Mauritius is famous for water sports of all kinds. Its turquoise lagoon and water temperature are ideal, a real paradise for this type of sport.
Water-skiing, wake-boarding, kneeboard, mono-ski, stand-up paddle, kayak, pedal boat, windsurfing, or kite surfing are very popular and make the happiness of holidaymakers in Mauritius… and Mauritians.
Diving, snorkeling or even underwater walking, although very different, are also part of the activities to be experienced during your holidays in Mauritius.
In our family, the practice of water sports is omnipresent, I will mostly talk about the initiation to water sports in the lagoon of the south west coast of the island.
Follow the d’Unien Zil in a new adventure in Wake board and kneeboard.
Nautical activities in Mauritius
Mauritians practice water sports from a very young age. Even if these sports do not seem physical, they are all a little bit in their own way, so it takes a lot of perseverance and patience to master each of them.
Laurent decides to go to Cotteau Raffin (near Le Morne, Chamarel, Baie du Cap and Bel Ombre), to launch the boat. We have a small boat, Boston Whaler, it goes through little water because it has a very shallow draft. We came from Tamarin with the boat on the trailer, pulled by our 4×4. Arrived on the spot, Laurent goes back for the launching of the trailer. The children help him to push the boat into the water and hold it while their father puts the 4×4 and the trailer on the lawn in the shade of a filao. There is no fine white sand here, but mud and small sharp corals. The children are standing barefoot waiting for Laurent.
Departure by boat from Cotteau Raffin
Antoine and Juliette, our children’s friends, as well as our children Raphaël and Victor sat at the front of the boat. The weather is fine and the sea is smooth as a lake. On the other hand, the water is cold. We are in October and summer is not yet here.
We are moving at a brisk pace on this sea of oil. A sensation of speed intoxicates us, our hair in the wind! We are on the South West coast of Mauritius, in the middle of the lagoon, just behind the Bénitiers Island, sheltered from the wind. The children are over the moon and want to go faster.
The breeze is light…..It’s a wonderful day to learn or improve your water sports. The water is idyllic, a great playground to be towed behind a motorboat.
Even though it is only 9:30 in the morning, the sun is beating down. Lycra and sunscreen are a must for everyone.
Laurent draws an imaginary line with the boat to test where we are going to do our water activities. He then places buoys at both ends and attaches them to a rock to mark out the area.
Raphaël sur son kneeboard
Raphael’s starting with the kneeboard. Kneeboarding is a sport that is practiced on your knees on a board towed by a boat. He’s been doing it since he was 5 years old.
He is now 9 years old, and is super comfortable in the wake, inside and out. He puts on a lifejacket and jumps into the water with his kneeboard in his hand. Laurent throws him the rudder, the rope with the handle to pull him.
He has to do a few breaststrokes at sea to retrieve it. He lies down on his kneeboard and holds the handle firmly with both hands. He quickly finds his balance.
Laurent starts off and Raphaël easily manages to get down on his knees. It’s quite easy. You have to be comfortable in the water and not be afraid of falling.
He has fun playing with the wave in the wake, getting out and back in.
The 380 on kneeboard
Laurent asks Raphael to try a 380 degrees. It’s not the first time that he incites him to do it but Raphael is a little apprehensive. You have to have self-confidence. The kneeboard doesn’t have a fin, which makes the operation feasible. You just have to make the right move and be very fast… without falling.
Raphael is trying, but he’s not doing it fast enough. So he gets stuck at 180 degrees. He tries several times. He ends up doing it and does it several times in a row.
Beginning of the initiation to water sports for the other children
t’s the turn of Juliette 9 years old, Victor and Antoine 7 years old, to do Kneeboard. Juliette has already tried it once with us. So she throws herself into the water. She grabs her handle and kneels down on her board. She’s like a fish in water and she’s doing very well.
Victor, our youngest one’s taking the plunge. It’s not the first time and he has no trouble getting into the right position and playing in the waves of the boat. Looks like he’s been doing it all his life !!!
A first for Antoine
Then comes the turn of Antoine who has never done any water sports in his life. Laurent asks him if for the first time he wants him to lie down. Courageous, he wants to try to get down on his knees on the board.
Laurent gives him a demonstration on the boat. He explains how to position the hands and feet. “He explains how the boat is pulled. Attentive, the message is getting through. It’s up to him.
It must be said that Laurent is an excellent teacher. He has worked in a nautical centre for 4 years and has supervised thousands of people in water sports. He knows how to transmit his passion and gives the right instructions to teach them the basics of water sports.
Do not hesitate to contact us for an introduction to water sports. Send us a small mail HERE
Antoine enters the water and he manages to kneel straight down. What a feat for a first time Bravo! Antoine’s smile says it all, what a joy and pleasure to discover this sport in ideal weather conditions!
It’s time to go home, the children are hungry. The muscles have worked! The passengers in the water get back in the boat. We leave our favourite leisure base and will return for the children’s improvement. What a chance to have these natural riches with spots dedicated to water sports!
