Mauritius Part 5: Noel, Cap Malhereux

“Do you want to see some fish?” I heard someone call out to me.

I was just idly wandering around the chapel at Cap Malhereux to work out why this place was so recommended by not only the guide but by locals.  I was also a bit annoyed at myself, I wasn’t able to organise the sailing trip out on a catamaran to the islands just off the north of Mauritius – and I was leaving the next day.

“Do you want to see some fish?” He repeated, whilst holding onto an old fishing rod that he appeared to be repairing with some sand paper.

I went over and started talking to this guy and he explained to me that he could take me out into the ocean to the reef to see the fish.  I’m not entirely convinced.  This wasn’t exactly like the other times where there was an office or other people.  It was me this guy and his boat.  In fact, that was how he was trying to sell it.  “Just you, me, the boat, and the fish!”

Looking up at the sky, it was a beautiful day.  Agreeing on the fee, I think to myself, “why not?” and run off to my car to grab my snorkelling gear.

“You’re really prepared! This will be great!” he exclaims as I pile all my gear into his small boat and we push off.  We start talking about this little part of Mauritius, and I learn a little bit more about my guide for this afternoon: Noel.

Noel starts up the motor and then takes a small detour past the other rich houses and calls out to random people asking them if they want to join our little cruise.  He isn’t at all successful and I wondered if he’s just doing that out of habit or if he really thinks he might have a chance.  There were three rather beautiful French women swimming by the private beach just out the back of their mansion as we cruise past.  Noel get’s a little closer and cries out to them asking them to join and of course they refuse with not so much of a wave and a firm “Non!” 

Noel looks lazily again at these three women and smiles a little before powering up the motor again and heading out to the ocean.   I guess that’s why he cruises so close to this beach, even if it isn’t to look out explicitly for clients.  He told me that he lived a little be inland from the beach and that I wouldn’t be disappointed.  He was really building this up!

We take what seems like 10 to 15 minutes to get out into the middle of the ocean.  Passing below us is the turquoise blue water on sand and the darker colour of coral.  We finally get to the mooring point and Noel anchored the boat.  He brought out a stale baguette, ripped off a piece and tosses it into the ocean.

There’s a massive frenzy of activity.  All this fish suddenly arrive and start bickering for the bread.

“OK, this is good, get in!” He said.  So I put on my snorkel and I hop in.

It was amazing: all these tropical fish and coral were just everywhere I looked. Noel kept on throwing in bread at me, so I kept on being in a storm of fish.  Eventually, Noel ran out of bread, but the fish remained, swimming by my side waiting for more food that was of course no longer coming.

I surfaced after about 30 minutes.  Noel was dozing on the deck of his boat.  There was no one else anywhere in sight: just the fish, this guy, his boat, and me.

Later, when we got back to the coast, I saw some kids fishing by the rockpools.  I talked to their father and grandfather – three generations were spending time together on this school holiday.  I told them that I was from Perth, Western Australia and they instantly brightened: they had family there and commented that there were a lot of Mauritians that were living in Australia.