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18 April 2008 Maroantsetra to Toamasina (IFR
1:16) to St Pierre, Réunion (IFR 2:54). The landing fees at Maroantsetra
were a reasonable 6 euros, and we paid the guardian 20 euros for
guarding the plane for two nights, as the airport had absolutely no
security or fencing with both cows and people walking on the runway.
The weather was fine on departure but soon the sky was charged up with
numerous rain showers, as could be expected on the wet side of the
island. Good HF contact with Tana information. When in contact with
Toamasina, we discovered that Toamasina was IFR with few (clouds) at 300
feet and visibility 5 km in light rain, so we were glad that they had an
ILS and that it was working. We added another 200 litres of 100LL Avgas
from a barrel as we knew that at US$ 2 per litre it would be half the
amount we were going to pay in Réunion, so we departed heavy with 13
hours of fuel on board.
The weather at FL90 (9000 ft) was fine en route apart from a few
scattered rain showers. We received a warm welcome at St Pierre airport
from Mr. Stéphane Courtois, who is responsible for airport operations.
Then we went through customs and immigration. The officials were most
friendly and chatty and some of them had even worked in neighbouring
France to Geneva. It felt like being back home, and we were… almost.
Réunion is a French ‘département d’outre mer’ and a far cry from
beautiful but poor Madagascar.
Taxis are almost unheard of at St. Pierre, so we are grateful to
Stéphane Courtois for arranging one for us. We were soon installed at
charming Villa Belle in St
Pierre, lovingly run by Erik and his partner Antonio. Each room is named
after a type of orchid and there is a lovely swimming pool that we
didn’t find time to make use of. In the evening Eddy Delaey
(ex-president of Aéroclub du Sud)
came for a drink and a chat and then we celebrated Flemming's birthday
with a delicious dinner cooked by Antonio.
19 April. On this, our first of two visits to Réunion on this trip, the
plan was for Flemming to do the 50 hours maintenance, to get our hair
cut, and do some Internet duties. However, today was Saturday and the
company next to the aéroclub in whose hangar Flemming planned to do the
maintenance was closed. Nevertheless, Flemming was able to buy two
litres of oil from the aéroclub, file the flight plan for Mauritius for
the following morning and organize the 50 hours maintenance for our
return from Mauritius.
Flemming met the new president of the aero club Jean Clamens and a pilot
from Air Austral, Philippe Balliste, who was a childhood friend of Jacky
Cauvin from Madagascar! Small world of pilots.
Meanwhile, back in St. Pierre, Angela did some essential shopping and
went to the Office de Tourisme to pick up a book on ‘easy’ hikes in
Réunion in order to plan for our 10-day tour of Réunion after Mauritius.
We dined with Eddy and Linda Delaey at the Flagrant Délice restaurant
near the Villa Belle.
Sorry, folks, we were in such a work mode that we forgot to take any
pictures in St Pierre.
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An Air Madagascar flight departed shortly before us from Maroantsetra.
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