Tanzania MSAMBITI LODGE 070423

It would be interesting to know how many (if any) are reading this blog. So if you are able, as soon as you have read it, please comment via SMS/text to +27824934842.
For another slant on the trip, log on to www.4x4africa.blogspot.com for Dave and Beryl’s site. They have some lovely photos. I haven’t got to doing photos yet, sorry.

Tuesday 24th April 2007 Msibathi Beach last night here
Willy and Brian went out early and caught three Jack Fish and one King fish. He gave us one of the Jacks, and I filleted it. It has armoured scales along its dorsal, sides and tail, and is a stream-lined fish built for speed with re-curved sickle-shaped pectoral fins. It is a fish with red muscles (not white flesh) and is tender and delicious when fried fast.
A man came around with a jar of evil-smelling ointment which he called “Ambari” wanting us to buy some. Well, it was either a huge con, or something very valuable which we couldn’t use anyway. We tried all ways to communicate but my phrase book was absolutely useless except to tell him that we didn’t understand and we didn’t want it anyway. Mareen’s hands have eventually started to heal from the mystery infection and we are all well rested and eager to see the rest of Africa.
Dad, we are sorry to hear you are not well, and hope you get better soon. All we ask is for you to stay healthy!!

Monday 23rd April 2007 Msibathi Beach still
We went for a snorkel. Better than a Sordwana dive. The reef was between 2m and 5m under the crystal clear water visability 10 to15m. The coral was not pristine, and smaller or younger than at Sordwana, but accessible from a snorkel. Diverse beautiful fish and coral right under us.
Otherwise we had a lazy day. Or rather Nev did, I skoffeled around rearranging stuff so now I don’t know where anything is!!

Sunday 22nd April 2007 Msimbathi Beach
To get to this idyllic beach, it took 2.5 hours with a few wrong turnings and many large bumps that everyone was starting to get irritated with because we had just been over some really bad roads in the last 4 days. Dave had another puncture, the eighth in the same 6ply wheel!! He stlll cannot find what is causing the puncture. The garage before, told him it was sand, but that was not the case this time. He has split rims, maybe that is the reason.
The locals are friendly, but only respond readliy to smiles and waves, but do not initiate greetings. They speak only Kiswahili and think I am very funny when I bring out the phrase book and try to say things like “greetings” or “see you later” or what is your name”. The name Lorraine is beyond their tongue and pronounce it Rorayn.
It can also be very frustrating talking to them or asking questions, eg if you ask them “Is this the road to Msimbathi?” they will readily say Yes, but if you say is that the road, pointing to the other fork, they will also say Yes. Like the TV advert about “Which way Douglas Green ?” and they point in all directions.
After arriving in this Marine Reserve we realized that it was worth all the travel. The beach is isolated from first world development with basic campsite. It has the typical warm, tropical long white sandy shore, and little waves lapping gently, “Bird Island” offshore to the WEST! (so we see the sun setting over the sea) and far-off breakers indicating the presence of the shallow coral reefs. Cocoanut palm groves grow just above the high tide line, which is within spitting distance of our Landy home. White-triangular sailed dhows pass frequently, as do the fishing macoros which quietly pole by. The tempo here is relaxed, slow, unhurried and unstressed. The westerners have it all wrong! These locals live in paradise. The temps are 34 during the day but only cools to 26 at night, so we don’t even unpack the sleeping bags, just need sheets.
The name Marine Reserve is not what it is in SA with strict controls, because as when we entered the camp we were greeting by a pack of six dogs, the locals fish everywhere with nets, lines, spear guns and even hook reef fish. (A magnificent 6Kg parrot fish was offered to us to buy, but we did by a 6Kg Rock Cod which was delicious). There are also 2 gas wells just on the shore nearby being developed by a Canadian firm to supply power to Mtwara at present. They are 2,4Km deep for a future power station at Mtwara to supply power to southern Tanzania.
Brian and Willy also went fishing, had great fun trying to catch fish with bass equipment, but only came back with fisherman’s stories.