Gilles Bessero, Head of Monaco’s Indian Ocean Explorations mission, shares his thoughts with us at the end of this first phase, during the stopover in the Seychelles, between the disembarkation and embarkation of the first teams and new arrivals.
A Sunday morning in Port Victoria
The atmosphere aboard the S.A. Agulhas II on this Sunday morning, October 30, is very different from the excitement of the previous day’s arrival in Port Victoria, Seychelles, which marks both the end of the first phase of the mission and the halfway point in the campaign.
The thirty students and teachers from the on-board school had left the ship, as had most of the participants who would not be taking part in the second phase.
Their successors are expected to arrive later this afternoon.
This short respite is an opportune time to reflect on this first phase.
For the mission leader, as for the ship’s captain, there is first and foremost the satisfaction of getting everyone back safely to port, and of having successfully completed almost all the planned program.
Of course, we have a special thought for the diver who suffered an accident while launching a boat on October 20: fortunately, he was able to return to his home in the UK on Saturday, after undergoing tests that have reassured us of his condition.
The departure from Cape Town 27 days ago seems a long way off, so busy has it been since then.
After two ramp-up stopovers in Mauritius and La Réunion, followed by the hydrology stations and Manta net lines that punctuated the transit from La Réunion to Aldabra, the Aldabra sequence mobilized all our energies.
Thanks to the excellent cooperation with the Seychelles Islands Foundation staff on the island, we were able to combine intense scientific work with discovery outings, at least for the students, whose dazzled looks on their return were a pleasure to see.
Like all the participants and crew, they will also remember the visit of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, whose simplicity and attentive listening left a lasting impression.
After this stopover in Aldabra, the transit to the island of Mahé was once again punctuated by a hydrology station and Manta net lines.
On Friday afternoon, the “live” event organized between the ship and Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum for the “Océano pour tous” club gave rise to rich and spontaneous exchanges between budding explorers and scientists and artists on board.
Friday evening’s “Braai” (barbecue), organized on the helicopter platform, was a great moment of conviviality, bringing together crew and participants in a cordial, relaxed and … dancing atmosphere that revealed some hidden talents!
The atmosphere was the icing on the cake of the activities carried out during this first phase.
Let’s make sure that the second part of the show goes off without a hitch!
Port Victoria, October 30, 2022.
Gilles Bessero, Mission Manager
Gilles Bessero
Gilles Bessero was appointed director of Société des Explorations de Monaco in December 2018.
He has been acting as director of the company since February 2019.
In this capacity, he leads the preparation and organization of marine exploration missions conducted internationally that articulate scientific research, public mediation and government cooperation.
