World Cup in Tanzania

View from our camp

The World Cup is a global event and the hype around it is palpable even in countries that have not qualified (eg Tanzania). Soccer (football) is truly a global sport and thus fan's allegiances carry over from clubs to national teams making for lively viewing environments. In Tanzania the locals typically support the African teams and generally root for the underdog as well. Going out to watch games at a bar is an awesome experience here even if you are in a small village. People tend to get animated although power cuts are still common which induce a collective groan among the spectators.

This year we were in Pwana Region for most of the group stages and enjoyed watching the first game at lunch (1pm local start time) and then games at 4pm, 7pm and 10pm. We watched nearly all the 1pm and 10pm and 7pm games with highlights including the Saudi Arabia upset over Argentina and Spain's 7-0 trouncing of Costa Rica. The matches were available at one of two bars in the village and we suffered several powercuts. The funniest thing about the powercuts is that there is no way of knowing exactly when the power will come back. There can be a packed bar with 50 people and I've always found the dispersal patterns to be fascinating as some leave right away and others mill about until after the match ends and there is truly no hope to view the conclusion. It's not unusual for big matches to have local bars and sports joints advertise the fact that they have a generator on site.

We then traveled to Dar es Salaam and the place we were staying was next to a mall that showed the games on massive screen outdoors. Portugal's 3-2 victor over Ghana was a highlight of our viewing in Dar with a very pro-Ghana contingent pitted against Ronaldo fanboys. We then headed back to Ruaha for the end of the group stages and semi-final. Streaming is tough from our tent and the biggest challenge was when games went into penalties (most notably Spain and Croatia) the streams got overloaded causing them to collapse at the exact moment you wanted the stream the most. We watched on our computers and also used our projector when it was dark enough. 

Back in Iringa town we had a better internet connection but streams were still overloaded. We eventually found a work around which involved streaming on two simultaneous computers, one in Spanish and in English. Between constant refreshing of streams we were guaranteed to see the action (see video below).

 

This years World Cup was truly one for the ages, especially the night of Argentina/Netherlands and Croatia/Brazil. They were two back to back games that featured come backs and penalty shootouts. I was up late screaming and stomping around the room.

Unfortunately were were quite busy for the final and didn't get a chance to watch it in a public venue. We enjoyed the exciting game from the comfort of our home, two computers simultaneously running, a seamless viewing experience that was only possible due to our practice overcoming adversity throughout the tournament.

Enjoying from the comfort of our bed.

Blue collar chicken

 

Classic relatively make shift fried chicken stand

 

Cooked food availability can reveal a lot about a countries general economy. One example is examining the economics of chicken in a small village in Rufiji. There are several food options available in the village but only one specialized fried chicken place. They have a basic set up with two massive wok style charcoal powered frying station, a "display case", and then a food prep and serving area. They fry a bunch of chips before the chicken and put them in the display box. They also have the chickens, which are not local but rather the kigeni (foreign) type, which is a treat. 

The breast is the most expensive at 2,500 tsh ($1.07) a piece. Next comes the leg and thigh at 2,000 tsh (86 cents) a piece. The neck is pre-fried due to the demand. The neck is 800 tsh (34 cents) while the head and feet are combined into a two-for-one 500 tsh (21 cents). Take a closer look at how they package the head and feet combo; gnarly! I spent a significant amount of time loitering around this stand over the course of a week. I observed the head/feet combos sell out the fastest, followed by the neck. There are a few customers that order the larger pieces, mainly people ordering them from their shop and having a runner deliver the food to them.

The place is not the most hygienic with all the mixing of the raw meat with the prepared meat. This is less of an issue for the breast and thigh as they are prepared immediately on a piece of wood. It's difficult for a country like Tanzania to balance regulation and enterprise as most of these businesses have very little capital and extremely thin margins. There are also more permanent structures and restaurants that also serve fried chicken though there is also no promise of hygiene standards being enforced!

Full display of the product. Note the piece of wood in the upper left corner is used as a cutting board.

A little grotesque how they package the feet and head but it does seem practical.

Chole Island

Uh, pretty nice sunset!

I was excited to stay on a smaller island to the east of Mafia called Chole Island. There is a small locally owned place at the southern tip of the tiny island. My expectations were very low as the place looked pretty basic but given that we had already done a ton of activities we thought it might be a nice quiet place to kick back. 

Our arrival was dictated by the tides as we could only cross at high tide. The lodge is tucked within mangroves and the water level at high tide is some of the best that we've seen for swimming in the Indian Ocean (notorious for dramatic tide swings). We were quite pleased with the basic set up and even better, we were the only guests. There appeared to be only two other rooms for guests and all had a beautiful view of the west. 

The location is an absolute hidden gem. Sunsets were jaw-dropping (with bats over the water taboot), the water level near to high tide was suitable for swimming, and the area was extremely peaceful. True, the accommodation was very basic, but it was totally fine. There was no need for air conditioning and the solar power system could manage a fan at night. The breakfast and lunch were lacking but the fresh seafood dinner was among the best seafood I have ever had! 

We enjoyed a few days on Chole and we lucked out with the tides in the morning and evening. This meant we could do plenty of swimming and we ended up not going on any excursions which was relaxing given the relaxing environs. 

Low tide looking for critters

 

Seychelles fruit bat on Mafia Island

 

A total random and unexpected wildlife experience was staying on Chole Island, enjoying the sunset, when suddenly massive fruit bats began to fly towards us having come from across the bay. They ended up being Seychelles fruit bat or Seychelles flying fox (Pteropus seychellensis) and they were coming to the island to feed on the flowers of the Baobab trees. We were excited to follow them to a flowering tree and watch them crawl around the trees feasting on the nectar. 

It was funny because when we arrived at the hotel, the proprietor told us that there were nine different types of bats on the island. As the sunset we began to see some small bats and thought there were probably several species of the small ones. So we were shocked when we saw the gigantic ones coming over the ocean. I think we were also pretty lucky to have the trees flowering now giving the bats an ample food source.

Mafia Island: Snorkeling in Chole Bay

 

A look out into the waters, very inviting!

 

Snorkeling in Mafia Island is the best I have experienced in Tanzania. One of the more popular places is Chole Bay. Chole Bay is within Mafia Island Marine Park a short boat ride away from the mainland. There are a series of rock islands and reefs at the mouth of the bay that make for fantastic snorkeling. The reefs are healthy and there is a nice current that provides a kind of underwater moving walkway. 

We ended up snorkeling in two different spots and at the second spot we were lucky enough to see a sea turtle. It was swimming along the surface and taking in some air but was not thrilled at our presence. It went down to the bottom of the ocean and swam away but we got to view it as it glided away.

Whale sharks in Mafia Island

 

Looming below...

The first time I went to Mafia (Trip I) I had an amazing time swimming with the whale sharks. They had not been the primary motivation for the trip so I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. However, the weather during my previous trip was generally rainy and cloudy and my other half did not travel with me and as a result I was looking forward to another trip.

Overall the whale shark viewing experience in Mafia Island is very well run. We were out on the water by 730am and there were not very many boats. At the peak I think there were probably five total boats with each carrying around six people. I think there some level of communication and coordination between the lodges in an effort to consolidate all the guests into fewer boats. I was also surprised at how few people actually swam alongside the whale sharks. Our guides dropped us in perfect position but many people seemed to be either weak swimmers or unfamiliar with the snorkel gear. As a result they still would have gotten an intimate view when the whale sharks passed but I think swimming alongside them is ideal. I was not complaining as I in the end had the whale sharks nearly all to myself!

We were lucky to see a few individuals, including one very large one around. There were some views in rather murky water while other sightings were in shallower water with better visibility. Our guys did an awesome job of dropping us in the path of the whale sharks and we even had some nice views of them coming to the top of the water to feed. It's such a nice activity though we were really lucky to have such great sightings. 

 

Gangilonga Rock

 

Iringa is unique for a Tanzanian city in that it actually has a pretty cool unique city attraction. Gangilonga Rock is located on the outskirts of Iringa town just up the hill from Sunset Hotel, easily reached by either foot or bijaji/motorcycle/taxi. 

There is a very short walk through a wooded area and then a climb up a gigantic crevice of the rock. Rocks have been piled to create a little staircase but it still requires some balance. It's a very short climb and I am always blown away by the views of Iringa. The rock provides a really cool point of reference over the larger landscape and the area is unbelievably photogenic. Visiting during the sunset basks the area in a soft evening light which causes most people to continuously take photos with each incremental change in the hues of the light.

I am a firm believer that every visitor to Iringa should try to climb the rock!

Ngosi Crater lake north rim

 

The lake

 

We had visited Ngosi Crater Lake on a previous trip (Trip I) but had accessed it from the southern entrance. On a previous trip to Mbeya we had tried but failed to reach the newer northern point. Our failure was due to the steep and wet roads during rainy season. Although the road was well signed, the road was full of deep erosion, sticky mud, and poor visibility. We ended up turning around so I was pleased to complete the journey today. 

The road has clearly received some maintenance but there are still some very steep sections. The views over the agriculture dominated rolling hills are spectacular. It took less than a half hour from the main road to reach to the entrance, which wasn't much more than an old signpost fixed at a trailhead. 

We parked the car and enjoyed the short 2.2 km (1.4 miles) hike to the crater rim. The path took us through open grassland and then a short bit through montane forest. It was a very gradual climb and l would recommend the hike to just about anyone of any fitness level and age. 

There were some cement picnic benches and a collapsed viewing platform all with stunning views. There appeared to be a trail down to the lake but it was incredibly steep so I only peaked down the ravine. 

I'm happy to see another access point to the crater lake. It's a great day trip activity from Mbeya and maybe one day I'll have the strength to walk down to the waters edge!

A nice little forest patch

Mt. Rungwe (Trip III)

 

Beautiful forest

Mt. Rungwe is a burly hike and this expedition proved no less challenging than our previous hikes (Trip I, Trip II). 

The day did not begin auspiciously when I tried to take a shortcut from Mbeya and we almost ended up in Malawi. Literally. I had a feeling that the back road was heading in the wrong direction. I stopped to ask a random woman on the road where the road headed. She casually replied Malawi and I asked her if the road to Tukyu (nearest city to Mt. Rungwe) was near and she immediately looked concerned and told me it was far. Very far. Welp, we turned around and then realized that the original shortcut that we wanted to take was closed due bridge repairs. We ended up picking up a random old man to help direct us to the turnoff. He disembarked before but gave us explicit instructions. We still missed it and ended up having to ask yet another person for directions. We finally located the tiny path and our mood lightened as we took in expansive views of the landscape. The road was clearly used more frequently as a footpath or for motorcycles. We enjoyed the ride down to the main road as we realized that we would indeed make the hike today.

However, tjos meant we got a late start and we really pushed it to make it to the top. We started the climb at 10:30am. We managed to make the climb in 4 hours and 51 minutes and descended in about three hours but we were pushing it hard. One way is only 6.4km (about 4 miles) but the altitude gain is 1,340m (4,400 ft). There are some extremely steep sections and towards the top the altitude can really affect the body. 

We had an incredible hike with great sightings of Colobus, Kipunji, and Blue Monkeys. We were casually birdwatching but saw a Bar-tailed Trogon, Red-faced Crimsonwing, and Silvery-cheeked Hornbills. The weather was great and we got to enjoy some time on the summit without fierce wind. 

I was disappointed to see the rustic bungalows were torn down at the new campsite. We met a crew that was building a new toilet which I suppose is a welcome upgrade from the simple drop toilet. The "second campsite" appears to have been completely overgrown and even the path to the toilet is obscured. There was a lot more litter on the trail than our previous excursions which I suppose means it's being used but I wish it was kept a little cleaner though it wasn't completely trashed or anything. 

The hike is not for the faint-hearted and unfit; it requires a decent level of fitness and the rapid gain in elevation can be tough. I love how the trail winds through different environments and the peak has some fantastic views that make it worth it!

Almost to the top

In the bamboo zone

Ruaha National Park: Guest visit

 

Five hyenas came in the morning

Ruaha National Park is known for its vastness, lack of crowds, and wilderness. One of the major reasons for this is that the wildlife densities are low, especially in comparison to the more famous northern circuit parks such as Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This means that visitor experience can be hit or miss, both due to the chances of good wildlife sightings a well as the personal preference of the visitor. Some people really like the wild feel with few cars while others yearn for more frequent wildlife sightings. 

We had a friend visit from America and he was not specifically interested in the wildlife so we were curious how he would find the safari. We did a typical three day, two night safari with accommodation at the park run bandas.

The safari took place in peak dry season meaning that animals congregated at the remaining water sources making it easier to spot wildlife. We are lucky enough to find ourselves in Ruaha National Park relatively often but most time there is an aspect to the visit relating to our work. It had been a while since we took a purely recreational visit to the park and it's always a unique opportunity to share the experience with a first time visitor, especially a long time friend. 

Our safari was Ruaha National Park at its best. We had intimate sightings, saw a diverse species of wildlife, and felt the beauty and power of nature. Some of the highlights were having two lions on a kudu carcass across from the bandas, waking up to a group of hyenas in the river scavenging the kudu, following a pride of 13 lions that had just eaten to the river, along with countless other elephant sightings. Apart from one leopard sighting (which we actually didn't manage to see) we had every single sighting to ourselves and probably passed a total of five vehicles on the road during the entire time.

 

River drying in the dry season

I have posted some contrasting photos of rainy and dry season but I think this set of photos demonstrates the slow drying of the area. This is a small local river that is flowing from December to around July. You can see in the last two months the water levels have dropped dramatically. Elephants will still be able to dig for water and there may be some remaining pools but likely with near tepid water.

Mid July

Mid September

Dog bite and rabies

 

We went to this ladies house

 

We recently had some visitors and we took them to visit some of our work. We went to visit a pastoralists livestock enclosure on the border of village land. It is very typical for these households to have multiple dogs serving as both sentinels and herding dogs for their livestock. I expect at least two dogs and there are usually around five at the average livestock enclosure. 

When we walked in the group was warned that one particular dog was known to be very defensive and has the tendency to bite. I unfortunately did not get this announcement and at one point I ended up inadvertently blocking him in when I leaned up against a fence and the back of a hut. I initially had my back turned to him but turned around just in time to see him open mouthed snarling, sprinting at me full speed. I immediately recognized my spatial error just in time for the dog to bite my calf as it sprinted by barking. I was shocked and looked down at my torn trousers and wound. 

The bite wasn't that bad but did puncture the skin in multiple spots. I immediately put hand sanitizer on it as there was no soap available. I was lucky in that one of the guests was an extremely experienced and capable veterinarian who checked out the dog and thought it was not exhibiting any symptoms of rabies. Everyone also discussed the warning about the dog, which is when I realized I should have been keeping an eye on him. The vet thought I should be OK but we had to get back to wash it out with soap as soon as possible. Apparently washing the wound with soap and water can be a surprisingly effective method of preventing the transmission of rabies. 

I was pretty confident that the dog was not rabid but naturally I had some doubts and paranoia. I had received only one rabies vaccine in 2011 and I was ignorant of the vaccine regimes and current advice. For some reason I was really underplaying the importance and effectiveness of the rabies vaccine, especially considering I live in a wild environment and frequently work with wildlife. 

So I decided to educate myself and let me tell you, based on what I learned, I have been living dangerously! First things first, once symptoms appear, it is virtually 100% fatal. That is absolutely striking. And guess what? The vaccine? It is virtually 100% effective. The risk reward ratio on this one is irrefutable. 

I checked the guidelines and the CDC actually updated their vaccine guidelines in June this year. It's encouraging that they are continuing to do research to find the best protocols. I did not think that I was exposed and thus I only needed one dose, another dose a week later, and then an optional booster 2-3 years after. That is it. If I was not vaccinated and exposed to rabies I would need a series of five shots within a month as well as needing an immediate injection of immunoglobulin at the wound site. Seeing is that I work in an area with endemic rabies (we've heard of dogs with rabies and people being infected) and working with wildlife, it is an easy call to get the injections.

Luckily this vaccine is readily available in Iringa town. We bought a vial for 28,000 TSH ($12) and then found a random health clinic to administer it (costing an additional do $1.00). It does require a cold chain so we'll probably come to town for the second dose. 

I really learned a lot about the rabies vaccine and as mentioned, I think I was a little to casual about it before. I will now recommend it to people in the field or at risk as it's a simple, relatively cheap, and effective prevention measure.

Flora and Fauna: Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets

 

Sunset over the wooded grassland.

The dry season here can be extremely harsh. The habitat is commonly referred to as Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thicket. Species of Acacia and Commiphora dominate the landscape and although they vary, words that come to mind describing the habitat are words like, "robust, harsh, tough, and gnarly". The dry season forces trees to adapt and they do not just adapt to the weather. Elephants and other wildlife frequently consume the bark and even the trunks of trees in a search for moisture. Most of the species are very slow growing, full of thorns or spines, and are generally unfriendly! 

I have personally grown to love the environment though in the dry season one must start and finish excursions early in the day. In stark contrast to the rainy season, where there are critters everywhere, vast areas in the dry season can appear completely lifeless. Still, if you keep your eyes peeled you can see some pretty cool stuff.  It's exciting to find new plants, insects and other flora and fauna that have adapted to flowering, breeding, or other activities during the harshest time of the year.

Wooded grassland, these trees are neither Acacia nor Commiphoras but you can see the have similar features.

A burned grassland in a commiphora woodland.

This is one of my favorite flowering trees, Sesamothamnus busseanus. It flowers in the dry season and these white flowers stand out. 

Commiphora woodland. They are very slow growing trees.

Acacia trees on a dried riverbank.

Local fruit

I've written about it before(one and two) but I absolutely love the ability to buy fruit and other foods on the street here in Tanzania. It's cheap, cut to eat, and there is often a decent variety available. I recently found myself in a village for a week and enjoyed the local services. 

Apart from the actual consumption, I enjoy the vibe at the fruit stand as well. I usually take a seat and eat a few oranges, maybe a piece of pineapple. It's nice to chat with the fruit vendors as well as the customers that come for a piece. Although there are a fair amount of processed food and candies, I appreciate the fact that the working class and average person will still prefer to purchase a fresh piece of fruit. It's also great that it is affordable making the decision easier.

Piece of roasted corn 500tsh (21 cents). A piece of roasted corn is a popular

Loaded fruit stand.

Each slice is 200 tsh (8.6 cents)

A quarter is 2500 tsh ($1.07) and a half chicken is 5000 tsh ($2.14)

200 tsh (8.6 cents)

Nyerere National Park

Lakes are like an oasis.

Nyerere National Park is one of Tanzania's newest national parks. It consists of land that was formerly gazetted as Selous Game Reserve (SGR). Most of SGR was designated for hunting but the northern part around the Rufiji River (Matambwe sector) was designated for tourism. It remains the best area for tourism in Nyerere National Park due to the Rufiji River and a set of lakes that are scattered around the wide river. 

The story behind why the national park was gazetted from SGR is an interesting one that I encourage you to research independently. 

We had a really nice game drive seeing plenty of impala, kudu and giraffe. We had a great sighting of elephant cooling off in a lake as well as a nice herd of buffalo. We did manage to see a pair of lions which was nice though after about an hour there were too many cars for my taste. When we arrived there was only one other car but by the time we left word had spread and there were more than 10. 

The landscape was dry and the grasses had mostly been eaten or burned. This made the lakes and river even more stunning and the roads were in decent shape. I imagine in the rainy season the majority of the shoreline drives would be impossible in the black cotton soil.  

Another lake.

Ruaha National Park in August

 

Group of lions with the sun setting in the background.

 

This past month I had some fantastic trips in Ruaha National Park (RNP). Tourism has really picked up and the number of vehicles and lodge occupancy is almost back to pre-covid times. RNP is already one of the lesser visited parks in Tanzania and during covid the numbers plummeted dramatically. I suppose we got a little spoiled having the park nearly empty but obviously it is good for tourists to have returned and pump some money into the national parks. 

The park is already very dry with very little flowing water in the Ruaha River and the Mwagusi only harboring some small pools of water. In most of the area around the Mwagusi River the grasses have been consumed and game-viewing is easier. Although the wildlife density is low relative to other places in Tanzania, the Ruaha "vibe" is in full force.

Two impala with a "Sausage Tree" (Kigelia africana) and palms as a backdrop.

The Mwagusi River, dried.

Maps of tribes in Tanzania

I have no idea what the source is for this map but it is one of those files that has been floating from computer to computer as I've lived in Tanzania. The richness of tribes in Tanzania is especially interesting due to the low infighting and tribalism exhibited by the tribes. Many Tanzanians credit Julius Nyerere's nationalistic focus and support of a "one Tanzania" which can be contrasted with Kenya's extreme and sometimes violent ethnic divides.

While these maps are interesting, one can't fully appreciate the richness of the tribes until you start to move about and travel to different areas of Tanzania. When I first moved to Kilimanjaro I frequently interacted with Chagga, Maasai, and Pare. But when I moved to Iringa the variety of tribes seemed to increase. Although the area is dominated by Hehe there are plenty of Maasai, Gogo, Bena, Nyakyusa, Barabaig, and Mbulu just to name a few. There is so much culture and I am grateful that Tanzania has a relatively nurturing environment for retaining deep cultural histories and values without provoking tribalism.

I've always found historical maps like this fascinating.

(Source: Lindemann and Putzel, unpublished paper)

Dry season vibes

Checking out a raptor in the distance.

The dry season can be harsh due to the heat but there can also be some upsides. Due to the lack of vegetation it is much safer to walk due to increased visibility. This allows us to do much more bush-walking than in the rainy season though we still have to keep our eyes out for straggling herbivores. It's not entirely uncommon to come across an dehydrated and agitated buffalo or hippo so we still have to be extremely alert and duly note all the wildlife tracks and signs. 

We have some areas that we love to walk in, in particular an area along a river. It has varying levels of water at this point in the year but it's a fantastic spot to walk. Although it is dry we are technically in our "cool" season so it's kind of a sweet spot for hiking. We took this hike in the early afternoon which is something we would not do in the peak dry season. For whatever reason (I can't claim to understand the patterns) there were also no tsetse flies in this area at the moment making the hike even more enjoyable!

We saw a few kudu and enjoyed listening to some elephants across the river. We were careful to not get too close to them while still enjoying their presence, which is a fine line!

A nice little elevated point gives a nice vista. 

This photo is only a kilometer or two from the first photo which demonstrates how quickly the river dries.

 

Transition to dry season

 

Walk in the woods

After two very wet years, this years rains were way below average. Something strange happened with the weather whereby the late rains were later and heavier and/or the normal rainy season was earlier and shorter. This resulted in above average rains in January and February with rains nearly completely subsiding by March with a few showers in April. As a result the onset of the dry season has been earlier than usual.

The transition from rainy to dry season is a slow and creeping transition. The rainy days less frequent changing from raining every day, then every few days, to finally having a week or two pass before it rains. A sporadic rain will then be welcome but then there is always a day where one realizes that it is not going to rain for another six months! Evidence is usually through the drying of leaves or the lack of germinating grasses and shrubs. Intermittent influxes of termites and other insects become less frequent and the oranges and brown overtake any green and yellows.

The rainy and dry season are so long that the transition times feel like they pass so quickly. A few weeks of sunshine with the absence of rain will sap all the remaining moisture from the air and ground. It will signal all the flora and fauna to pack it in and hold on tight until the rains come again!

Sometimes it reminds me of the fall colors in North America. 

Flying over Mt. Kilimanjaro

 

 

Flying south from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam affords one the opportunity to see Mt. Kilimanjaro from the airplane. If one is landbound, on a normal day the peak hides behind the clouds during the day and can most frequently be seen in the mornings or the evenings. Thus an aerial view gives fantastic views of the peak. Flights coming from Europe also tend to fly over the mountain and it's an uplifting feeling to peer out the window and see the tallest mountain in Africa.

Rufiji River in the rainy season

The first thing that I notice upon arrival to the Rufiji River is the sweltering heat. The strong sun and humidity that saturates the air is uncomfortable even after a few days acclimating in Dar es Salaam, a low lying coastal city. It truly feels wet, in the sense of a rain-forest and sweat is inevitable as is a sluggish feeling that comes from my body sending signals to my brain to slow down, find some shade, and rest. 

But it has been several weeks since my last trip here and there have been unseasonal heavy rains in areas further upstream. The Rufiji River is actually the end result of the Ruaha River as well as the Kilombero and Luwegu Rivers. I want to check out how the water levels are so we trek down towards the river. Although we're within village land, the riverine habitat is thick with seasonal tall grasses and reeds. When we walk a constant stream of small crickets jumps to avoid us, a type of strange visual that makes the ground look like it's ever so casually erupting. 

When we reach the rivers edge the high grasses obscure the view. But the sun is setting in the background and the thick humid air spreads the light in a particularly beautiful fashion, with soft hues that change slowly as the sun emits less light. I'm hot and at this point my shirt is nearly drenched but for just one moment, I can forget that all and take in the quintessential tropical sunset.

Zanzibar: Mnemba Island for snorkeling

 

Gathering the group

 

My brother had never been snorkeling before so after a successful maiden snorkel at Chumbe Island we decided to hit Mnemba atoll as well.  We ended up going with the company One Ocean Dive Centre - Matemwe, which I was initially skeptical about. I was worried that a larger company may be offering more of a generic experience but I was pleased to find that was not the case. We were impressed with the quality of the gear (wetsuits included!), staff professionalism, island transfers (there was a skiff trip to board a larger boat), snacks (fresh fruit), and most importantly, it was a half day trip that was split up in to two 45 minute sessions. I loved the splitting of the sessions as I always feel like I'm enjoying the reefs so much that it only feels right when someone forces me to get back in the boat. So having two sessions totally helped to take some of the pressure off and to be honest, a half day was more than enough.

The snorkel guide was also fantastic, so good in fact that I wrote to the company commending his guiding. He was not only good at pointing stuff out but he also kept the group together. This was essential as the atoll was VERY busy. There were so many boats that at some point I questioned whether they were all there for snorkeling. Turns out that there are many divers are in the boats but still, there were something like 35 boats clustered together. We were also told that in peak season it can be extremely crowded.

The highlight of the trip was a Peacock Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) as well as plenty of eels that went unidentified. The reef wasn't in as good of health as Chumbe Island's but there were still plenty of healthy tracks. 

Overall I can not recommend enough to consider the wetsuit as a crucial item that most outfitters do not provide. It provides protection from the sun, additional buoyancy, and also keeps you warm. Even tropical waters will eventually draw heat from your body making you feel cold. I had only used a wetsuit while snorkeling once before but that as on a cold and cloudy day in the Pacific Ocean. I had not thought about the benefits of using a wetsuit in the tropics but I am now a believer! Even though the trip was on the high end when compared to other operators, it was totally worth it!

That's some tropical waters.