Day 11, 2011/05/12 Vilankulos

Day 11, 2011/05/12

Day 11, 2011/05/12

We have been told that some of the best places to go snorkeling in Mozambique is here in Vilankulos. So we have arranged a boat trip on a Dhow to an island for the day. We are accompanied by a bunch of poms. They are here for a cow
Ke of days R&R after doing some work in Lusaka. They are all med students finishing up their practicals. We also have an American girl on board. She has been in Cape town for the last couple of months doing research at UCT. She has just travelled from Livingston in Zambia, via Malawi to Mozambique, all on plublic transport. And yes, alone!
For many South Africans, this would be seen as a crazy thing to do. She sags people were extremely kind and accommodating and, she never felt threatened. Perhaps a lessons to be learnt in all of this for us South Africans!
Anyway, we arrive on the island and try out the snorkeling. It is not good at all. The guide advises that, it will be better in the afternoon and that we should rather take the 90 min walk around the island. I decide it's a good idea and set off with David and the American girl Linzie. Needless to say it is much longer than we where initially told and thank god David and I have the sense to bring water with us. 2 and 1/2 hours later we return with a a lovely sunburn to match. It is lunch time by then and we arrive to a spread of note! Crab, calamari and barracuda, together with lovely salad and fresh bread. Wow! And to think this was all prepared in this broken-down old boat called a Dhow. Even the braying of the fish is done in the boat. The boat has a fire box, which contains rocks and beach sand. The famous Mozambiquen coals are used and hey, you have all you need to cook.
We all eat like pigs, to the point that no one is keen to even venture out and try the snorkeling. Eventually we all force each other and try it. This time we go out to the other side of the reef, the exposed side. The current is going out so one just has to float and the rest is done for you by the current. No say it was amazing was an under statement! I have never seen soo many different fish in any dice thus far in Southern Africa. It was just amazing. 
We eventually over run purr time in the water and the Dhow is forced to pick us up from the water as it heads for home. 
The trip home is long and slow. The sailors decide to hoist the sail for the trip home. Boy, sailing on those Dhows is more like magic than anything else. The sail is made from what ever they can find. The fact that it has big holes in it, does not appear to make a difference. Anyway, needless to say, thank god for the 15 HP motor else,we would never had made it back! And as we almost got home, guess what ? Yeah, we run out of petrol! And eventually are forced just to drift to shore. This is Africa man! At least we got home is their attitude.