Through the Quirimbas Archipelago

The 20 or so islands that make up the Quirimbas Archipelago and part of the marine park.

I am not quite sure what a Marine Park means to Mozambique, but these pristine islands are being sold off fast (or at least 99 year leases) to South Africans, Arabs, et. al. to build deluxe, luxury accommodation and charging in excess of US$500 per night, making these the most expensive lodges on the African continent. Not all the islands have water, and some of the island leases has meant displacing the local fisher-folk. We hear tales of Chinese businessmen exporting vast quantities of sea-cucumber and the coconut crab population on Rolas has been hunted to virtual extinction.

However, why should these serene islands be just the playground for the rich? Stef, Pippa, James and myself spend a couple of days organising a dhow safari through some of the northern islands of the Quirimbas Archipelago from Ibo.

paddling out on our dhow

Dimitri a French guy who has been resident on Ibo for the last 10 years organises to arrange 2 meals a day, drinking water and dhow for around US$50 per person per day. He is somewhat arrogant and not really a man to keep his word – Pippa and James are put on the back-burner with the arrival of four Americans.

A much cheaper option is to rent a boat and guide yourself. We hire a dhow and captain (Capitan Hussa) for Mtc1000 per day. Ours is without an engine – although a motorized one should be the same price, but who wants to hear a chugging engine? As it turned out - a big mistake.

We are quoted Mtc500 per day by a couple of guides, but we pay more for the top quality Tusha (Mtc800/day). Tusha is just 17 years old, but is knowledgeable, courteous and honest. He is saving hard to attend medical school in Maputo.

Armed with stove, tent and spare hammocks, i am indebted for the company and facilities offered by Pippa and James. We head out to the market to pick up supplies for the trip. These include sugar, toilet paper, onions, tomatoes, tuna, rice, coffee, potatoes, garlic, biscuits, sweets and Bom o Boms (delicious chocolate and wafer). And of course a carton of GT cigarettes for yours truly. We buy 23 litres of bottled water to drink and arrange two 25 litre containers of water for washing.

For the next two months the winds blow north and we decide to explore several of the islands off to the North of Ibo.

Day One

A later than intended start as Stef is seriously late for our departure. Nonetheless, it only takes some 40 minutes to arrive at Bal Sandbank . This tiny sand-bank boasts both a shipwreck and clusters of coral on the east side.

the sandbank

It’s a further 40 minutes sailing on to Ilha Matemo, our chosen night stop. James catches a small needlefish on his hand-line to substantiate our dinner. The island is owned by an Arab (the same owner as Pemba Palace in Wimbi), but his exclusive lodge is managed by a Dutch/South African couple accommodation.

local kids in Matemo

We locate an empty and incomplete small reed fisherman’s hut for me to squat and James and Pippa and Stef set their up their tents alongside.

fisher-folk's house on Matermo

The island is quite large and has three separate villages. We are keen to explore and find a shop producing egg and bread to supplement our humble stock. The inhabitants are really friendly.

The offshore coral on the north-east corner is in clusters and the reef-fish somewhat small.

Famed for their quality dhow building skills on the island and a new dhow can be purchased for a reasonable Mtc30,000.


Day Two

Stef needs to head to the mainland (a boat departs the Isla Matemo to nearby Pangani) whilst Pippa, James and i head off to Ilha Das Rolas. The wind is perfect and we whizz across in only about 40 minutes.

This island is much smaller than Matermo, has no water or provisions shop and has just 10 fisher-folk inhabitants.

There is a Park Ranger on the island that invites us to stay the night and use his stone-hut (with cement floors). For Mtc200 he offers to find us a coconut eating crab. Despite having no coconut palms, Rolas boasts a much depleted population of the largest crabs on the planet – the Coconut-Eating crab. These shy monsters are nocturnal and by the time the ranger locates a small juvenile at around 11pm, i am already soundly asleep in Pippa’s hammock.

the warden's hut on Rolas

old fishing boats on Rolas

There is excellent off-shore coral here and larger fish in the deeper waters.

Day Three

Our next target is to head to Ilha Quisanga, a tiny uninhabited, waterless island further north. It has been brought for an island resort and it has a permanent guard stationed here. However, we are told by some passing fishermen that he is visiting his wife is in Pemba hospital, and they will let us stay the night providing we give them a present and depart before 6am. Neither Capitan or Tusha have been here before, and indeed many have not even heard of its existence.

crab at sunset on Ilha Quisange

It’s just a 30 minute walk to walk the circumference of the island, and we set up camp in the casuarinas. As there is a mast on the island i get out my cell-phone to see if i can get a signal. Unfortunately it is the last time i see my phone – an old-timer tri-band from Hong Kong and i lose my entire database of international contacts over the last 10 years. It hurts far more than it should do. Snorkelling seems best on the West side of the island.

sunset from my hammock

On neighbouring Mnjumbi island another tiny dot on the ocean has a lighthouse lit up gorgeously at sunrise.

sunrise over the lighthouse

Day 4

Time to regret not taking a motor dhow. We have to sail against the prevailing northerlies for some 25kms to Pangani on the mainland. A 5.30 start sees no wind whatsoever, and the first three hours of the day are spent drifting aimlessly. The wind eventually does pick up a little as our skipper fails abysmally to tack. Again winds die and by 2pm i realise that we are still less than half way to our destination. With frantic poling for the last 2 hours, we eventually make it to Pangani by 7.30pm – and my patiencia has been pushed to the complete limit. I have done some seriously arduous journeys through the Himalaya and across Indonesian islands, but i have never travelled 25kms so slowly in my life.

Not having eaten all day, badly sunburnt and generally trashed i can’t even eat the fish dinner served in Hassim’s Backpackers, but the ice-cold coke he procures for an older travellist almost brings tears to my eyes. Thank you Hassim!