The Seychelles

I keep hearing a lot of crazy stories about pirates while fly fishing in the Seychelles. In fact, the latest story came from our friend Doug at Fly Treks fly fishing travel, who is the guy we use when we go fly fishing in Belize. Doug also has contacts in the Seychelles and is going to be hosting trips there in the upcoming season. The latest ship that was taken over, the captain refused to let Pirates take over their fishing vessel and so...the Pirates burnt it to the ground. Wow!...this really happens. So I asked Doug, "Is it really worth it to risk and experience like that for the fishing that is available at the Seychelles?" He replied "Sam, the Seychelles is the best fishing I have experienced...you have to go...if you take fly fishing seriously... you have to go."



Here's the report from Field and Stream:



The Seychelles, a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, are considered "flats nirvana" for anyone who's been there. Massive, beautiful, unspoiled shallows, teeming with large bonefish... crystal waters. I've never been there, but I am told it is worth traveling half-way around the world to see and experience.
Problem is, the outbreak of piracy along the coast of Somalia has apparently spread to the Seychelles as well. This report came in last weekfrom Tom Stevenson: "It turns out that The boat I was to board in Assumption Island, Seychelles on the 8th (April), was hijacked about 50 km from Assumption Island on Friday last; Taken to Somalia, where the crew (who had not been heard from since setting off from Assumption Island) were released, and called in on Wednesday; All remote islands in Seychelles have been evacuated of all boats, while the Seychelles government 'cleans up' the problem..."
My friend Rodrigo Salles was in the Seychelles two weeks ago (his photo above). He chimed in: "I noticed that at the end of last week, I got a little bit scared, since we had navigated with a small boat, slept on the dirt on the middle of an isolated island... The Indian Ocean Explorer (the boat with which all the outfitters fish at Cosmoledo, Astove, etc.), was kidnapped by Somali pirates last week. So, the ship has disappeared, and all the operations around Cosmoledo are dead (I think that nobody would go there in a ship for a long time)."
Understand that the Seychelles cover a huge expanse, and some areas are much safer than others. Lodges on islands are, to date, far less vulnerable to pirates than live-aboard boats.
But you have to wonder about chasing fish in the world's hot spots... If anyone has any updates, please let us know.
Deeter
The Seychelles has been gaining a reputation for the best Giant Trevally and Bonefish in the world...as well as for having pirates. Keep this in mind. We are going to need a group of "hard-cores" to come with us on this adventure in the next couple years. I guess if we have to go...then we have to go. They also have a cool looking Permit. Permit are cool.