Anchorage· Aldabra· Seychelles
Aldabra Designated Anchorage (Picard Research Station)
9° 23.4′ S · 46° 11.8′ E
The only place a visiting vessel may anchor at Aldabra: a small box off the west coast of Picard (West Island), in view of the SIF research station at La Gigi.
Practical
SIF regulations (July 2020) define the anchorage box by corners A 9°23'12.84"S 46°11'50.46"E, B 9°23'12.88"S 46°11'55.36"E, C 9°23'34.73"S 46°11'47.04"E and D 9°23'34.73"S 46°11'52.08"E; anchoring anywhere else round the atoll is forbidden. You may not leave the anchorage until the Island Manager clears you. Pub. 171 (2010) describes the SE-monsoon anchorage about 0.3 nm W of the settlement flagstaff in 37 m, only about 0.1 nm from the reef edge, so be ready to move if it blows from the NW. Its NW-monsoon alternative off Hodoul Point is now outside the permitted area. There is no harbour, jetty, airstrip or helipad. The research station light (2013, Fl W 2s, 16 m tower) is on shore here. Coordinate is the centre of the SIF box.
Best for
The base for every authorised Aldabra visit
Season
SE monsoon (April-October) lee; exposed to NW winds
Nearby
- Aldabra Research Station and Lighthouse0.6 NM away
- Aldabra Visitor Impact Fee (SIF)0.6 NM away
- Aldabra Giant Tortoises (Picard)0.7 NM away
- Aldabra White-Throated Rail (Picard)1 NM away
- Aldabra Main Channel (Grande Passe) Drift Dive2.8 NM away
- Aldabra Atoll UNESCO World Heritage Site (SIF Permit)9.2 NM away
- Aldabra Lagoon Tour and Grand Poche Frigatebird Colony9.2 NM away
- Assumption Reefs ('The Silent World')27.3 NM away