Cap Malheureux Mauritius Weather

Cap Malheureux is a small coastal region situated in the North of Mauritius between Pereybère and Anse la Raie. Having a population of around 5000 inhabitants, Cap Malheureux offers a splendid view on the Gunner's Coin island (Coin de Mire), Flat island (île Plate) and Round island (ile Ronde). Famous of the chapelle of Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice de Cap Malheureux (A.D.1938), this region attracts many tourists visiting Mauritius, especially for the church's red roof, having a background of the blue lagoon and fishing boats.

View of Cap Malheureux Church - Mauritius

The weather at Cap Malheureux is normally sunny throughout the year. In summer season in Mauritius, the temperature at Cap Malheureux reaches to a temperature of around 31°C with a scorching sun. However, in winter period, the temperature goes around 23°C and having rain showers mostly during anticyclone season. But sun is soon seen shining on this region after the showers. As seen below in the photo taken during the Winter season, the weather is partly sunny. But be assured that in Summer, the sky is clear and dominated by sunny weather.

Beach at Cap Malheureux Mauritius during winter season

Cap Malheureux has an old shop, a cemetery and a populated region called Pavillons. Being famous for fishing, seafood restaurant can be found in Pavillons offering the different seafoods from the lagoon of Mauritius. Near the church, people can take advantage of boat trip proposed by boat owners. Under the shade of trees, people can be seen sitting and enjoying the beautiful sea view, while others busy in taking photos of the panorama offered. 

An old shop at Cap Malheureux coastal road

Scene at Cap Malheureux beach Mauritius - Gunners Coin

High Tide and Low Tide Mauritius

Everyday we hear low tides and high tides on weather news or we even witness them at the seaside. Fisherman often rely on these weather data in Mauritius for fishing in the lagoon. Have you ever ask yourself how the tides get low or high? How tides level are calculated to forecast at which time there will be low and high tides? 

Tidal waves at Trou aux Biches Beach - Mauritius

 The term "tides" is used to defined the rise and fall in the sea level. The tides are caused by the moon's gravitational force on the Earth. Besides the sea, tides also occurs in large reservoirs or lakes (as seen at Mare aux Vacoas reservoir), in atmosphere and so on. In addition, winds and currents produces waves through the movement of the water surface. During day light, The Earth rotates 180° in the 12 hours while the moon rotates 6° around the Earth in the 12 hours. 

The rise and the fall in the sea level is caused as the Moon and the Earth gets attracted to each other (like magnets). However, the Earth having a gravitational force as well, which attracts us, holds everything on the surface except water. This is due to the fact that water keeps on moving and for that reason, Earth does not have control over the water. 

Everyday, normally 2 high tides and 2 low tides occurs. The tide cycle keeps on repeating every 12 hours and 25 minutes (time gap between the two high tides). The oceans bulge out in the moon direction through the force of gravity.

Moon attracting the oceans

Low and High Tides

Mont Choisy Beach Mauritius

Mont Choisy beach is located in the northern region of Mauritius. The beach is very famous for its white sand, turquoise water and sun. The beach is situated between Trou aux Biches village and Pointe aux Canonniers. Arriving at the beach, casuarina trees can been all long the coast which lift up the beach beauty. The Mont Choisy beach comprises of football and beach volley playground. Traveling along the sandy road in the shade of the casuarina trees, beach hawkers can be observed which are mostly specialised in fast-food, fresh coconut water and tropical fruits pickles. 

Sandy road between the casuarina trees at Mont Choisy beach

Cars and motorcycles use this road to travel along the beach but it is mostly populated during the day. Soon, the road will be prohibited to vehicles and provisions have already been made by new parking areas built. The beach is the perfect place for Mauritians to relax themselves mostly during weekends. However, the beach is nearly crowded during festivals like Easter, Ganga Asnan (Hindu Festival) and also during public holidays. During these festival period, Mauritians usually camp whole night among families and friends.
Stepping on the beach, children can be seen playing playing on the fine grain, white coral sand and Mauritians and tourists taking advantage for the sunny weather to relax and get tanned on the beach. Others enjoying their swim in the warm and turquoise water. Water activities like glass bottom boat, water skiing, parasailing, paddle boat (pedalo) among others are present and even renting of deck chairs but on a paid-basis.

View of the fine white sand and turquoise water at Mont Choisy

Mont Choisy beach is among one of the favorite beach that both Mauritians and tourists prefer. The weather at the beach is mostly sunny through out the year.

View of Mont Choisy Beach

• Weather info for Mont Choisy Beach Mauritius
• More about the seasons in Mauritius

Tsunami in Mauritius

Tsunami occurs from various sources, namely earthquakes, volcanic eruption, landslide and even meteorite impact. However, as we have kept witnessing from December 2004, after the earthquake of west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia with magnitude 9.1 (M_w) and another one in March 2011, off the north coast east of Japan, tsunami is mostly formed by earthquakes. Tsunami normally have long wavelengths reaching a distance of 10 and 500km at a speed of 700 km/h. At this speed, no man can stop this wave train.

Can Mauritius be hit by tsunami?

Active volcanoes, plate tectonics and the Ring of Fire

According to the seismic map of earthquakes occurring more frequently, it can be clearly seen that the tectonics plate passes across the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Rodrigues Island. Also, as observed on the live tsunami watch, earthquakes occurs nearly everyday but with relatively low magnitude that can hardly be felt by human. 

It can thus be said that Mauritius is vulnerable to tsunami occurring in the Indian Ocean. However, with help of new technologies and tsunami watch stations setup across the world, just after the tsunami hit in December 2004, killing thousands of people, people are getting more alert. Earthquake prone to tsunami development is nowadays known few minutes soon after formation for necessary measures to be taken. As in April 2012, after the earthquake occurring 500 km southwest of Banda Aceh, Indonesia (Magnitude 8.6 M_w), people around the world were more alert and necessary precautions were rapidly taken. Tsunami signs often results in rise or fall in the sea level.

World Seismic Plates Boundaries