Well this was our transport - and I don’t know about you but two of these trucks look like WWII German troop carriers. They were, however, needed since even the roads in Banjul were unpaved and full of deep ruts and potholes. Most of the trip to Makasutu luckily was on paved roads apart from the last kilometre or so into the eco-reserve. The open sided trucks were a little chilly on the ride out but by mid-day the temperature was into the 80s so the breeze on the way home was much appreciated.
Our visit to Makasutu began with a welcome cup of coffee and a chance to recover from the bumpy but fascinating ride.
We then began a walk through the forest with a demonstration of local palm wine tappers and sampling ‘the jungle juice- straight from the tree. The palm fruits are tapped and funnelled into plastic bottles. It takes only 6 hours or so to fill a bottle and if drunk straight way is not too strong but if left to ferment in the sun for 24hours it becomes a very strong spirit know as ‘zum zum’ and 38% proof. As our guide Solomon put it ‘too much of this spirit and you would be seeing ‘pink elephants’’!!
We had a look at termite mounds that the local use as indicators of where water can be found. Mounds are as deep underground as they are high – the termites remove the clay from underground to build and create ventilation shafts in the superstructure. The maximum height is about 10 metres above ground which gives you some idea of the complexity and scale of these structures. The Queen can lay up to 1,000 eggs a day and can live for up to 25 years.
I also spotted a half metre long Monitor Lizard but it scuttled away long before I could get the camera ready. We had a look at some of the fruits of the forest including the so-called ‘jelly palm’ – this is the palm with the big radial leaves that are used for thatching and that produce a fruit which when ripe has a jelly like texture. The Horn Bills seemed to like these fruits as did the Dog Faced Baboons that we spotted on the track but we were told they would appear at the camp for lunch!!
Walk over we clambered – some with greater elegance and style than others – into the dugout canoes for a gentle trip on one of the tributaries of the Gambia River. One canoe was a genuine dugout – nicknamed Titanic (!) and the other a fibre glass version enabling two people to sit next to each other. Being single I was despatched to sit in the stern with Anthony our Captain and I can tell you it was a rocky experience whilst some of our larger brethren made their entry to the canoe with Solomon yelling to move to the middle or outside to balance the canoe.
Once all safely aboard we had a delightful 40 minutes paddling among the mangrove watching Whimbrels, Common Oyster Catchers and Grey Plovers feeding and responding to the Fiddler Cabs as they waved their one big white claw in a rhythmic form of dance. Mangrove oysters that grow to full size in 6 months in these rich waters are a major source of food locally and harvested mainly by women. As Solomon put it ‘women work in the day and men at night since they have up to five wives!!’
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