Seasonal· Coëtivy· Seychelles
Coëtivy NW-Monsoon Approach
7° 4.2′ S · 56° 15.0′ E · approximate
Coëtivy lies about 160 nm SSE of Victoria, so the northwest monsoon (December to April) is the season when the passage is a broad reach or run instead of a beat into the SE trades. The trade-off is that its only published anchorage, off the west side, then faces the wind.
Practical
Pub. 171 (2010) describes only the west-side anchorage: excellent shelter from the SE trades in the large bay on that shore, most conveniently off the settlement; vessels passing S of the island should keep at least 6 nm off. No NW-monsoon anchorage is published. The Moorings eGuide gives NW winds from December to April, generally 10-15 knots and strongest at daybreak, with intermittent rain squalls and stronger winds from December to March, and calm, sometimes windless spells in April and November. Use the NW season for the run south, but plan your stay at Coëtivy for a calm spell or the April/November transition, and be ready to leave the west-side anchorage if a NW squall line or swell builds. Landing needs IDC permission in advance (IDC runs the island as a farm and aquaculture site). Coordinate is approximate: an arrival waypoint about 2 nm NW of the island's north end (OpenStreetMap outline), clear of the reef.
Best for
Timing a Coëtivy trip
Season
Run south Dec-Apr; anchor off the west side in SE trades or calm spells
Nearby
- Coëtivy Frigatebird Roost4.3 NM away
- Coëtivy Island Anchorage (West Side)4.5 NM away
- Platte Island Flats Fly-Fishing88.7 NM away
- Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island88.9 NM away
- Platte Island Hawksbill Nesting89.2 NM away
- Platte Island Approach (Northwest Reef Passages)89.7 NM away
- Platte Island NW-Monsoon Approach Window93.8 NM away
- Police Bay (No Swimming)142.9 NM away