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SEEK ING SO L ACE I N T HE B I G B LU E
FIONA MCINTOSH GETS ON BOARD AND GOES OFF THE RADAR IN MADAGASCAR
“Whale!” announced the skipper. A
humpback whale and her calf had surfaced
only a hundred metres away from the
yacht. We watched transfixed, as the
youngster rolled on its back and lifted its
pectoral fins into the air as if in celebration.
I was on a live-aboard trip off the
coast of northwest Madagascar, slowly
journeying between picturesque bays and
remote islands rich in wildlife. The waters
34 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE
of the Mozambique Channel were calm
and inviting, so while the others studied
the whales, I donned a snorkel and mask
and slipped in. Suddenly, I heard shouting
from the boat. The whales were swimming
my way, clearly curious. Part of me was
thrilled: seeing these magnificent mammals
was an incredible privilege. But they were
also vast. I finned frantically back to the
boat and found my friends in hysterics.
Landing on the island of Nosy Be the
previous day, we’d headed straight to
MakiCat, a luxury catamaran moored just
off the picturesque island of Sakatia. After
a busy year, I wanted a break. A week on
the water with two special girlfriends,
being spoilt rotten by the boat crew
seemed just what the doctor ordered.
And so it proved to be. Stowing our
cellphones in waterproof compartments,