Sailing & Diving in Madagascar on NOFY BE Schooner Charter

Looking for an adventure to discover places inaccessible by conventional means of transport, far from the beaten tracks? This unusual concept is for you!  Come and join us on NOFY BE our 58 feet “botry” (a wooden gaff-rigged schooner sailing boat, also known as “goélette” in French). Traditionally used for freight it has been adapted to host up to 8 passengers on cruises. Setting sail from various locations on the West coast of Madagascar, our intrepid passengers will be led by the winds on a trip back in time along the Canal of Mozambique. Hopping from island to island, anchoring in secret bays, meeting the local “Vezo Sakalava” populations, the Nomads of the Sea, exploring undiscovered and hidden locations, scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing, and even whale and dolphin watching. A welcoming and responsive crew will lead you through this innovative and eco-friendly cruising concept as well as sharing their local customs and the story of traditional boat building. There are no winches on board. Every manoeuvre is done by hand, hence the need for 4 strong and fit Vezo sailors. They know this coast, its every reef or sand bank, by heart. These waters have been their playing fields since the day they were born. Most of them have been sailing before they could even walk. 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 dugout canoe or botry, and lived for two years amongst the Vezo population, sharing their traditions whilst NOFY BE (which means BIG DREAM in Malagasy) was being built. Beginner or experienced diver? IDC Staff Instructor (PADI), Nico Jeanmart, will ease you into Madagascar’s breathtaking underwater world on NOFY BE’s Diving Safaris packages. He has been exploring the sea floor of the Canal of Mozambique for the past 10 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.  And last but not least our local Chef is not only a virtuoso of the stoves but also very funny and an amazing musician who will animate many an evening! All our cruises are tailor-made to accommodate your dates and wishes. We are of course at the mercy of the winds and our routes are dictated by them. Before departure, we will have a briefing to plan together and fine tune our itinerary according to the wind forecast. It is however just a forecast and changes may occur during our journey, such changes can also be dictated by YOUR wants and wishes. Flexibility is the motto on NOFY BE. At these latitudes, we only get about 12 hours of daylight all year round. To make the most of it and keeping with the traditions of our Vezo sailors, we live with the cycle of the sun. Early rise and early down. This concept is designed for families, groups of friends, team building, incentives, scientific research teams, filming crews, diving safari, and even surf trips. So escape and embark with us on a dream journey!