General Description

Sailing yacht charter in the Indian Ocean Madagascar with the Nofy Be.

NOFY BE is primarily a sailing boat. The principle of the cruises is to favour sailing, but for safety reasons, the boat is equipped with:
•    A 150 HP PERKINS inboard engine
•    A fibreglass dinghy with 5Hp outboard engine
•    A fibreglass traditionally shaped canoe propelled by a 15 Hp outboard engine (on Diving Safaris)
•    Life jackets for adults and children
•    An Echo sounder
•    Two GPS
•    And a laptop with Max sea software

Telephone and Internet connection (although very slow) are available on several locations along the West coast of Madagascar with the operator ZAIN.

There is plenty of deck space to lie on plastic coated foam mattresses and relax. There is also a rear seating area surrounding a low “coffee table”. When the wind is not too strong and / or when anchored, a tarpaulin provides some welcome shade.

The gully, situated under the front mast, made of a wooden box with charcoal stoves, is built to the same specifications as the ones that can be found on the traditional “cargo botry” sailing along the West coast of Madagascar.

Bathrooms are external, rudimentary but affording extensive views whilst being out of site. They are situated at the rear of the boat on an overhanging platform reached by a few steps. The toilet is on the starboard side with a comfortable hardwood seat. The shower is on the port side with a bucket of seawater to wash and a solar shower bag of soft water to get rinsed.

Provided on board:
•    Cotton sheet,
•    small pillow,
•    light flees blanket
•    tents for 2 and foam mattresses
•    fins, masks, snorkels
•    tanks, stabilising jackets, regulators, shorty wetsuits, weight belts (on Diving Safaris)
•    3 spear guns
•    2 fishing lines

Dimensions:

Overall length: 74ft (22.5m)
Keel length: 56ft (17m)
Deck length: 58ft (17.8m)
Deck width: 12ft (3.7m)
Heavy cotton canvas sails
Sail surface: 1,894 sq. ft (176 m2)
Weight : 20 tons
Charge : 33 tons

Tender / Toys & Extras

Fiberglas dinghy with 5Hp outboard engine.

Accommodation Description

Sleeping facilities: 8 bunk beds in a communal dormitory, offering limited privacy, but comfortable. Small pillow, sheets & blankets are provided on cruises.
Living space: dining area sitting 8 people, the seats change into 2 further beds.

Sailboat Rental

Summer Destinations

Winter Destinations

Amenities:

Chef

Chart plotter

Crewed Yacht

Depth Sounder

Fishing equipment

GPS

Shower

Snorkeling Gear

Toilet - WC

The yacht can also be used for:

Fishing

Team Building Events

Day Charters

Specifications

Boat Category : Crewed Sailing Yacht,

Type of Boat : Sailing Yacht Charter, Fishing Yacht Charter, Day Charter,

Year of build: 2009

Motor HP : 150 HP PERKINS inboard engine

No of Berths : 8

No of Cabins : 1

Draft : 12  feet

Beam : 58   feet

No of Crew : 6

Length Range : 51-80ft

Actual Length : 74   ft

Mainsail : 1,894   sq feet

Crew Profile:

Crew:
They are all Vezo. They know this coast of the Canal of Mozambique by heart. The team is made up of 6 sailors all extremely strong and fit. One of them is also an excellent cook. There are no winches as one would find on every modern sailing boat. Every manoeuvre is done by hand.
They all speak Vezo. Some of them begin to have a few notions of French and start to pronounce a few words of English to welcome you onboard.
We have GPS, echo sounder and marine charts onboard, but these are more for comfort than safety. Our sailors know this coast, its every reef or sand bank, by hart. These waters have been their playing fields since the day they were borne.
Impossible to wrong them, they know their exact position. Most of them have been sailing before they could even walk.  

Diving Instructor

IDC Staff Instructor (PADI), Nico Jeanmart, started diving in the Reunion Island some 12 years ago. He has since been exploring the sea floor of the Canal of Mozambique for the past 6 years.
He is qualified in underwater photography, deep sea diving, night dives and marine biology.
He is also Emergency First Aid and Oxygen Therapy Instructor.  

Hosts and Guides
To ease you into this new world and experience, European Fred or Laetitia will host you throughout your journey. They have extensively travelled along this coast by dug out canoe or botry, and lived for two years amongst the Vezo, sharing their traditions whilst NOFY BE was being built.
Fred is comfortable with French, but if you push him he does have some notions of English… He will be your host in August, September and December.
Laetitia will be able to host you the rest of the time in English, French and Italian. She has also some notions of German, Spanish and Flemish.
Fred is a French film Director who has been living and producing documentaries on the Indian Ocean for the past 20 years.
Laetitia, a former geologist, soil mechanics engineer, property developer, tax consultant and mother to two British lads, is half Belgian half Italian, has kept a base in the UK, and fell in love with Madagascar some 6 years ago.

Yacht Pictures

Pricing Details

TARIFFS

o   DAY OUTING: 50€/pers with meal (drinks not included)

o   CRUISES

If you are less than 6 passengers we reserve the right to try to make up numbers so as to bring prices down to 100€ / day / pax and sail off with a minimum of 6 passengers.

Half price for children under 12.

Number of PAX                  TARIFFS (full board & lodging, drinks & dives not included)
1 Pax                                  300€/day
2 Pax                                  160€/day/pax
3 Pax                                  130€/day/pax
4 to 6 Pax                           100€/day/pax
7 to 8 Pax                             90€/day/pax

Do contact us for private hire of the whole boat.

o    DIVING SAFARIS

140€ / day / passenger full board and lodging (excluding drinks) for 6 divers.
Accompanying non divers will be charged 90€ /day / passenger.

On Diving Safaris we can take up to 6 divers and 2 non diving passengers. The tariff depends on the number of Divers.

If you are only 2 or 3 contact us for the possibility to include you into an existing group.

The price includes 2 dives per day (except on some sailing days) and one or two night dives throughout the cruise.


o    DIVING SUPPLEMENT (when diving is not included in the price)

40€ for one dive, 60€ for two dives in the same day

PAYMENT & BOOKING

To secure a charter 50% of the total charter feel must be paid upon signing the charter agreement. The remaining 50% is due 1 month before the charter date. If the booking is made 1 month before the charter date 100% must be paid.

CANCELLATION

- More than 2 months before departure: 75€
- Between 2 months and 30 days before departure: 50% of the total price
- Between 29 days and 5 days before departure: 75% of the total price
- Less than 5 days before departure: 100% of the total price

In the event of a cancellation by the owner and operator of NOFY BE and/or the Diving Operator, a refund of the amount already paid, up to a maximum equivalent to the service not already provided, will be made by bank transfer.

However no refunds will be made in case of events outside their control, such as: war, political upheaval, strikes, riots, technical or administrative incidents outside the owner's control, cancellations or changes of programme due to circumstances of « force majeure », and/or threats to the security and safety of passengers, and/or the injunction of an administrative authority.

The owner and operator of NOFY BE and/or the Diving Operator, reserve the right to modify dates, times or itineraries if they consider that the security and safety of passengers are at risk, without any entitlement to any compensation whatsoever for passengers.

Contact Details

Itineraries:

3 DAYS CRUISE FROM MORONDAVA TO BELO-SUR-MER

DAY 1 :  MORONDAVA – MENAKY

sail to Menaky and the Salt Loading Port (6 to 12h according to the winds).

We will then have a swim in the Salt Loading Port bay and sail back to the Menaky bay where we will sleep anchored onboard or in tents on the beach.

Iif the tides permit a next early morning departure. Otherwise, we all sleep onboard and set off during the night at high tide.

DAY 2 :  MENAKY – MITE DUNES - NOSY ANDRIANGORY (NOSY BE)

Arrival at MITE early morning. Walk on the dunes with breathtaking views towards the sea and the islands on one side and the inland lakes and dry forests on the other side.

Setting sail towards the end of the morning to Nosy Andriangory, best known as Nosy Be, the « big » island, the only one with a few trees.

Snorkelling, walk on the island, setting up camp for the ones who would like to sleep in tents, and BBQ on the beach.

DAY 3 : NOSY ANDRIANGORY – NOSY MOTSADINIKY – NOSY ANDRAVOHO

Breakfast onboard whilst sailing to Nosy Motsadiniky. Swim, snorkel and spear gun fishing around the island.

Late morning sail to Nosy Andravoho. Walk on the island to meet the nomad fishermen and their way of life.

Lunch onboard before setting sail to Belo-sur-mer pushed by the afternoon Westerly winds.


6 DAYS ISLAND HOPPING DIVING SAFARY (SOUTH OF MORONDAVA)

DAY 1 : MORONDAVA – NOSY ANDRAVOHO

Departure from Morondava at high tide (could be in the night or very early morning).

Two dives on the way to Nosy Andravoho. Visit of a Vezo nomad camp on Nosy Andravoho.

Night onboard anchored of the island.

DAY 2 : NOSY ANDRAVOHO – NOSY MOTSADINIKY

Breakfast onboard while sailing to Nosy Motsadiniky.

Two dives around Nosy Motsadiniky and one night dive

DAY 3 : NOSY MOTSADINIKY – NOSY ANDRIANGORY (NOSY BE)

Sail towards Nosy Be with two dives on the way.

DAY 4 : NOSY BE

Two dives around Nosy Be. Walk and rest on Nosy Be, setting camp for the ones wishing to spend a night under the privacy of a tent.

BBQ on the beach. One night dive.

DAY 5 : NOSY BE – NOSY TANIA

Sail towards Nosy Tania. One dive on the way, second dive around the island.

DAY 6 : NOSY TANIA – MORONDAVA

Sail back to Morondava with two dives on the way.

This programme could incorporate a seventh day to allow a stop over in Belo-sur-mer to visit its famous shipyard, salt works and bottle shaped baobab forest.
The dives are between 33 and 98 feet (10 and 30 m). In November and December the visibility is usually very good, ideal for underwater photographs and videos. Easy dives, not too much current, accessible to all diving levels.


7 DAYS ROUNDTRIP SOUTH OF MORONDAVA

DAY 1 :  MORONDAVA – BELO-SUR-MER

Departure from the jetty at the Club House in Nosy Kely, Morondava.

Arrival late morning / afternoon depending on the wind direction.

Swim and/or visit of the Belo-sur-mer boat yard, evening meal in the village followed by a few drinks in lively local bar.

Head back to the boat for a sleep onboard, anchored in the bay.

Alternatively, sleeping can be arranged in one of the hotels along the bay (not included in the price).

DAY 2 :  BELO-SUR-MER – NOSY MOTSADINIKY (2nd little island off Belo-sur-mer)

Arrival in the morning. Swim, snorkelling and spear fishing. Lunch onboard anchored off the island.

NOSY MOTSADINIKY – NOSY ANDRIANGORY (NOSY BE)

Sail to Nosy Be, the « big » island, the only one with a few trees.

Walk on the island, setting up camp for the ones who would like to sleep in tents, and BBQ on the beach.

DAY 3 :  NOSY ANDRIANGORY (NOSY BE) – NOSY ANDRIAMITAROKA (rats island)

Breakfast, swim and snorkel. Setting sail South towards Nosy Andriamitaroka where we should arrive in the afternoon after a good lunch onboard.   

NOSY ANDRIAMITAROKA (rats island)

Swim, snorkelling on some of the most beautiful corals of the area and walk on the island.

Diner and sleeping on board anchored off the island. Setting off during the night to sail down to ANDALALANDA

DAY 4 :  ANDALALANDA and MANGOKY RIVER MOUTH

Arrival early morning, breakfast on board, swim, sail into one of the beautiful mangrove bays of the MANGOKY River Mouth.

Llunch ashore, “pirogue” trip into the mangroves, walk to a semi-nomad village and setting up camp for the night.

Evening meal around a camp fire.

DAY 5 : MANGOKY RIVER MOUTH – KIRINDY MITE

Breakfast in the bay, swim or walk while the crew folds up camp.

Setting sail late morning to catch the Westerly winds to push us towards the majestic dunes of MITE.

Walk on the dunes and the National Park of KIRINDY MITE with breathtaking views towards the sea and the islands on one side and the inland lakes and dry forests on the other side.

Back onboard for our evening meal and sleep anchored off the dunes.

DAY 6 : KIRINDY MITE – NOSY TANIA – BELO-SUR-MER

Breakfast onboard while taking advantage of the early morning Easterly winds to bring us to NOSY TANIA Island for some snorkelling, spear gun fishing and a swim.

Lunch onboard and sail back to BELO-SUR-MER where we should arrive early evening, just in time for a richly stocked seafood platter ashore.

Back to the boat for a sleep onboard, anchored in the bay.

Alternatively, sleeping can be arranged in one of the hotels along the bay (not included in the price).

DAY 7 : BELO-SUR-MER –  SALT WORKS & BOTTLE SHAPED BAOBABS

Early Breakfast onboard. « Pirogue » trip if the tide is high enough or walk to the salt works.

Picnic at the bottle shaped baobabs.

SALT LOADING PORT & MENAKY – MORONDAVA

Zebu drawn cart journey to the Salt Loading Port where NOFY BE will come and pick us up. Sail to Menaky bay, snorkelling & spear fishing if the tide permits.

Diner and sleeping onboard while we set off for a night sail back to Morondava where we should arrive the next morning.

9 DAYS NORTHERN CRUISE FROM MAJUNGA TO NOSY BE

DAY 1 :

Welcome onboard briefing. Setting sail from the Port of Majunga at high tide, lunch and/or diner onboard depending on the tide times.

Night sail towards the North

DAY 2 : MAJUNGA – MOROMBA BAY

Further sailing for most of the day. Stop over on the way for some snorkelling and spear fishing, lunch onboard.

Arrival in beautiful Moromba bay late afternoon, just in time for an aperitif at sun set before our evening meal.

Setting off for the night onboard moored in the shelter of the bay.  

DAY 3 :  MOROMBA BAY – NOSY LAVA

Visit of the bay, its limestone islets full of birds, its baobabs and long deserted beaches.

Afternoon sail to Nosy Lava. Meals and sleeping on board.

DAY 4 : NOSY LAVA

Visit of the water fall and the jail, meeting former inmates who have been on the island for over 30 years.

Snorkelling on coral reefs.

Meals and sleeping onboard.

DAY 5 :  NOSY ANTANY MORA – NOSY VALHIA

Setting sail early morning for Nosy Antany Mora and its hundreds of birds. Visit of the island.

Lunch onboard whilst sailing to Nosy Valiha where we will anchor and settle onboard for the night.

DAY 6 : NOSY VALHIA – NOSY KALAKAJORO

After breakfast we leave for Nosy Kalakajoro, the most southern Radama Island.

We’ll anchor in front of a beautiful golden sandy beach bordered by a coconut tree plantation behind which nestles a charming fishing village that lives of its coconut production and sea catch.

DAY 7 : NOSY KALAKAJORO – BARAHAMAMAY

We leave Nosy Kalakajoro for Barahamamay, a small paradise on earth with its see-through waters and white sands.

A beautiful site where its luxuriant unspoiled vegetation is being preserved and remains intact.

DAY 8 : BARAHAMAMAY – NOSY IRANJA – BAIE DES RUSSES
After breakfast we set sail for beautiful Nosy Iranja, the Island of turtles.

Before a luxury hotel established itself on the island, turtles used to come and lay their eggs there.

It’s actually made of two islands joined by a white meandering sand bank that can be crossed on foot by low tide.

The northern island has a disused lighthouse whose outbuildings host the village school.

After a climb up there to enjoy the outstanding views of the southern island, the white undulating sand ribbon and the mainland, we set sail towards the mainland where we will anchor in the sheltered waters of the “Baie des Russes” for the night.

DAY 9 : BAIE DES RUSSES – NOSY BE

After breakfast onboard we set sail towards Nosy Tany Kely for some breathtaking snorkelling before heading to Nosy Be, our final destination.

Diving Safari

everything you need for an enjoyable dive.

IDC Staff Instructor (PADI), Nico Jeanmart, will skilfully guide you through some amazing underwater sceneries.

Whether experienced diver or beginner on your first dive, he will ensure you get a memorable and safe experience of the West coast’s underwater world.

We will sail NOFY BE as close to the diving locations as possible.

The dives are then done from a fibre glass traditionally shaped canoe propelled by a 15 Hp outboard engine for ease of access in and out of the water.

After each dive you will be brought back onboard for the surface interval and a light snack while we sail to the next location.

Diving from a sailing boat we are at the mercy of the winds.

Throughout the year, to make the most of the seasonal changes of prevailing winds, we will be based in various locations along the West coast of Madagascar as follows.

However this programme can change, so we advise you to contact us to confirm our position before incorporating a Cruise or a Diving Safari within your travel plan.    

Middle of March to middle of June – The SOUTH WEST
-   We will be moored in Mangily / Ifaty, some 25 km North of Tulear to sail you further North for some fantastic dives or discovery cruises within the coral barrier between Salary and Andavadoaka (minimum 5 days cruise with 3 diving days and 2 sailing days).

July to September – THE NORTH WEST
-    We will be based in Majunga to sail through some breathtaking bays and the Southern Radama Islands, whale watching, snorkelling and/or diving (minimum 7 days cruise).

October to December – THE WEST CENTER / SOUTH
-    We will be in Morondava, our base, from where we can bring you North to the Barren Islands (minimum 7 to 9 days cruise of which 4 sailing days), or South to Belo-sur-mer and its islands for 3 to 9 days.