We are anchored off a long stretch of fine, white sand and the Cercle de Voile "yacht club", a friendly place with a bar, showers etc. They provide a "water taxi" from the anchored boats to a rickety wooden jetty which one hails by blowing a fog horn and gesticulating wildly. This morning we hopped onboard and, before we reached shore, ended up being involved in the dramatic rescue of a sailboat which had broken its mooring in the high winds we have had for the last few days. The water taxi is a wet experience at the best of times but was made all the more exhilarating by towing the sailboat to a new mooring aided by a rib towing us! Our boat boy eventually had to leap onboard the renegade yacht leaving Nic to pilot his boat. All was saved and we finally managed to make our way into town to do our check-in with police and customs in the company of a lovely French couple from another boat. Our school French is being tested, no one speaks English here!
Dakar is definitely a culture shock after the Canaries - firmly 3rd world, it is quite shocking to see such an extensive degree of poverty in one of the world's capital cities. It's hard even to describe it as a city, more an overgrown, dilapidated town. It is really the people who make the place - very tall and slim, at first sight one can feel intimidated but as soon as they speak their faces light up and they are helpful, friendly and welcoming with a great sense of humour; a joy to meet. The women in particular are gorgeous and swathed in exotic colours. Nic had to visit at dentist here and is trying to find a reason to go back!
We took the ferry over to Goree Island, famous for being where the slaves were held and then loaded onto ships. It's a tranquil and picturesque place with 18th/19th century buildings. It is also where local artists show their wares.
Possibly departure for Banjul and the Gambia River on Wednesday or Thursday.
More pics at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Ironylondon/Dakar
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