African Banks (Protected, No Unauthorised Entry)

4° 52.8′ S · 53° 23.2′ E

The northernmost Amirantes: a 30 ha island of honeycombed sandstone with a shallow lagoon on its west side, leased to IDC for conservation in 2022 and protected by a special order designed to keep out unauthorised visitors.

Seychelles Inner Islands

Practical

Landing without authorisation is prohibited (IDC). Pub. 171 (2010) recorded anchorages in 14 m 0.8 nm W of North Island Light, sheltered from SE swell, and a preferred one 1 nm NW of South Island in 10 m. South Island had largely submerged by about 1976 and is now just a sandbank marked by a wrecked barge, covered at high tide. The light was reported inactive from 2005 and apparently removed. In the SE trades the swell breaks violently on the SE side of the bank and the sea is often rough at the N end because of currents. Get IDC clearance before anchoring. Coordinate is the island position from OpenStreetMap.

Best for

Seeing a protected seabird island from the boat

Practical

Best for

Nearby