Reunion Island is open to international yachts.

Yachts must clear in at Le Port de la Pointe des Galets.

Any yachts planning to visit must contact the port authority in advance by e-mail to get
permission to enter: rpp.exploitation@tco.re. All details will be provided when you e-mail
for permission.

 

For pre-arrival registration see: : Subheading

 

The following documents should be completed and attached:

– Reunion – déclaration d’arrivée – Pointe des Galets (Arrival Form)

– Reunion – Declaration-Maritime-de-Sante-DMS (Health Declaration)

– Copy of all Passports

_ Vessel registration

_ Vaccination certificate / negative PCR

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Jérôme BELHUERNE

Maître de port principal / Harbor Master - Régie des Ports de Plaisance

N° portable 06.92.31.36.66

jerome.belhuerne@tco.re

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REUNION\MAURITIUS TO RICHARDS BAY SA

 

If you have not yet read Anne Lloyd’s (SV SOFIA) Noonsite notes on the crossing from Reunion to SA
I would strongly suggest you do so before setting out or even planning the trip.

 

She points out the main issue being you have to set out from Reunion based on a f\cast min 4 days
into the future assuming you will reach a waypoint 600nm away (26S 47E) just in time to pick up
favorable winds to drive you west across the bottom of Madagascar.

The Equatorial current which hits Mada at +-12 – 13S splits in two and the southern bound section
runs down the Mada east coast. At the bottom of Mada the continental shelf extends +-50nm
offshore and SW winds against the current on this shallow section can generate some pretty nasty
conditions and should be avoided at all costs except in very calm conditions.

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The east coast of Mada has very little by way of shelter and harbors and it would be suicide to rely
on finding shelter anywhere along the E\SE\S\SW coast.

Assuming you arrive at the waypoint in time and you have SE15+ wind you need to stay on 26S and
head due west. You are then still 900nm from Richards Bay and still need to be aware that the next
SW gale could be coming up the coast and you need to know where you can find shelter in the
event of not being able to make it safely into Rbay.

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The two tried and tested options are

St Augustine Bay – Nosy Ve 23 38S 43 36E – alternatives further north into the bay depending on
wind direction – do not go to Toliara as the officials have elevated corruption to an art form.

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Inhaca Island 25 57S 32 58E – not perfect but considering the alternative in the
Moz current safe enough.

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The Moz current is very concentrated (70nm wide) from Bazaruto to Zavora 24
30S on the Moz coast – 3kts+

From Zavora it spreads out and reduces to +-2kts but still results in horrendous
conditions in sustained SW winds (6m breaking seas @ 6seconds)

It hits the SA coast just south of Jesser Pt\Sodwana Bay 27 30S where it
concentrates and 3kts + is normal.

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There is no option but to deal with this current and the conditions it generates.
It is a case of pick your poison as to where you encounter it.

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Some ambitious yachties in the past have set their sights on Durban as their
first stop (some delusional yachties had illusions of getting to East London and
even Port Elizabeth). In 6 years I can recall only two yachts getting to Durban
direct and they paid the price.

Once you have experienced the effects of the current most sane yachties are
pretty happy to make it into Rbay as their first port of call