Saturday July 4 2009 – Canoe and ‘Fishing’ Trip

So we decided that we will only be staying on North Bank until tomorrow since we are eager to get back to our projects and away from the heat here! For most of the week we have been helping Mo in the garden and exploring the areas around the centre. On Wednesday we were given the opportunity to go to the market with a few of the women from Njawara including Mariaema our cook. It was pretty cool to be able to shop in the market with a local woman rather than just us touring through on our own. As we were leaving the driver pointed out that we could see Senegal from where we were and we also drove past the Gambian customs building which was actually just a small shack with a sign outside that said “Gambian Customs Please Stop” and there were about three or four men sleeping outside.

On Friday we went to a small river with Kebba and a few of his friends from the village since we had arranged to go out for a small boat tour of the river. It was so much fun but I was a little scared at first. The boat we went out on was a canoe which was carved from a really big tree and the seats we were given was basically a piece a wood which we rested on the sides of the canoe. I think the thing I was most concerned about at the beginning was the ‘patch’ on the bottom of the boat which was right in front of me which consisted mostly of mud and the water was still coming in, not to worry though because the boy in the boat made sure to fix it up when we came close enough to the shore throughout the trip to grab a little more mud.

We stopped at a place in the river which I guess is supposed to be a good fishing location, even though I had no idea we were going to be fishing, and they handed me a piece of Styrofoam with a line, hook and some shrimp and then I was fishing. Not too long into it I was the first one to feel something on my line and from the guidance of the locals I pulled it in and it was a crab!! We continued fishing for a while, moving to new locations until we got to one place where we were instructed to get out of the canoe and we were then taken on a tour to see some birds and possibly some animals. Now this sounds far easier than it actually was. The shore consisted of at least half a meter of mud which I was expected to be able to walk on without a problem, this was not the case. I was continuously sinking like up to my knees in the mud and shouting for Kebba to come help me. Eventually I had it figured out for the most part and I was able to explore the area.

After returning to the shore with our catch, about 6 crabs in total - none of which Kebba or Justin caught, the men on the shore threw one onto the coal and cooked it for us right there. It was the most amazing thing I have ever tasted in my life!! Later than night, one of the guys we had met cooked up the rest of the crab and brought it over to our place for dinner.