Day 59, 60 and 61

 Day 59

This morning’s high tide meant we were able to go for a swim before breakfast. It was lovely and calm and so I was actually able to do some proper swimming rather than just bounce around in the waves.

After breakfast we chatted with Tino for a bit before returning to our tent. We are still the only guests here. Mid morning we walked down to the bird hide. The weather was quite overcast but very warm. We didn’t see any birds that we hadn’t seen before but we enjoyed seeing a Carmine Bee-Eater swooping down over the water to catch insects.

Lunch today was pizza, one of the best we have had in Tanzania. I have to say the chef here has been excellent. 

By early afternoon the clouds had gone and we had clear blue skies and it was very hot. We went for a swim and then showered before meeting up with Hamisi for a canoe ride.

Hamisi “collected” us from our tent at about 4.30 and we then walked along the beach before cutting inland to the creek. 

Here we met up with Tiso and the canoe. It is only a small creek so the canoe ride only lasted about 40 minutes but it was very enjoyable. It was very quiet just gliding along and we did see a few birds and some crabs.

Little Egret

Striated Heron

Mud Crab

We got back to our tent before 6 so had plenty of time for a swim before heading to the bar for a pre-dinner drink.

Tonight Pete got some really good photos of the moon.

Day 60

This morning we got up and did one of the way marked bird walks before it got too hot. We saw a few birds and enjoyed the exercise.

Female Weaver?

White Browed Coucal

Brown Chested Barbet

Common Bulbul

Today is another very hot day so we spend the morning on our decking, sorting through bird photos and writing my diary.

I have also now received all the February Computer Reports from the schools so I spend some time going through these. It is good to read that everyone is very happy with all the new computer equipment they have received. I won’t send out a report this time as not a lot has changed at any of the schools since we visited last month so I will leave writing an update until after they have all sent their reports in May. The only big news is that Rutunguru School in Chato have now completed the conversion of a classroom into a dedicated computer room so Hamisi has delivered the 2 computers that we kept back when we visited, as an incentive for them to do this. I have included a couple of photos below.

We spent the rest of our day reading on our decking and swimming in the sea.

Tonight we got another email from KLM saying they have again cancelled our flights!! I think some time tomorrow may be spent trying to decide how best to get home!!

Day 61

Today was our last day in Saadani and was spent relaxing around the camp.

We were up early so went for a swim before breakfast. It is just after high tide and so the sea is going out. The sea is pretty calm and so we get a decent swim.

After breakfast we spend some time trying so sort out our flights home. We sit up in the bar area as it is cooler than the decking outside our tent. Here are a few photos of the bar and dining room. The dining room even has sand on the floor to make you feel like you are sitting on the  beach.

The bar area where it is only ever just us and Tino, the barman.

Our table in the dining room.

After lunch we spend the afternoon swimming and then packing. A bit later I go for a walk along the beach to the entrance to the creek.

Tonight we have a special dinner. The chef has cooked lobster for us, a real treat. It was a lovely way to end our stay here.