Beau Vallon

So today, I am welcoming you from the Indian Ocean in Seychelles, a place where I once lived.

I lived in Beau Vallon.

I lived at Ashleamouge, and going to the town square of Victoria, I can still see the, the center clock with the roundabout now as a kid.

So knowing that my voice has reached somewhere that is part of my own story gives me a reason to pause and appreciate this journey.

The tourism department publishes a beach and sea safety guide.

It states in black and white that there are exactly three beaches in the entire country with lifeguards, Beau Vallon on Mahé and Anse Lazio and Cote d'Or on Praslin.

Only three beaches in the entire country have lifeguards.

What about Anse Georgette? It's on literally every best beaches in the world list.

Now, two honest critical caveats here regarding the data.

The UK Foreign Office never uses the word "drowning" and publishes no fatality figures.

Canada is the only advisory that quantifies anything, noting several drownings occur each year, but they point that primarily at Beau Vallon on Mahé.

Okay, good to clarify.