Riaan – detained as a terrorist!
It has been a stunning week for me; mostly. To have rounded a cape, feared for centuries by seamen the world over, on a tiny little five metre kayak is something I rightly have reason to be proud of. The problem though is that I type this article on my cellphone from a bat, rat and flea infested prison cell at Mbovombe police station. I’m not blowing a trumpet of any kind about this latest obstacle conquered, but there are very few people who really understand the physical conditions and risks I daily endure. Many individuals have received grand adulation for way less; I mean being a contestant in the Big Brother house by default earns you millions of adoring fans. So just for the record, there is no applause out at sea.
The most southerly point of Madagascar is known as Cap St Marie where the limestone mountain drops at a perpendicular angle into the never ending crash of huge waves at its base. It is truly one of the most stunning sites I’ve had on this 9 month journey thus far. Yes, I felt somewhat outside myself as I bobbed around here at the mercy of the huge five meter swells, also somewhat spiritual while taking stock of how far I’d actually come. Geez, I felt like a million bucks as I craned my neck upwards to see the towering orangey yellow cliffs and boulders above me. The memories of the other three ’points’ - east, north and west - flooded back, and again I had that invisible beam of motivation and inspiration hit me square on. An out of body experience, out at sea. I made a video diary here and cannot remember what I said in it, except for telling the camera to go to Google Earth and see where I find myself right now. They will not believe that I’m out there all alone, unaided and on the smallest sea going vessel used by man.
The very, very, very big downer though is that I’ve been arrested… again. I’ll spare the details of how it all unfolded but essentially an intoxicated mayor and his brigade chief had little else to do but harass me this Saturday afternoon and demand my passport. As many know I was robbed at gunpoint in Tulear last month and had items stolen, including the copies of my passport. I have a document from the police there explaining this in detail. The mayor (of this 20 hut village) and his entourage were not interested in hearing my story and had me taken to the town of Mbovombe and jailed for two nights in a filthy police cell. The charge was terrorism/mercenary activity. Can you imagine the mentality that was employed in eventually jailing me? I can’t begin. Swollen feet, strapped wrists, a kayak, 10 month history in Madagascar and the assurance from the embassy staff that I am in fact legit and secondly doing work for Madagascar tourism while here. I think tourism Madagascar will excuse me for not jumping up and down to get a positive message out. Spend an hour with me in this cell with the lights off and feel how the bats crawl over you while rats scurry around at your bare feet. Did I mention the fleas jumping around in your pants and shirt at the same time, feeding off you? Not pleasant, especially for a guy trying at every attempt to show the world the positive side of a misjudged continent. Check in on www.africa365.co.za to see what has happened in the time being. My expedition manager updates the site and Facebook links daily.
A special moment I had this week though included a 2-metre hammerhead shark experience that will be difficult to forget. In slightly murky water approximately 2.5 kilometres out to sea, and an hour into my paddling day, this grey shark just popped out of the water two metres from my kayak. It was moving in the same direction as me and just a tad slower. Firstly I could not make out what shark it was but after I stopped paddling and just glided alongside it we moved to within one meter of each other. By now I could see its eyes clearly on the edge of its hammer-shaped head and how the lines of differing shades of grey run along its body. It was feeding I think and was not at all concerned at my presence. Only when I tried to take a picture, making a noise with my graphite
Orka paddle against the camera, did it calmly veer away from the kayak. Energised is a better way to describe what most will refer to as fear after encountering a shark of any kind.
In a few days I’ll be in Fort Dauphin, find the many South African guys working there and hopefully see the Bulls beat the Chiefs at Loftus. Gee I miss rugby big time. Among all the other things I’ve taken for granted of course. Like a warm bed that is not at ground level, not shared with wild creatures, not in a room without windows and not unsympathetically signposted with the words PRISON. Taking things for granted I was!