We have now been in Gambia nearly 5 weeks.  We have been 150 miles into the fresh water part of the river where we have passed fields of rice close to the river banks.  They appear as bright patches of green with white egrets and many other birds feeding. Families working in the fields stop to wave as we go by, and often shout to ask us to stop.  Behind these are the dusty dry hills and parched grass land.  We have been told that for 2 months each year The Gambia looks like a fertile garden in England, but now it looks closer to the Sahara Desert.

No sign of ground nuts (peanuts), the main cash crop of Gambia.  This harvest ends in January.  There was a poor wet season last summer.  And the river water has been getting slowly saltier since 1980 when measurements started.  Large herds of cattle and goats graze near the river.  These should move inland after the rain starts.  Fishermen from Gambia, Senegal & Mali put out nets from small leaky, wooden pirogues (dug-out canoes), sometimes nets reach across the river leaving little room for us to squeeze round one end.

Small vegetable plots and a few banana plants come into view as we reach Georgetown, now known as Jengjeng Bureh, once a busy trading hub & administrative centre.  It is on a large island linked by ferries on the north and south bank.  There are no bridges across the river in Gambia.  Evidence of old crumbling colonial buildings are seen around the small town, one of which is colourfully described by locals as the "Slave House" although our books indicates it was built after slaving ceased. We see a black-top road & hear a generator for the first time in weeks.

We linked up with two Australian boats.  The crews met up for lunch in a tourist camp by the river where the monkeys came down to be fed nuts by the two children in our group.  There were rocks just upstream where a French sailing boat bent his rudder post a few months ago, & this was our time to turn back.  We have had many experiences to remember......

Very large prints in the mud at the side of the river.  We noticed this as we floated along in our very small red inflatable dinghy beside the river bank.  Could this be signs of the hippopotamus we hoped to see?  Next morning....there was a hippo lazing in the water across the creek from our anchorage.  We have heard tales of angry hippos and were happy not to be too close.  At our next anchorage, we got to know the sounds hippos make after dark.  I would describe it as a loud bellow ending with a long grunt.  Occasional deep snorting breathes can be heard.  The sound carries and always seems much closer than it really is (we hope!). Later in the trip, Our best sighting was from a friends dinghy when we came across a family with baby hippos at the end of an island.  They kept a good watch on us (as we did on them).

Parts of the river are very shallow with a muddy bottom.  We grounded near an island which has chimpanzees on it.  They are being reintroduced to the wild having been rescued from illegal traders etc.  As a result they are more aggressive than wild chimps.  As a result of the noise we were making with anchor chain and taking soundings from the dinghy, one angry chimp started leaping up and down shaking a tree branch and screaming at us.  He was later identified for us as "Jumbo", an irascible male of about 40 years old.  This is part of a national park and boats are suppose to stay mid stream from the islands so as not to upset the chimps, but the only deep channel seemed to be close to this island....a little nerve racking!

Life seems lazy.  No worries about the weather and the seas.  Temperatures inland start each morning close to 30 and rise just above 40 at sunset.  1-6 pm can become unbearably hot and not much gets done.  If a harmattan (hot dusty wind from the desert) is blowing we have a hot wind most of the day.  Unlimited fresh water from the river is a treat.  Although muddy looking, it serves very well for washing bodies and clothes.

The depressing part of the day is listening to the world news.  Selective Availability was reintroduced to the GPS system during the Iraqi bombing, so Harmonica moved sporadically inland on our charting software.

Insects have bothered us more as we go up the river.  Mainly mosquitos and no-see-ums at sundown and tsetse flies in the day. The tsetse flies are quick and attack from behind.  They seem to like the taste Janet's blood more than Dave's.

Near Carol's Wharf, on our walk to buy bread, we found the shop where we met the head man of the village who took us on a tour.  He proudly showed us his compound and the framed legal documents given to him as the chief, and the 1993 election result scrawled on a wall showing 35 votes for him against 27.  The local school was having its sports day.

Most villages rely on 2 or 3 wells which often bear signs saying they were donated by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Germany.

We are still 75 miles from the sea, but back where the water is salty & the banks lined with mangrove again.  Yesterday, while we waited for the flood tide to turn to ebb, we walked into the village of Bombali.  We were taken to the "head-man's" hut where we had to admit to having nothing we could offer to leave as a gift.  Then we were taken to a new hunting camp being built by a Frenchman.  Some people obviously see a future in "adventure tourism" here.  I feel sad when people offer to give us land.  There have been poor rains recently.

14 April, we stopped at the ferry where the "Trans Gambia Highway" crosses.  A colourful place with huts selling sandwiches, clothes, & oddments.  We sat on a log bench beside the red dirt road and bought bread & a cup of coffee.  The man spoke French & quoted prices in Francs instead of Gambian Dalasi, and my neighbour on the bench told me he came from Mali.  We felt affluent eating a meat sandwich while the others had bread with black mans Mayonnaise.  The ferry was loaded with a big truck piled high with sacks, plus goats & cows were being pulled & prodded on too.  It is far more peaceful & serene than we might have expected.  Gentle greetings & smiles wherever we look, and no hassle even though our white bodies stand out conspicuously.

Next week we shall be buying provisions for our crossing to Brazil.

Dave Jan & Harmonica