EMERALD PARADISE

The Emerald Sea is a pristine lagoon at the entry of Diego Suarez Bay (the second largest bay in the world after Rio de Janeiro) at the northernmost tip of Madagascar. The origins of its name are obvious with its paradisiacal water colours, but what about its windsurfing? From waves to flat water, Bastien Ramery fills us in on its attractions as he makes a trip there in the company of Jules Denel and renowned photographer, Jérôme Houyvet.

- Bastien Ramery

The Babaomby Lodge windsurf centre.

This trip got off to to a good start - two windsurf bags checked in for free instead of only one, a priority access to avoid a thirty minute wait to board and free car parking! Since our arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, we knew that the planets had aligned and it turned out they would stay that way during our entire Madagascar trip. After a ten hour flight to Antananarivo (the capital of Madagascar) and a two hour domestic flight, which we spent admiring the thousands of glowing red hills, our plane landed at Diego Suarez, a city in the far north of Madagascar. Nicolas (Nico) Martin, the boss of Babaomby Island Lodge, who organized this trip, was waiting for us on the tarmac. Fourteen years ago Nicolas organized the famous “Windsurf Challenge” with Baptiste Gossein. In love with this spot, he took on the crazy and ambitious challenge twelve years ago to build a windsurf club in the Emerald Sea.

IT ’S ON!

We quickly unpack and make a quick visit to Diego Suarez before the last, but by far the most magical and exciting part of the trip, the part which connects Diego Suarez’s port to Babaomby Island. The small port is located in front of an open air slaughterhouse for zebu (humped cattle). Zebus are a national emblem in Madagascar, along with the baobab (a type of tree) and lemur. One thing’s for sure, you’re better off being a cow in India than in Diego Suarez!

AT SEA!