07/07/2023

Hi Cara, Greg , True Blue and Surf Travel Guru

Apologies that it has taken so long to respond to your query; it feels like a lifetime ago now and yet I am still constantly thinking about the trip we just had…

You asked for some feedback:

Boat – very comfortable, stable in rougher seas – we watched some of the monohulls and they were swaying all over the place.  After experiencing the stability of the Cat, that would be my preference in future.

Crew – were legendary and extremely attentive.  Over time we got to know them and understand communicating with limited language & understood their respective characters.  It became uncanny how they were able to produce whatever it was that we were looking for (rashie, board, towel, omelette etc.) without any verbal communication or fuss.  Truly intuitive and Moose has them well trained.  Apart from Alex the tinny (Auzzie for small aluminium boat) driver who was kakked out by Moose a couple of times for risking the boat in rough areas…!  Seriously, he was awesome and a welcome sight after a long session.

Food – really generous portions, good variety and we were all amazed at the constant work involved in feeding 18 people 3 meals a day.  The dessert kept coming – who would have thought icecream in the middle of nowhere was even possible.  The Beng Bengs got a good working over and I think that by the end of the trip we were all fans..pity you can’t buy them in Oz.

Moose – was a fantastic skipper, he definitely knew the area well and was able to get us into uncrowded surf on many occasions.  We knew that it was high season and for the number of people and boats around, we did well to score a couple of sessions with just our boat in the water.  Moose provided a lot of comfort around his ability to skipper the boat, find us waves and he ran a tight ship with the crew.  None of us will forget all of the crew out with sponges and soap in a massive downpour giving the boat a scrub down, or two of them in life rings in the water with scourers cleaning the water line… Moose was easy to talk to and had numerous interesting stories and anecdotes from his time in the islands.  A good human being.

On the whole, it was a great experience and by far the best boat and skipper / crew that I have experienced to date.  The right balance of comfort and action I think and Moose was motivated by surfing himself which made all the difference – no lounging around in luxury pretending…

Thanks for all of your work arranging the trip, I am sure it can be a thankless task especially when we all get back and head off to our daily lives.

I’d be keen to do another trip with them  sometime – my wife has already suggested that I make it a “regular” thing…Grant has not stopped reminding me that we need to plan the next trip..

The Cape Town and USA Crew were very cool guys and we got on well I think so credit to Greg B for connecting us.

Thanks again, I really appreciated all the effort that went into the trip.

Cheers Jeff  – Mentawai June/July 2023

07/08/2023

Dear Guru and Team

Well said Jeff. Great feedback. I echo everything Jeff said. It really was an outstanding experience and Moose and his crew were exceptional!

I can’t image any other boat in the Ments will top that – so there’s no choice but to go with these Epic guys again.

Thank you for all the hard work and being so attentive Cara and Greg!

Epppiiiicccc!

Peri V P

20/07 /23

Hi Sue

We absolutely loved Madagascar.  I would highly recommend it as a destination for anyone who loves nature and the ocean and I am definitely going back – the short flights there from Cape Town are a total bonus. 

Our accommodation was wonderful, comfortable and well organised (thank you for your role in this) the food was good with lots of vegan and vegetarian options and the Malagasy people that we met were wonderful, despite our inability to speak French or Malagasy.  The road trip was a bit hairy as the roads are really really bad, but the scenery was spectacular and it is a good way of seeing more of and getting a feel for the country and the people, rather than just flying in and lying on the beach. I would do it again.

If you have clients who only fly into Nose Be and are looking for options in the northern area of Madagascar I highly recommend a trip (4 hours by car – preferably with a Malagasy driver and good shocks) from Ankify harbour (30 minutes by boat from Nose Be harbour) to Iharana Bush Lodge near the Iharana Special Reserve – It was fantastic – beautiful, interesting rock formations and underground caves, excellent food and a bit of luxury.  They are working on the road from Ankify to Diego Suarez which runs directly past Iharana and Ankarana and it should be a better drive in the next year or so.

I also highly recommend Sakatia Lodge on Sakatia Island next to Nose Be – world class dive centre and dive experiences, beautiful accommodation, fabulous staff, good food – turtle sanctuary and coral reef accessible with mask and fins from the beach in front of the lodge. Beach walks and lemurs on your roof. 

If you fly in to Antananarivo the Andasibe Reserve is a must (road there is horrible but it is worth it) – rainforest and lemurs and walks and just beautiful – Vakona Lodge was excellent.

So all in all – fabulousssss!  Best holiday ever! Highly recommend.

Thank you very much for organising – all went down without a glitch.

Kind regards

Marisa