The Gambia and Transatlantic to Suriname

Nomad sailed with the tide from Dakar arriving at Banjul the following day. This being familiar territory, I anchored carefully between the wrecks as close as I could get to the fishing boat wharf and went ashore quickly hoping to finish formalities the same afternoon. But it was just too late in the day to get it all done even with the head of port security driving me around in his car, so I had to make a second trip ashore the next morning to finish up with immigration. This was challenging as the floating docks had been damaged and the only way to get in was to tie the dinghy to one of the fishing boats and climb over it to get up on the dock. The last bit of paperwork was done before the tide turned so there was time for a trip to the market and to the beach on the other side of Banjul to pick up some fresh smoked catfish.

The north shore of Banjul.

Picking up the anchor with fair tide behind me made short work of the last few miles to my preferred anchorage near Lamin Lodge.  I set anchor near friends on Fai Tira and while finishing that task a boat approached Nomad. “You have been here before?” It was G(Gibril) who I knew casually from my previous visit a few years ago. I asked about my friend Alex as I was not making connections online and he said he would let him know that I was here . It was like a family reunion when he arrived a short time later. Catching up with friends is truly one of the highlights of the nomadic lifestyle!

Alex stopping  by for a visit.

The road to Lamin 

Lamin Lodge from the land side.

 Soon after Fai Tira set off across the Atlantic,  Nomad went to to Mandori Creek to begin a much needed paint job.

Sunset on Mandori creek. 

Nomad anchored at Mandori creek.

Underway on Mandori Creek

 With the prep work done it was time to move upriver to the fresh water for a good wash before re the new paint was applied.  The new bridge at the Farafenni (Yerritenda) ferry crossing was completed and recently  opened. The reported clearance is 15 to 18 meters depending on the tide.

The new bridge across the Gambia river at the Yerritenda ferry crossing.

Near Farafenni.

Nomad anchored on the shoals one mile upstream of the bridge. I went ashore to Farafenni to get my monthly immigration stamp in the passport before resuming my upriver journey. A few days later I was anchored near Sea Horse Island and spent a hot(43C), pleasant week painting Nomad’s topsides. I had chosen this location not only for the nearly fresh water, but because it was near Sambang where there were friends from the last visit to The Gambia. Communication is intermittent at best upriver and I was unable to make contact. Being unwilling to hike several kilometers inland to reach the village to find out if they were still there I began the slow process of working the tides back downriver.

Another beautiful sunset on the Gambia river at Sea Horse Island.

At this time of the tide cycle the ebb tide was in the morning and evening  hours leaving me with about five to six hours at anchor midday  waiting for the flood tide to end. It was during one of these  mid afternoon breaks anchored upriver from the Yerritenda ferry crossing that there was a knock on the hull. There were some fishermen  in a dugout who had a net drifting  down on Nomad in the current. I hurriedly  raised the anchor just off the bottom  and dragged it into deeper water just getting  clear of the drift net by a few meters.  The fishermen stopped  by again  after the anchor was reset and gave me a couple of fish for dinner. It was otherwise an uneventful  trip downriver until I reached James island. 

Gambian fisherman at work.

Anchored near Salikenni point. One of the few places in the North Bank Region without mangroves and easy shore access.

The tour boat from Lamin Lodge on the river.

 The afternoon  breeze blowing  upriver  against the ebbing tide was creating  large waves, some of them washing over the bow as Nomad plunged into  them. This was a bit much  bouncing around as the boat was not prepared for offshore  conditions  in the river. I worked my way into  the lee of Dog Island Point and anchored  to await the morning calm. At sunrise the next morning  the anchor was raised and the last few miles to Lamin Bolong were easily done in nearly windless conditions.  At anchor once again  at Lamin Lodge the deck painting  was finished and I began preparations  for Nomads next Atlantic  crossing.

Nomad looking great with all new paint.

Lamin delivering a load of water. With the watermaker  in need of new membranes, drinking water had to be carried to the boat.

Monkeys on the dock at Lamin Lodge.

 One afternoon I got a note on Messenger from a friend I had been trying to contact while upriver. It was Samba who had welcomed me and my friends into his compound  during my last visit to The Gambia.  He was nearby so we quickly arranged a meeting  place at Lamin Lodge.  Samba accompanied me and Lamin looking for bamboo  to replace some broken battens and took some ( rare) pictures of me. All too soon it was time to clear out of The Gambia  and begin the voyage to Suriname before the hurricanes start forming up.

Samba visiting on Nomad.

Carrying some fresh six meter bamboo poles back to the dinghy.

Powerplant ships providing electricity to Banjul.

 Once Nomad was a few hundred miles offshore  and into the tradewinds  life settled into  an easy routine that continued for several weeks. It was rainy season in South America. Unlike the last trip where the rains didn't  start until I  reached  the sea bouy off Paramaribo,  on this trip I ran into  the ITCZ north of the Brazilian  coast making the last week of the voyage very wet and squally. The rain at times was so heavy that I could not see the jib from the aft cabin. It was during this time that the wind generator stopped working necessitating  a daily generator  runs since there was no sunshine  for the solar panels. As I  closed the coast the wind died out completely so the last few miles were completed under engine power.

 Ten miles northeast of the sea buoy  the engine was shut down to enjoy  the silence of the calm ocean while awaiting a fair tide to enter the Suriname  river. With the flood current behind her, Nomad made short work of the long ride upriver to the anchorage at Domburg.  With formalities  completed and my body clock accustomed to staying awake all day again it was time to get some maintenance  and repairs done. Suriname is at five degrees north putting it well South of the hurricane  zone. This makes it an excellent  safe place to spend the summer and leave the boat unattended  while I  return to the USA  to find some jobs.
  http://marinasuriname.com/en/home.html
This was Nomads second trip to Suriname so I  decided  to visit someplace  new. The end of navigation for sailboats on the Suriname river is a few miles above Paranam  where a short bridge closes the river to tall vessels. This was a quiet anchorage  where I  spent a week doing repairs  and watching  the abundant  wildlife . From here it was a few short hours downriver to Domburg  where Nomad was placed on a mooring and laid  up for the season to await my return.

End of the road for sailboats on Suriname river. 

Suriname river sand barge.