Whatshot
Adventures with Kingsley Holgate - Afrika Outside Edge 6
Adventures with Kingsley Holgate - Afrika Outside Edge 6
Date: 2017-05-26
Across the Senegal River into Mauritania and we're caught in the eye of a sandstorm, sand in the hair, eyes, mouth, nose, ears and beard, sand in the food, in the bottom of our battered enamel mugs of early morning coffee. Sand in the canvas bedrolls and in the engine oil. We're following the outside edge of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania where the wind blown sands of the Western Sahara are arrested by the North Atlantic. After the storm it is unimaginably beautiful, the dunes washed smooth by the wind and at night, around the fire, the stars and the distant cry of jackal. Balaclavas, beanies, socks and jackets, the freezing desert nights bring back memories of Namibia's Skeleton Coast.
On the low-tide thousands of seabirds rise like clouds in front of the three expedition Landies. Following the outside edge wild camels on the dune tops are silhouetted against the sun. We pass big men in blue robes and white turbans riding in old Landies up the coast at low tide. Footflat in 3rd and 4th, engines growling against the headwind and sand we finally crawl into Nouakchott, capital of Mauritania. Nouakchott in the local Arabic Hassanyia language means place of winds, an apt name for a city that is sjamboked by sandstorms for more than 200 days a year. Maybe it's a good thing because when the wind stops the bloody flies come out.
Tyres down to one bar we ride the tide North, determined as always to follow the outside edge. At Cap Tagarit we sleep, out of the wind, in a desert nomad's tent, hard mattresses on the floor, lamb and fish on the coals, small glasses of sweet tea, not a footprint on the beach. This area is part of a protected desert coast park called the Blanc d'Arguin National Park - it's a paradise for aquatic birds. Ross sets a course on the Garmin GPS N20˚20.481; W16˚15.140. We're trying to follow a coastal track through the Sahara but the windblown sands have obliterated any signs. There's a feeling of wild freedom just three battered Landies and a little South African expedition team against the backdrop of the largest desert in the world. Will keep you posted.