ house and find a job.

The Sound of Music was so popular in South Korea when it was first released that one cinema owner decided to shorten the film by cutting all the musical pieces from it so they could show it more often.

In 1962, Brendon Grimshaw purchased Moyenne Island in the Seychelles for £8000.  He planted 16,000 trees on the island, brought and bred giant tortoises, and introduced a variety of bird life.  He was the sole inhabitant of the island until his death in 2012.  Instead of selling it, he declared the island a national park.

‘Malleus Maleficarum’, a 15th century witch-hunting manual, described how witches kept ‘live’ wriggling penises as pets.  The witches were said to have kept the penises in nests in trees and to have fed them oats.  Written by Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer, ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ is of course today regarded as misogynistic nonsense.  However, centuries ago, such books would have resulted in the gruesome murders of women accused of being witches.

Okay, that’s enough information for one day.  Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday!  I love you all.

[jartitameteneis]

Por 13 mil dólares, el inglés Brendon Grimshaw compró una pequeña isla deshabitada en las Seychelles (África Oriental) y se mudó allí para siempre. Cuando el inglés tenía menos de cuarenta años, renunció a su trabajo como editor de un periódico y comenzó una nueva vida en su isla.

En ese momento, ningún ser humano había puesto un pie en la isla durante 50 años. Pero entonces, Brendon junto a un compañero llamado René Lafortune, comenzaron a equipar su nuevo hogar. Mientras que René venía a la isla solo ocasionalmente, Brendon vivió en ella durante décadas y nunca se fue.

Durante 39 años, Grimshaw y Lafortune plantaron 16 mil árboles con sus propias manos y construyeron casi 5 kilómetros de senderos. En 2007, René Lafortune murió y Brandon se quedó solo en la isla.

Tenía 81 años. Atrajo a la isla 2.000 nuevas especies de aves e introdujo más de un centenar de tortugas gigantes, que en el resto del mundo (incluidas las Seychelles) ya estaban al borde de la extinción. Gracias a los esfuerzos de Grimshaw, la isla una vez desierta ahora alberga dos tercios de la fauna de las Seychelles. Un terreno abandonado se ha convertido en un verdadero paraíso.

Hace unos años, el príncipe de Arabia Saudita le ofreció a Brendon Grimshaw 50 millones de dólares por la isla, pero Robinson se negó. "No quiero que la isla se convierta en el lugar de vacaciones favorito de los ricos. Mejor que sea un parque nacional que todos puedan disfrutar".

Y logró que en 2008 la isla fuera efectivamente declarada parque nacional.

Todo un ejemplo de inspiración.

[truthseeker-blogger]

For 13 thousand dollars, Englishman Brandon Grimshaw bought a tiny uninhabited island in the Seychelles and moved there forever.

When the Englishman Brandon Grimshaw was under forty, he quit his job as a newspaper editor and started a new life.

By this time, no human had set foot on the island for 50 years. As befits a real Robinson, Brandon found himself a companion from among the natives.

His friend's name was René Lafortin. Together with Rene, Brandon began to equip his new home. While René came to the island only occasionally, Brandon lived on it for decades, never leaving. By oneself.

For 39 years, Grimshaw and Lafortin planted 16 thousand trees with their own hands and built almost 5 kilometers of paths.

In 2007, Rene Lafortin died, and Brandon was left all alone on the island.

He was 81 years old. He attracted 2,000 new bird species to the island and introduced more than a hundred giant tortoises, which in the rest of the world (including the Seychelles) were already on the verge of extinction.

Thanks to Grimshaw's efforts, the once deserted island now hosts two-thirds of the Seychelles' fauna.

An abandoned piece of land has turned into a real paradise.

A few years ago, the prince of Saudi Arabia offered Brandon Grimshaw $50 million for the island, but Robinson refused. “I don’t want the island to become a favorite vacation spot for the rich. Better let it be a national park that everyone can enjoy.”

And he achieved that in 2008 the island was indeed declared a national park.

[projectourworld]

Adventure and sustainability in the Seychelles

Moyenne Island is a small island in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park off the north coast of Mahé, Seychelles. Since the 1970s onwards, it has been a flora and fauna reserve. From 1915 until the 1960s, the island was abandoned until its purchase by Brendon Grimshaw

Source | BBC

[doriangray1789]

İngiliz gazete editörü Brendon Grimshaw, 1962 yılında Seyşeller'de 50 yıldır hiç bir insan ayak basmadığı ıssız Moyenne adasını 13 bin dolara satın aldı. Adada gerçek bir Robinson gibi yaşamaya başladı, yanına yerlilerden yoldaş buldu. Adı "Rene Lafortin" di. Brendon,Rene ile birlikte adayı donatmaya başladılar. Brendon ve Rene 39 yıl boyunca kendi elleriyle 16 bin ağaç dikti, yaklaşık 5 km lik yol inşa etti. 1996'da kendisi ve ada hakkında Kum Tanesi adlı bir kitap yazdı. 2009 yılında Grimshaw ve ada hakkında aynı isimli bir belgesel yapıldı. 2007de Rene Lafortin öldü ve Brendon adada yapayalnız kaldı. 81 yaşındaydı, Yaşadığı süre içinde adaya 2000 yeni kuş türü çekmiş ve dünyaya Seyşeller dahil nesli tükenmek üzere olan yüzden fazla dev kaplumbağayı dünyaya tanıtmıştı. Brendon un çabaları sayesinde, bir zamanların ıssız adası şimdi Seyşeller faunasının üçte ikisine ev sahipliği yapıyor. Terk edilmiş bir toprak parçası gerçek bir cennete dönüştü. Birkaç yıl önce Suudi Arabistan prensi, Brendon Grimshaw a ada için 50 milyon dolar teklif etti, Brendon bu teklifi kibarca reddetti. "Adanın zenginler için favori tatil yeri olmasını istemiyorum. Herkesin eğlenebileceği bir milli park olsun." Sonunda bu isteğini başardı da. 2008 de ada gerçekten "Milli Park" ilan edildi. Grimshaw, Temmuz 2012'deki ölümüne kadar adanın tek sakiniydi. "İstemek" sadece "istiyorum" demekle olmuyor. Bunun için göze alabileceğiniz şeyleri adım adım, bazen yıllarca yaparak sonuca ulaşabiliyorsunuz. Daha çocuklukta hazıra konmaya alış(tırıl)mış çocuklardan asla böyle bir şey beklemeyin ya da çocuklarınızı bu kadar hazıra alıştırmayın ki dünyayı daha güzel bir yer haline getirmeyi öğrensinler.

[checho-novoa]

MARAVILLOSO!!!! Por 13 mil dólares, el inglés Brendon Grimshaw compró una pequeña isla deshabitada en las Seychelles (África Oriental) y se mudó allí para siempre. Cuando el inglés tenía menos de cuarenta años, renunció a su trabajo como editor de un periódico y comenzó una nueva vida en su isla. En ese momento, ningún ser humano había puesto un pie en la isla durante 50 años. Pero entonces, Brendon junto a un compañero llamado René Lafortune, comenzaron a equipar su nuevo hogar. Mientras que René venía a la isla solo ocasionalmente, Brendon vivió en ella durante décadas y nunca se fue. Durante 39 años, Grimshaw y Lafortune plantaron 16 mil árboles con sus propias manos y construyeron casi 5 kilómetros de senderos. En 2007, René Lafortune murió y Brandon se quedó solo en la isla. Tenía 81 años. Atrajo a la isla 2.000 nuevas especies de aves e introdujo más de un centenar de tortugas gigantes, que en el resto del mundo (incluidas las Seychelles) ya estaban al borde de la extinción. Gracias a los esfuerzos de Grimshaw, la isla una vez desierta ahora alberga dos tercios de la fauna de las Seychelles. Un terreno abandonado se ha convertido en un verdadero paraíso. Hace unos años, el príncipe de Arabia Saudita le ofreció a Brendon Grimshaw 50 millones de dólares por la isla, pero Robinson se negó. "No quiero que la isla se convierta en el lugar de vacaciones favorito de los ricos. Mejor que sea un parque nacional que todos puedan disfrutar". Y logró que en 2008 la isla fuera efectivamente declarada parque nacional. Todo un ejemplo de inspiración. https://www.instagram.com/p/CiQMEdOuaoOvYFP5EykZog4-PPOaq1Auxu8-jw0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[vladycid]

Una interesante historia para reflexionar!!! Por 13 mil dólares, el inglés Brendon Grimshaw compró una pequeña isla deshabitada en las Seychelles (África Oriental) y se mudó allí para siempre. Cuando el inglés tenía menos de cuarenta años, renunció a su trabajo como editor de un periódico y comenzó una nueva vida en su isla. . En ese momento, ningún ser humano había puesto un pie en la isla durante 50 años. Pero entonces, Brendon junto a un compañero llamado René Lafortune, comenzaron a equipar su nuevo hogar. Mientras que René venía a la isla solo ocasionalmente, Brendon vivió en ella durante décadas y nunca se fue. . Durante 39 años, Grimshaw y Lafortune plantaron 16 mil árboles con sus propias manos y construyeron casi 5 kilómetros de senderos. En 2007, René Lafortune murió y Brandon se quedó solo en la isla. . Tenía 81 años. Atrajo a la isla 2.000 nuevas especies de aves e introdujo más de un centenar de tortugas gigantes, que en el resto del mundo (incluidas las Seychelles) ya estaban al borde de la extinción. Gracias a los esfuerzos de Grimshaw, la isla una vez desierta ahora alberga dos tercios de la fauna de las Seychelles. Un terreno abandonado se ha convertido en un verdadero paraíso. . Hace unos años, el príncipe de Arabia Saudita le ofreció a Brendon Grimshaw 50 millones de dólares por la isla, pero Robinson se negó. "No quiero que la isla se convierta en el lugar de vacaciones favorito de los ricos. Mejor que sea un parque nacional que todos puedan disfrutar". . Y logró que en 2008 la isla fuera efectivamente declarada parque nacional. Todo un ejemplo de inspiración. Cómo individuos sabemos lo que tenemos que hacer para evitar la destrucción del planeta... ¿Por qué no lo hacemos? https://www.instagram.com/p/CiIveXOLg9I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[i-was-today-years-old-when]

i learned that Brendon Grimshaw purchased Moyenne Island off Seychelles for £8,000 and was its sole inhabitant from 1973 until his death in 2012. He transformed it, planting 16,000 trees and introducing 2,000 birds and 120 giant tortoises. He was offered $50m for it, but had it declared a national park instead (x)

[magicalrocketships]

Hi from one isolated human to another! I’m here to take you up on your offer of a rec. I love your writing and have for a while. Is there an older fic of yours that you have fond memories of that might be nice for a cheeky afternoon read?

Oooh, a difficult one! Well, I have Sea Change open in a tab to reread because I stumbled back across it recently and can’t remember how I fixed this one thing, so that’s one dating back to 2009. It’s Panic! at the Disco, Brendon/Spencer, based on the premise that Spencer disappeared from everyone’s lives after Brendon fucked up, and how they fix things. Honestly I would read that plot a hundred times (and have done). 

But moving into 1D, here are the first stories I wrote for these pairings:

If This Is Love (Nick/Harry, baby’s first 1D fic) - Nick Grimshaw has done some stupid, ridiculous, mad things in his life, but falling for Harry Styles might be the stupidest thing yet.

Truly, Madly, Deeply (10 Things I Hate About You) (Harry/Louis hs au, secret relationship) - the one in which they're all in sixth form together, and Harry auditions for X Factor without them.

Easy As All That (Go Around A Time Or Two) (Liam/Louis hs au, secret relationship THIS WAS CLEARLY A THING FOR ME IN 2013 (and every year)) - The one where Liam and Louis only kiss when they're on nights out, when it's secret, when there's no one around to see them. If no one knows you're having a sexuality crisis, that means it isn't happening, right?

I Had Rather Hear My Dog Bark At A Crow (Nick/Louis, secret relationship, CAN YOU BELIEVE this was the first time I ever wrote Nick/Louis, and no one is surprised it’s another secret relationship story) - Nick and Louis don't like each other, not even a little bit, not even at all.

Anyway, hope you’re doing okay, fellow isolated person. ALL THE LOVE. 

[suetravelblog]

Approaching Sainte Anne Island

The day trip to Sainte Anne Marine National Park is one of my favorite Seychelles experiences. People in the group were as interesting as the exotic, secluded islands we explored. I enjoyed conversations and shared a table with three fun couples:

Australian

British / South African

Seychellois

I chatted with Krishna who was from Chennai but had lived in the Seychelles for over 20 years. He’s an accountant for a luxury resort and sadly, several years ago his family moved to the UK – his wife is a physician – while he remained behind. He was happy to be joining them later in December and relocating there himself.

Beach Sainte Anne Marine Park

The Aussies – Margaret and Ray – were great company for a conversation-starved solo traveler. We enjoyed snorkeling, hiking, laughing, and sharing travel stories. The British South African couple – Jill and David – were unbelievably in their mid-80s and on a layover from a cruise.  David is a talented engineer. He met Jill, who’s from Cape Town, in London, and they married 5 weeks later.  They’ve lived all over the world – China, Africa, Australia, Canada, and more… Jill shared stories of her full, active life and many adventures.

Moyenne Beach Sign

The Seychellois couple – Carinne and François – were shy and quiet at first, but warmed up. Carinne had a few lively conversations with Jill and me, about Seychelles and life in general. She talked briefly about the country’s political setup and dissatisfaction with corrupt government – not a new scenario in African countries. Some islands and resorts in the archipelago are owned by wealthy people from Asian and the Middle East.

Moyenne Trail View

Catamaran Anahita and Semi-Submersible Boat

After several stormy days, the weather was remarkable and clear but extremely hot! Starting at Mahé marina, we cruised on catamaran, Anahita, for about an hour, stopping to feed colorful reef fish and revel in jaw-dropping sea and island vistas. Then, we boarded a semi-submersible boat with glass windows to view the coral reef below.

Catamaran Anahita

Our Seychellois guide provided commentary on the reef and its inhabitants. She described fringing and patch reefs, and explained how each creature living in the coral reef contributes to its survival. Some of the fish we saw included semicircle angelfish, steephead parrots fish, zebrafish, and oriental sweetlips.

Oriental Sweetlips

Steelhead Parrots Fish

Zebrafish

Semicircle Angelfish

_____________

“Sainte Anne Marine Park provides a unique concentration of underwater ecosystems. It protects coral gardens and has one of the largest areas of seagrass meadows in the granitic bank of the Seychelles.”

_____________

After viewing the reef, we jumped into the ocean to cool down and snorkel with the fish. The fish we saw were a bit disappointing, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed swimming in the warm Indian Ocean!

Moyenne Trail View

Marine Protected Nature Reserve

“Sainte Anne Marine National Park is about 3 miles from Mahé. It was created in 1973 to protect a group of 6 islands and is the South Western Indian Ocean’s first marine protected area. Only accessible by sea, the Park has a unique concentration of underwater ecosystems. It protects coral gardens and has one of the largest areas of seagrass meadows in the granitic bank of the Seychelles.”

Brown Noddy

Six Islands in Sainte Anne Marine Park

The Park’s nature reserve is about 6 square miles. Islands in the reserve include Moyenne, Cachée, St. Anne, Cerf, Longue, and Round. Each island has fascinating, history and folklore. The islands have thick, tropical vegetation and incredible white-sand beaches. Green sea turtles, hawksbill turtles, manta rays, bluespotted stingrays, and bottlenose dolphins are regular visitors. The water surrounding the islands is shallow. At low tide, it almost recedes completely. It’s possible to walk across the sand to other islands. Be prepared to get wet and carefully avoid shell and coral pieces.

Hawksbill Turtle

The largest island, St. Anne, was the site of the first French settlement in 1770 – a “courageous undertaking of an island surrounded by swamps teeming with crocodiles”.  During World War II, St. Anne was a base for the Royal Marines defending Victoria. In the early 19th century, the island was a whaling base. Today, St. Anne is an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles.

From Moyenne Hiking Trail

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Visitors and locals share a fascination for legends of pirates and buried treasure on the islands. “Focus has been on Bel-Ombre, in the Northern part of Mahé, where it’s believed that Olivier Le Vasseur’s (a French pirate from Calais) hidden treasure worth £150 million lies.”

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Captain Morphey, a French/Irish explorer from Brittany, named the island after the Feast of Sainte Anne – celebrated upon his arrival in 1756.

Mahé Harbor Windmills

Cerf Island, the second largest island, was named after Captain Morphey’s frigate Le Cerf. The island’s shallow water and reefs are popular for snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, and kayaking.

Secluded Beach from Moyenne Hiking Trail

Longue Island was “used by early French and Portuguese slavers as a quarantine station for slaves being transported from Africa”. Morphey named Longue for its long shape. Longue doesn’t have the extraordinary flora and fauna of the other islands.

Moyenne Island is “home to pirate graves, a chapel, the ruins of early settlers’ homes, and undiscovered buried treasure”.  Giant tortoises roam freely along a walking trail surrounding the island.

Inside Semi-Submersible Boat

In 1962, an English newspaper editor, Brendon Grimshaw, bought Moyenne for £8,000. Over time, he transformed it into a giant tortoise nature preserve now worth about 34 million Euros. It’s the smallest national park in the world.

Semi-Submersible Boat

Grimshaw died in 2012 and “left the island to the national park, along with strict instructions that it must remain a park and no hotels may be built on the island”. One of Grimshaw’s dogs still lives there and is an avid fisher – we saw him in action! Grimshaw’s parents also spent time living on the island, and his father’s grave is there.

Anahita Deck

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“Brendon and his Seychellois friend, Rene Lafortune, gradually and painstakingly created a nature reserve out of what was formerly a hunk of waterless bush.”

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Mahé Harbor

Round is small, rocky island that can be walked in less than 30 minutes. It was once a leper colony and now has small luxury cabanas and a popular Creole Restaurant. Cachée is a 5-acre uninhabited islet and nature reserve for breeding noddies.

Moyenne Hike

After a Creole lunch aboard Anahita, we went ashore and hiked around Moyenne, enjoying sea views, palm trees, lush vegetation, and giant tortoises. The trail leads by coves, granite boulders, ruins, and a tiny chapel. There are a few side trips – Hanni’s Haunt and Treasure Peak – and many secluded beaches with sweeping views of the surrounding islands and turquoise sea.

Aerial View Sainte Anne Marine Park

Brendon Grimshaw and his friend Rene Lafortune planted sixteen thousand trees on the island and built nature paths encircling it. The main path passes the remains of two old houses.  One formerly occupied by the earliest traceable owner, Melidor Louange, who lived there with her husband for 42 years. She sold the island to wealthy, eccentric Alfred d’Emmerez de Charmoy.

Islands from Anahita Deck

Another ruin, known as the “House of Dogs” was built by an English woman, Emma Wardlow Best, who loved animals. She collected stray dogs from Mahé and gave them a home on the island.

Moyenne Ruin

Brendon Grimshaw’s house and a two-room museum displaying seashells and explanations of the island’s flora and fauna are near the main beach, Jolly Roger. Grimshaw wrote about his life on the island in a book, A Grain of Sand.

Moyenne Cove

It was a perfect day, but I didn’t take many photos. Even though I doused myself with SPF 50, I have a sunburned back from snorkeling – a small price to pay for an extraordinary memory. If my skin could tolerate the harsh equatorial sun, I would swim and snorkel every day.

Reef Safari Sainte Anne Marine Park The day trip to Sainte Anne Marine National Park is one of my favorite Seychelles experiences. People in the group were as interesting as the exotic, secluded islands we explored.