Providence Atoll

Live-Aboard Details
The MV Maya’s Dugong is a former-research vessel that was upgraded and modified into a mother ship that specifically caters to long-range fly fishing expeditions. She is a rustic yet fully functional expeditionary boat designed to accommodate up to twelve fly fishermen, four guides, and twelve crew members at a time. She is a large, spacious, and extremely stable vessel – the perfect base from which to explore the remote outer atolls of the Seychelles. As a fly fisherman, it would be difficult to find a better boat from which to operate off of, with the ability to store and transport numerous tender boats and all of the gear required to fish this remote corner of the world. Because of its large size and high fuel storage capacity, the Dugong can cover long distances at good speed and comfort in almost any sea conditions. Indeed she is built for the large, open waters of the Indian Ocean. Although quite comfortable, it is important to mention that the Dugong is definitely not a full-service cruise ship and by no means a luxury vessel. What she is is a stable, fully-functional fishing platform that offers anglers amazing access opportunities and full support while fishing the finest, most productive flats in the world.

The Dugong has four levels and seven (7) private guest cabins situated on the middle, main and lower decks. Each stateroom features air conditioning, an en-suite shower, and a flushing toilet. The vessel also offers a comfortable main salon and dining area and numerous outdoor deck and seating areas. All cabins and indoor dining areas are fully air-conditioned, allowing guests a chance to relax in a comfortable environment after a long day of fishing in the heat of the Indian Ocean. On the mid-deck, the ship is spacious and boasts a large elevated area with a magnificent view of its surroundings. This area is perfect for outdoor dining, post-fishing drinks, and relaxing. The larger, lower deck’s primary function is to store the tender boats, fishing tackle, and other equipment. The stern of the vessel has a set of stairs leading down to a large swimming platform, perfect for evening fishing. It is important to note that this is an open-seas program. While the boat does anchor in the lee of the Providence Atoll and surrounding reef, the boat will be moving and rocking most of the time. The crossing from Farquhar to Providence usually takes four to five hours as well.

Food and Beverages
All meals are served in the lodge’s indoor dining salon or on the covered outer deck area. The ship’s galley prepares a mix of Creole and international food, with an emphasis on fresh fish and other seafood served nightly. Creole cooking also includes a fair amount of garlic and curry flavors. All bottled water and soft drinks are included in the package, and the ship stocks plenty of local beer and imported wines for purchase. If you want liquor or any other beverages, you will need to buy what you need at the duty-free store in the airport in Mahe or en route.

Typical Length of Stay
All Providence trips are seven (7) nights and include six (6) full days of guided fishing. Because this is a fishery that can only be accessed by a charter flight to Farquhar and then a boat ride to Providence (approximately four to five hours) that runs once a week, all packages are fixed at one week in length.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
The only reason to make the trip to Providence is to fish. There is zero infrastructure on the atoll, and – aside from wading the flats, walking the beaches, or snorkeling in the shallows – there is very little for the non-angler to do.

Internet / Communications
There is no Wi-Fi or cell reception on Providence. The mothership is equipped with a satellite phone, which can be used in case of emergencies. Guests that need the ability to communicate with the outside world while on Providence are encouraged to bring their own sat phone.

How To Get There
The primary airport and access hub for the Seychelles is the Mahe International Airport (SEZ). The Seychelles is served by several internationally scheduled flights, including direct services from London (Heathrow) with Air Seychelles, Paris with Air France, Dubai with Emirates, Abu Dhabi with Etihad, and Johannesburg with Air Seychelles. From the U.S. you will typically fly to Paris, London, Abu Dhabi or Dubai, and from there fly directly to Mahe (SEZ). Each flight is approximately eight to 10 hours long. Guests should plan to arrive on Mahe the day before and overnight in order to catch the morning charter flight to Farquhar Atoll, where anglers will be met by the crew and guides from the Dugong. Yellow Dog is happy to assist with hotel reservations or recommendations on Mahe.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
Guests should plan to arrive on Mahe the day before the start of the trip and overnight. The transfer flight departs Mahe for Farquhar early the following morning. Charter flight times can vary, so it is best to play it safe and come in the day before. The flight from Mahe to Farquhar is just under two hours on board a private chartered Beechcraft 1900. Guests are then met by the crew at the Farquhar landing strip and then driven by tractor to the Farquhar guesthouse and boat ramp, where the transfer boats to the liveaboard will be waiting. On the last evening, the mothership will cruise back to Farquhar where the charter flight will pick the group up the following morning. On your departure day from Mahe, you should plan your international flight to depart Mahe (SEZ) no earlier than 7:30 PM, which is not really a problem since most international flights depart between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM. All Providence trips will run Tuesday through Tuesday, meaning that it will be necessary to arrive on Mahe on a Monday to begin the trip.

Documents Required
All U.S. citizens are required to have a valid passport that does not expire within six (6) months of trips dates. Please be sure that your passport has at least two blank, unstamped pages remaining in the back, and that it is not torn, delaminated, or damaged in any way. UK, US, EU, and RSA passport holders do not require a visa for entering the country of the Seychelles for vacation purposes.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.

Luggage Weight Restrictions for Inter-Island Flights
Beginning in late 2014, Mason’s Travel (the third party on-ground “guest handlers” in Mahe) was instructed to begin enforcing the 15 kilograms (33 pounds) main luggage / 5 kilograms (11 pounds) hand luggage rule for all passengers boarding IDC aircrafts to Alphonse Island, Farquhar, Assumption and Astove Atolls. Passengers that fail to comply with the restrictions will be instructed to unpack their overweight luggage and will have to leave the unpacked goods in Mahe at their expense. Please be aware that there is not an option to pay ‘overweight’ baggage fees, as the aircraft can only carry so much cargo. Since laundry is included aboard the mothership, you can definitely pack very little in the way of clothing. You can also leave a bag in Mahe with your international travel clothes, street shoes, etc.

Travel Tools
- Travel Insurance
- Moon Phases
- Airline Ticketing
- Rent This Rod
- Global Rescue Membership

General Information
While diversity on Providence is every bit as good (if not better) than any island found in the Seychelles, it is the overall lack of accessibility and pressure that truly makes this fishery unique. Having been completely closed and un-fished for six long years, the atoll was once again opened in the fall of 2015 for a very small window of only four weeks. 

The main reasons to fish Providence include the large numbers of aggressive Giant Trevally (GT’s or “Geets”), the freakish and colorful bumphead parrotfish, several different types of triggerfish, and the largest bonefish in the entire Seychelles. There are also dozens of other species that are readily available and catchable, including milkfish, bluefin trevally, permit, sailfish, grouper, snapper, cuda, and many more. The Geets range in size from 20 to over 100 pounds, and – once found – almost eat with reckless abandon and total and complete violence. Since almost all of the Geet fishing is done while wading, this is truly one of the most exciting species that can be pursued and caught on the fly. As for the bumphead parrotfish (“Bumpies”) there is no finer place in the world to target and catch these outlandish and exotic fish. They are found in huge numbers all throughout the waters of the atoll, and indeed this is the fishery where Bumpy fishing on the fly was first pioneered and developed. The bonefish found in the northern waters of the atoll (near Providence Island itself) are both large and numerous, and the average size easily runs into the five-to-six-pound range. While trophy, double-digit bonefish are rare throughout the Seychelles, they are very much a possibility when fishing Providence. And finally, triggerfish are another huge part of the Providence fishery, where several different trigger species are found all throughout the shallow waters of the atoll.

There are other fisheries in the Seychelles that are easier to access, less expensive, and offer a higher degree of comfort or land-based amenities. When it comes to exploration, adventure, and remote fishing, however, there is no destination that is more “out there” and wild than Providence Atoll.

Boats and Equipment
The Dugong is equipped with five “Mini-Mahe Tender” boats that will be skippered by experienced Flycastaway guides. As most of the fishing is done while wading on the flats, there will always be a ratio of three guests fishing with one guide. The tenders are stored on the large equipment deck of the Dugong after being lifted with the large crane on the back platform of the ship. All of the Providence trips are led by a team of seasoned, experienced, and professional fly fishing guides from Flycastaway Fishing Company (the same operation that operates Farquhar and St. Brandon’s Atoll). During your stay on the vessel, there will be four guides including one head guide onboard. Each guide is a qualified skipper, has first aid experience, and is extremely experienced with regard to all facets of fly fishing this remote atoll destination.

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter.

2024 Rates
$15,500.00 per person based on double occupancy stateroom and shared guide
(Limited single room options are available at a surcharge of $2,500 per person)

What’s Included:

• Six (6) full days of guided fishing (three anglers per guide)
• Seven (7) nights of double occupancy accommodations aboard the MV Maya’s Dugong mothership
• All meals while onboard the ship
• Round-trip inter-island IDC charter flights between Mahe and Farquhar Atoll
• Water transfers from Farquhar to Providence Atoll
• Use of tender boat and all fuel for daily transportation
• Seychelles fishing license
• Seychelles conservation license of $210.00 per person
• Daily laundry services aboard the mothership
• All applicable taxes and landing fees
• Water, soft drinks, coffee, and tea
  
  

What’s Not Included:

• Airfare to and from Mahe (SEZ)
• Hotel nights, meals, and ground transfers on Mahe (if needed)
• Beer and wine onboard the ship (available for purchase)
• Gratuities for crew and guides
• Mandatory travel and medical evacuation insurance
• Terminal tackle, flies, and fishing gear
• $100 Global Rescue evacuation insurance

Payment Terms
Reservations will be held for two weeks once booked and confirmed with Yellow Dog. We require a 50% deposit at the time of booking, and final payment is to be made 90 prior to arrival and the start of the trip.  

Providence Atoll (Seychelles)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
A deposit of 50% per person is due within 10 days of booking to hold both space and guides on all packages. No space or guides will be held without receipt of deposit. Full pre-payment is due 90 days prior to date of trip. All cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. For cancellations:

• If a cancellation is made 12 months or more prior to departure, then 50% of the deposit received to date will be forfeited.
• For cancellations made 12 to 6 months prior to departure, 50% of full charter rate shall be forfeited.
• For cancellations made inside of six (6) months from start of trip date, full individual charter rate shall be forfeited.
• Reservation for which payment are not received as on time as per the terms are subject to cancellation by FlyCastaway (FCA) seven (7) days after notification.
• Rates are subject to change without prior notice

If a cancelled package is resold by either the operator or by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, then a full refund will be sent minus a $100.00 per person change fee charged by FlyCastaway (FCA) as well as a $100.00 per person cancellation fee charged by Yellow Dog Flyfishing. In the case of cancellation by the client, both deposit and final payment may be transferred to another guest or angler for those same (original) dates if facilitated and arranged by the client. The lodge reserves the right to cancel a trip due to bad weather conditions and safety issues. If this occurs, all efforts possible will be made to reschedule and re-book the trip package for a future date. At time of quote flight charges, island fees and government taxes are correct but are subject to change without prior notice. Increases in any of these facets are out of the control of FCA and will be transferred to the client. Service providers used such as airlines and charter boat operators are independent business concerns and are in no way affiliated to FCA. Although all reasonable efforts will be made to ensure the smooth running of the tour, FCA cannot be held responsible in any way for bad or non-performance of service providers or for cancellation in total or in part due to bad weather or any other detrimental natural phenomenon, disaster, political unrest or war. All guests must have a comprehensive medical emergency evacuation insurance policy, as well as travel insurance policy to cover them for the duration of the trip. It is the right of the operator to cancel any booking without refund if the client is not adequately insured. Please be aware that all guests will be required to sign and return the FCA Reservation and Indemnity Form prior to the trip, and there will be no exceptions to this. No refunds can be made for unused arrangements or fishing time lost due to inclement weather. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for all FCA packages.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings  
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.   

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access. 

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment 

• Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3 
• Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees) 
• Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT.