Vilankulo to Bazaruto, Mozambique

20 - 22 Mar 08

Tropical paradise

20 March 2008. Vilankulo to Bazaruto Lodge (VFR 0:17 hrs). From Djuma we had managed to call the Madagascar civil aviation authorities from near the reception where they had mobile phone coverage. Although we had faxed and emailed copies of Flemming’s pilot licence, air worthiness and insurance certificates to them several times, they still claimed that they had not gone through, so we sent them yet again. Before we took off from Vilankulo for the short hop to Bazaruto Island, Angela phoned Madagascar again. They had received the certificates but not the pilot’s licence, so our troubles were not over yet.
It was a pleasant 17-minute flight over turquoise waters and sand banks to Bazaruto. We were welcomed at the airstrip by Louis Erasmus, a South African who has operated the Bazaruto Lodge and lived on the island for 18 years. During the war in Mozambique, the lodge was supplied by ships from South Africa. Louis used to own the lodge until he sold it to the Portuguese hotel group, Pestana, a couple of years ago. This was Easter week and the lodge, that can house 90 guests, was full up. Just as well we’d booked in advance.
We went for a sunset cruise on a dhow with some friendly Portuguese tourists who told us that Portugal's president Anibal Cavaco Silva and his family are also on a private (but discrete) holiday at this lodge.

21 March 2008. We were delighted to find that the lodge had a wireless connection so took advantage of the opportunity to skype. Angela phoned Madagascar again and at last we got the clearance number! Flemming’s scuba dive outing was cancelled due to waves and wind, so we went on a snorkelling trip instead in the lagoon on the north-east side of the island. Nice sunset walk on the sand spit sticking out on the north-west side of the island. Flemming had fun chasing crabs into their holes.

22 March 2008. After breakfast we got a call from Simon from Nkwichi Lodge, Lake Niassa; our next destination. He explained that a few days ago a major rainstorm has dumped a lot of water, and as a result a deep ditch had been carved out cutting the useable runway in half with about 600 meters remaining. He said that 20 guys were working hard on filling up the ditch, but that it was unlikely that the damage would be repaired before tomorrow.

Outing by boat to nearby Paradise Island (= Santa Carolina island). Excellent snorkelling with lots of fish and corals. The island itself was fine apart from the eye sore of the ruins of an old hotel, but we felt it didn’t deserve to be called Paradise. Bazaruto Island is prettier in our view.

In the afternoon we called back Simon at Nkwichi Lodge, and decided that we could land on runway 11 uphill on the 600 meters remaining unless there was a tailwind. The alternative, was to land in Lichinga and suffer a difficult 5-hour drive by 4WD on bad tracks to the tune of US$ 300 each way. Simon confirmed that by the time we would depart from Nkwichi, the ditch would be filled up and packed.