We decided to sail straight to Gambia omitting Dakar and the Saloum River in Senegal. Dakar has a big population & commercial base. That may be why it is also know as a less friendly place.
The expectation of crowds and bustle in Gambia was the first preconception to be dispelled. Even in Gambia's capital city, Banjul, we mostly wandered around calmly minding our own business. People were polite and often interested in us, but not in a pushy or annoying manner. Outside the Methodist school, we were greeted by a woman in her 60's who had taught there most of her life and now runs the nursery in her retirement. By the market we were greeted by some youths who wanted to "show us round". The bank, immigration, harbour master and customs offices were all slow, but helpful and polite. The colour of the clothing everywhere was gay. The dirt streets were swept (cursorily) each morning. In the early afternoon, a staff of about 10 people from one building were kneeling side by side on their prayer mats. The goats and the jobless workers crept into the shade under parked vehicles as the heat of the day built.
Harmonica was anchored off the end of Banjul Docks on a point called "Half Die" in memory of a cholera epidemic in the mid 1800's. The cruising guide informed us that we had to anchor here to check in, but that it is the least pleasant part of the entire country. That was fine for us.
Cruising boats collect at Oyster Creek, 5 miles away, so after completing entry formalities, we crept along the mangrove creeks guiding our 6 foot draft around meanders 8 ft deep. About 8 or 10 boats were already there and we knew 2 of them. Many of the rest looked as if they had laid there bleaching in the sun for several months. We were told not to miss "Baba's Bar": A friendly group in a wooden hut at the end of the sandy road. We walked to St. Mary's where the embassy and NGO offices are in the smartest houses in the country. Fun, but not what we had come to see.
Baba told us that The Best Place to buy prawns was James Island, so we left on the next rising tide, grounded twice, and sailed up into the Gambia River & to the ex-slaving fort on James Island. It appeared slowly out of the dusty north winds as a few Bayobab trees in the middle of a river 4 miles wide with a tidal flood racing past at 2 or 3 knots. The sailing instructions say we can anchor close, but the depth sounder went rapidly from 12 to 4 metres and we anchored well off in the choppy river. Pelicans, pigeons ... but no humans until a couple of pirogues (dug-out canoes) arrived next day with tourists, and no prawns to buy.
Next stop was Kemoto Point where a "resort hotel" is kept with linen on tables in the restaurant and flowering shrubs round the sleeping cabins. However no sign of guests for months, the cook was 40 miles away, and all refrigerators turned off to save fuel in the generator. However, in the village behind, we bought the most wonderful big prawns.
We have been seeing a great variety of birds by the river and in the Savannah behind. Many are brightly coloured and musical. Instead of searching for wild flowers and seashells, Janet is now happy bird spotting. We spent 2 nights in a side creek where the bees soon found us. We were eventually driven down below and stayed there shut up until sundown when they went away. The next morning we quickly moved down the creek to anchor away from the insects. Dave got one sting....we were lucky.
2 days later, we anchored off the jetty of Balingho, a small rural village set back from the river, where we were greeted by cries of excitement from the local village children who were out swimming. A strong smell of fish issued forth from the many small fish drying on reed tables in the sun. Once ashore we felt like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, minus our recorders, with hordes of children coming out of their compounds (houses) to greet and follow us as we walked through the village, eager to hold hands or touch our white skin. Some spoke English, which is taught in school. We were shown the school, surrounded in large mango trees with lots of ripening fruit, and the football pitch used most days when the sun had gone down. The thatched or tin roofed adobe houses were surrounded in wooden fences with neatly swept entrance ways and tidily kept. Chickens, goats, donkeys and cows wandered freely. We saw a few vegetable patches. The school had one large fenced area where the children had their own class vegetable gardens which they were busy watering on a Saturday evening, the water being carried in large, multi coloured, plastic bowls on their heads. The teacher told us that his well runs dry and needs deepening. School & garden proudly bear thanks to "VSO" funding. A hut serving as school kitchen is labeled "Julie's Kitchen" after an English volunteer helper.
The young girls were often seen by the pump washing clothes. The boys seemed to have more spare time. The main source of income for the village was the fish caught in the river. Elementary schooling is free but not compulsory and after that families must pay money. Many children do not continue beyond elementary level. The literacy rate in Gambia is 35%. We met one of the four teachers who was keen to reach a higher level of education for which he would have to leave Gambia which was beyond his grasp.
Up to Balingho, Harmonica sailed most of the way, but since then, we have relied more on the engine. Traveling with the flood tide and anchoring for the ebb. 100 miles from Banjul, the river is 500 metres wide & there is still a strong tidal current. We climbed a hill before lunch today, and disturbed a troupe of baboons which made off to the next hill at amazing speed. 2 monkeys browsed in the mangrove as we ate lunch. At the 2 huts on the bank, we watched mum frying fish for the children on an open fire and found a T shirt to give to the young man there.
These are supposed to be the wealthy villages with the river for food. The children look well fed, but there is very little money. Behind, is the dusty Savannah. One morning we walked 5 miles to market.
2 until 4 pm is so hot we can do nothing except lie in the shade. Today when dropped anchor in fresh water, and used the wash-down hose on the boat, lines, our cloths, and ourselves. Red dust from the Sahara came off everything.
There are hippopotamus & crocodiles in this part of the river and we expect to see some over the next few days. Our outboard engine is certainly not reliable enough for us to want to get close in the dinghy!
>From sleepy, tranquil West Africa
Dave, Jan & Harmonica