Monday, January 28, 2013

In Search of Mangroves

Monday has come and gone. 

·         We read the guide book,

·         found the dot on the map way south of Dakar where there are supposed to be mangroves (Palmarin),

·         got a taxi from our B&B to the transportation “hub” in Dakar behind the pompier,

·         negotiated a price as the only two people on seven-person collective going to Joal-Fadiot (two for the price of seven, great negotiator),

·         switched taxis on the northern border of Joal for the 3 km cross-town-trip to office of tourism and the pedestrian bridge to Fadiot,

·         had a great guided walking tour of Fadiot where there are lots of mangroves that we did not bother to explore - many to come near Palmarin,

 

 

·         and lots of Christians – 90 percent of the 4000 inhabitants,

 

·         and lots of pigs, the first we have seen in Senegal,

 

·         negotiated a taxi ride to a campement right on the beach in Palmarin,

·         went 33 km cross country, off road in the taxi,

 

·         but taxi  driver took us to a different/wrong but nice campement (CALAO) 100 yards from the beach,

·         gave up and decided to stay at CALAO.

 

·         Total travel time, 8 hours. 

·         We went to the beach.

 

·         Terry had a nice dip in the Atlantic, being bitten by only one very hungry crab. 

·         No mangroves and accompanying wildlife to be seen.  We’ll search them out tomorrow. 

·         We are in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

·         Had a wonderful dinner of local seafood and Senagalese style onions (yassa).

·         It’s peaceful and quiet except for the breaking waves.

·         The sky is big!