Nofy Be "grand dream" is the name given to a sailing vessel that reveals the beauty and authenticity of Madagascar's west coast to travelers. It is a boat and a Vezo crew, accompanied by the owners, Fred, or Laetitia depending on the season. This cruise, proposed by these sailing enthusiasts, will soon be part of the journeys offered by Détours Madagascar. We interviewed Fred to share with you this "awakened dream" in Madagascar that you will soon be able to experience!

Détours Madagascar: First of all, thank you Fred, for granting me this interview.We wish to soon propose to our travelers a stay aboard the Nofy Be. Simply because we love your concept, our vision of travel is close to yours. We share the same values: authenticity, respect for the culture and customs of Madagascar.

Could you introduce yourself and explain to us how your project started?

Fred: After 30 years of sailing in the Indian Ocean and a world tour by boat, the story of the Nofy Be began in 2005… With my friend Laetitia, we were gathered around a Caipirinha in Belo sur Mer, watching these merchant dhows under sail quietly heading back to port. At the time, I owned a sailboat in Mayotte, a wooden boat as well. I said to Laetitia: "You see, I would really like to build a boat like those and share my passion with travelers, an authentic concept… on the west coast of Madagascar". Laetitia immediately agreed with me, "why not partner up and build this boat?" It's a big childhood dream for me. As a child, I would sail with my father in the North Sea, aboard a Bénéteau First 42, a plastic boat… I remember telling him: "Dad, when I grow up, I'll build a big wooden boat, like the pirates!" After several months of waiting, to settle and finalize certain points in our lives, we found ourselves with Laetitia in Morondava and then Belo sur Mer to see if we were still on the same wavelength. As I looked again at this panorama of dhows in this mangrove, Laetitia said to me: " Listen, I'm ready, when do you want to start?". I gave her a meeting a few months later, in July 2006. During all that time, she stayed in Madagascar and administratively, she really searched for a way to build this "grand dream" to be in accord with the authorities… In September 2006, all the administrative side and our search for fondy was ready (the fondy is the one who has the know-how to build the dhow). I then spent 21 days in the forest to bring back 25 tons of wood, which corresponded to all the materials we needed to build this boat. After 3 years of construction, in February 2009, we finally hoisted the sails, and we began the first trials.

Détours Madagascar: Regarding the boat, can you tell us its history, the plans you used to build it?

Fred: The history of this boat was born under Radama II. This king asked France for help to provide Madagascar with a merchant sailing fleet to trade across the Mozambique Channel with the island of Mayotte, the Comoros, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The plan for this boat comes from the Joachim brothers, marine carpenters of Breton origin, who were sent by Napoleon to build schooner-type boats. Since then, this plan has been adapted by the Vezo, not because they didn't like it, but for the sake of economy and efficiency. This boat had a standard size. There were several sizes: 12 meters, 20 meters, and 25 meters at the time. The Malagasy modified it somewhat. They created an 18-meter boat, by 6 meters wide, instead of 5 to carry more cargo. The fondy (those who have the know-how) Vezo work with templates that are passed down from father to son. This knowledge is transmitted orally to them, without taking notes since most of them can neither read nor write. In the forest, when looking for wood, the fondy has the spare parts in mind. So, the template I used for our boat is 100 years old.

Détours Madagascar: And… with the crew, how many people can the boat accommodate? For example, if I come with my family, and we are 7 or 8, can we fit?

Fred: Yes. Up to 8, it works. Now, the ideal number for good comfort is a maximum of 6. Then there are 4 people who make up the crew (3 Vezo sailors and a cook) plus myself or Laetitia. One of the boat's owners is always there to welcome the vahiny and share our story.

Détours Madagascar: Regarding the itinerary, where does it depart from? What are the stops, etc.?

Fred: The playground is simple. From southwestern Madagascar to the northwest, 1,500 km of coastline. It's an extraordinarily underdeveloped playground. No mass tourism. Completely virgin regions to discover for people who want to experience this authentic concept. It's an incredibly amazing coast in terms of spots, in terms of ethnological beauty, in terms of fauna and flora… From the south, Itampolo, Anakao, Ifaty, Andavadaoka, Morombe… Wow! And in the north, Nosy Be, the Radama Islands, the Mitsio Islands and Nosy Iranja… and further northwest, the Courrier Bay. 1,500 km of coastline, but what's more, depending on the seasons, they are completely different. We offer in April-May, the southwest. As soon as the southern winds come, the trade winds enter, we hoist the 180 m² of sails. We try not to use the engine. I propose to my vahiny between 60 and 70% of sailing. That is, silence, we listen to the sea… We watch what the chef is preparing for lunch or dinner… We fish and it's quite something… The fish is excellent! As you can understand, we are in an environment of calm, an environment of peace… and pleasures. It's another world, another time. At the ethnological level, we pass by the Sakalava of the north and south, the Vezo, the Mahafaly, the Antandroy… Depending on where we are, the customs, the fady (the taboos), are different… It's a journey that is very rich culturally, and that we share with my Vezo crew. Travelers experience unforgettable moments… The population's welcome is always incredible, because we are a Malagasy boat, a Vezo boat. And this boat has been sailing on the west coast for now 10 years. Everyone knows it!

Détours Madagascar: And the travelers, what type of travelers do you have?

Fred: We have 2 or 3 types of travelers: families, groups of friends and diving enthusiasts. With families, when children arrive on the boat, they are amazed! With the sails in the wind, they think they're on a Caribbean pirate ship. I'm not Jack Sparrow, but I try to give that tone, not of pirates, but to have them experience a moment they will remember their whole lives.

Détours Madagascar: To finish, can you say a few words about Malagasy tourism?

Fred: I've been in the Indian Ocean for 30 years, about fifteen of which on Madagascar. I've shot many documentary films in the country. I'm also a producer. Whether it's the north, the west, the east, the south… I know it all. Madagascar is a magnificent country, extraordinarily beautiful! The inhabitants are very lovely. Wherever you find yourself, you will always receive a very good welcome. When you arrive by boat, it's not like arriving by road in a 4x4. The boat is different… you are like them. You are a sailor. You arrive with a boat they know, that they cross at sea in every season… you are part of the landscape. It's a virgin playground. Here, it may be that we don't encounter a single boat for 3 days, a week depending on the region we're in. In the Barren Islands for example, apart from nomadic fishing pirogues, no tourist boats. This region is truly timeless, with an extraordinary people. In the Caribbean or the Antilles, you would have already met 50 or 60 boats! At anchor, there would be 10 catamarans, 3 motor boats, 5 sloops… and how many tourists or hotels on the beaches... Here, it's virgin! The greatest spot is certainly the northwest and Nosy Iranja. And even there, compared to the Antilles, the Grenadines, the Maldives… on a spot of this beauty, there are only very few people. On Nofy Be, time has no hold. But if you want to send an email, I have a 4G connection. If you want security, I have a satellite phone! We are as well equipped as a catamaran.

Détours Madagascar: Great, it really makes you want to go! Thank you for the time you've given me.

Fred: You're welcome. It was a pleasure.

Discover the journeys aboard the Nofy Be: https://www.voyagemadagascar.com/circuit/l-archipel-des-mitsio-au-fil-de-l-eau-a-bord-de-la-goelette-nofy-be/