What a Journey to Jinack Island

A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KAYLEIGH!!

Today we are setting off for our stay on Jinack Island, we were up bright and early hoping to avoid the ferry crossing rush, we bought our ferry ticket just before 8.00am and were told we would have a twenty minute wait so we pulled up behind other queuing vehicles. As we waited some 4x4’’s were waved a head of us through the terminal gates and onto the ferry. By 9 o’clock Paul asked some of the terminal staff what the hold up was and he was told that they were cleaning the ferry so there would be a slight delay. Then a 4x4 cut in front of us in the queue Paul went to challenge the driver upon which he produced an official document stating unhindered passage to Senegal. The three vehicles in front of us were waved through the barriers and terminal gates along with a few lorries and gelleh’s, we were now at the front of the queue so we thought hey we will be on the next ferry. No such luck the time went by as other official cars were waved through. Midday came and went with us still waiting at the terminal gates Paul went to investigate again and he was told a ferry had broken down so only two were in use. I was getting very frustrated and thinking we should maybe turn back for home, we made the decision to sit it out. We witnessed more heated arguments as official vehicles continued to queue jump, we were told it is useful to know somebody at the port who can help you to get on the ferry quicker. Paul spoke to a guy who was the assistant manager he was very apologetic that we had waited so long and said he would get us onto the next ferry. He then waved through another couple of official cars one apparently was late for his flight from Dakar and the other was attending a funeral yeah right. Finally we were waved through the terminal gates to the dock side where again we had a thirty minute wait. We watched as the cargo was unloaded by the porters onto carts, woman balancing three to five litre tubs on their heads with babies tied to their backs, cows and goats and finally the vehicles. We were waved onto the ferry after a six hour wait and set off only to be stopped to re dock to pick up a guy with a briefcase, unbelievable. After alighting and stopping for water we set off on the Senegal road only to miss the turning for Jinack Island as it wasn’t signposted. A young guy showed us the road for Jinack Island I jumped out and Paul took the guy back to his friends. The road was very sandy however Paul and the children were loving it you would think we were in a rally car race with blind corners of undergrowth and the back end of the car skidding out. We suddenly hit a very sandy area and the car stuck with the wheels spinning however luck was on our side as in the distance a land rover came into view. Three guys jumped out and with the driver behind our car wheel he got us out of the sand by driving through the undergrowth, good job the car is an old banger. Then one of the guys Alpha offered to show us the way to the island which we accepted in case we needed another push out of the sand. With Paul again behind the wheel and Alf showing us the best tracks to take we rallied around the bends with the accelerator on and the front end of the car hitting sand bumps which was coming through the air vents. We suddenly came to the end of the track at a small lagoon, Paul parked up then tried to reverse for a better position, the car had died on us he couldn’t get any gears engaged, what a day. We decided to sort out the car tomorrow and Alf offered to call the guy with the land rover to meet us and take a look as he is a mechanic. Whilst I chatted to some local children who were collecting what looked like whelks from the lagoon Paul agreed a price for us to cross the Niji Balon lagoon to the island in one of the canoes which was an extortionate 100 dalasi each way.