New life for Isle of Farquhar |29 March 2005

The wreck of the ship has been berthed at Les Mamelles for the last 30 years, where it has become a well known district land mark, as well as an increasing danger to passers-by.

With the growing threat posed by the wreck to public safety the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR) last year took the decision to tear it down, but a last minute request from Mr Boulle halted the demolition work shortly after it had begun.

The request to take on the restoration work was sent to the MENR on October 8, prompted by news coverage of the proposed dismantling.

From the environment authorities the proposal was forwarded to the Seychelles Investment Bureau (SIB) which requested a detailed project memorandum before giving the project the green light on February 16.

The project memorandum submitted by Mr Boulle states that, "after the vessel has been fully restored it is intended to open the vessel to the public for a fee and, subject to approval from the relevant authorities....to serve refreshments and light meals on deck."

However, in an interview with Seychelles Nation, Mr Boulle down–played the commercial nature of the restoration.

"As a project it is being done from the heart," he said, adding that he would like to recoup some of the investment, "but it is not a condition."

Split into three phases, the restoration project is slated to take between three to four years to complete, with the first two stages, finished in the first year and the more extensive third stage due to last two to three years.

Phase one of the project will see work undertaken to make the wreck safe, most notably through straightening the slumping middle mast and securing the other two. Following this an aesthetics overhaul will be carried out in phase two, with the vessel sand blasted and repainted and the holes in the hull patched up.

After this the lengthier third phase will begin with restoration work conducted throughout the vessel on everything from the rigging to the hull ribs.

Mr Boulle said that he has spoken to a number of people who sailed on the Isle of Farquhar and that there is a lot of interest amongst them and other local and foreign mariners in the project.

And while he initiated the project, Mr Boulle said that a number of other people are also involved, such as SBC's Pat Mathiot, charged with international research.

Residents of Les Mamelles welcomed news of the vessel's restoration.
Reminiscing about playing on the boat as a child, one man said that it should stay where it is after the renovation work is completed.

"It's our monument, it represents us," he said.
The Isle of Farquhar began life as the Zeemeeuw, when it was built in the Dutch port of Groningen in 1909. After changing hands, and name, between Swedish and Finnish owners in the early twentieth century, the vessel made its way to the Indian Ocean in 1939, when it was bought by a Mauritian company.

In the early 1960s it was purchased by Seychellois Paul Moulinié and sailed between Mahé, the outer islands, Mauritius, Agalega and Diego Garcia, where it was involved in the 1971 final evacuation of the atoll.

Famous for having weathered 14 cyclones, the working life of Isle of Farquhar came to an end in 1974 when it was moored at Les Mamelles.

After an aborted attempt to open a restaurant on board in the mid-1970s the vessel has since slide into its current state of disrepair, awaiting the start of the overhaul.