Mozambique

It’s funny how things pan out sometimes. Originally we were planning to spend this week in Ethiopia. However, the situation out there is pretty unstable and although it would probably have been fine, the region we wanted to visit is bright red on the FTA site, which was enough to deter us. We then planned to spend the time in Jordan, but the Israeli conflict put paid to that idea. Thus, we find ourselves heading to Mozambique. It’s on overnight flight to Johannesburg, a layover, and then two short hops firstly to the capital Maputo, and then to Inhambane. The world still feels like a pretty big place at times!

We are staying in a simple lodge on the beach in a place called Tofo beach. Feels a little like Sri Lanka, a little like the Caribbean, and bizarrely, with the sand dunes and long stretches of beach, a little like Cornwall!

We’ve come to this particular spot because it is renowned for its mega-fauna ocean safaris. After our failure to see whale sharks in both Australia, and the Maldives, this is our last chance on this trip.

We immediately book ourselves onto an ocean safari the next day. Such is Jenn’s desire to see the sharks, that she even talks about booking two tours back-to-back, morning and afternoon. As it happens, that’s not possible owing to logistics.

It’s not really whale shark season, although they are found year-round in the waters here. The dive centre board, highlighting sightings, suggests that a couple have been seen relatively recently. We are told that there are some around but sightings are rare.

We wake to an absolutely perfect day. The sky is blue and the water looks relatively calm. It’s famed here for being a little rough! We stroll along the beach in the morning. It’s beautiful and stretches for miles in both directions. The only downside is the amount of plastic that has washed up from the ocean. It marks the high-water line and is a very sad sight. I don’t know how much plastic there is here, but it would take a gargantuan effort to clear.

Having made our way to the dive centre we find that there will only be 5 guests on our boat. A small but perfectly formed group.  There are no jetties here, so getting the boat in the water is not easy and requires a tractor, and the males in the group to lend their support to push the boat through the sand and into the water. It’s then a bit of a mission to climb onto the RIB requiring a heave and a belly flop over the sides. No marks for grace and elegance here.

It’s fun getting over the breakers and we get drenched making our way out. But soon enough we are all scanning the horizon for dark shapes under the water. We have one false sighting that sees everyone don masks and fins, only to discover that the dark shape was something else (still not sure what).

The disappointment is palpable, not least from my wife!

Fortunately, the Gods smile upon us, and disappointment turns to elation when shortly afterwards we find a whale shark! It is a very cool animal and well worth the wait. It is completely unperturbed by our presence, swimming gracefully along with its gaping mouth open collecting the plankton. Whale sharks can measure up to 20 metres in length, weigh over 20 tonnes, and have a mouth that is over a meter wide. Incredible to think they don’t eat anything bigger than a finger nail!

No need to free dive to see this one, swims very close to the surface.

We decide after a while to leave it in peace and head out looking for more. We next come across a large male. Seems whale sharks are like buses! You wait for 11 months and then they all come at once!

We manage to see 7 whale sharks in total!

Favourite sighting was towards the end of the trip, when we see three sharks swimming in a large shoal of jumping fish. Was mesmerising swimming through the wall of fish and then watching the shark appear behind them with mouth wide.

The sharks can be a little disconcerting. They are perfectly happy to swim alongside you, and in fact, often turn towards you, reducing the recommended distance of 3 metres to a matter of a few feet. Jenn admitted that she was more than a little concerned about being swallowed by one! I can fully understand why.

Amazing day. One of the best experiences of our trip. So pleased that Jenn finally got to see them. Clearly, we were meant to come to Mozambique and her persistence paid off.

Following day is a day of rest after our previous triumph. Having now seen the whale sharks Jenn is in full on relaxation mode. I however, can only sit and relax for so long, roughly five minutes in fact… So, that afternoon, I enquire about fishing. There are multiple options for the following morning, but by far the best value, is to go out with the locals. I decide that sounds like fun…

The locals go out early, which means a 4.30am wake up call. It’s still dark as we head down the beach, with the sun rising just before we arrive at the boats. I say boats…

My previous fishing trips have always been on day cruisers, with toilets, and enough space for a sizeable group to make themselves comfortable with a beer, whilst waiting for the fish to bite. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I envisioned the local fishing boats. I’m pretty confident however that it wasn’t this…

The boat is tiny. I’m reminded of Jaws and could well sympathise with Brody when he suggested that ‘we’re going to need a bigger boat.’

Too late to back out now. There are three of us going out. The skipper and his mate. Neither of them speak any English, so we get by, by pointing, smiling, and using improvised sign language. The boat is a dead weight so pushing it through the sand at 5.30 am feels like a rude awakening.

Once in the boat things don’t really improve. The wind is up, the waves are rough, and getting through the breakers with a small engine is really hard work. The waves break over the boat and I’m drenched in seconds, trying to get stinging salt water out of my eyes, and contemplating my life choices. Sitting on a plank and holding onto anything I can find, it feels like this will be a long morning.

Eric, the skipper, tells me, using the aforementioned method of communication, that the current is strong today, the waves bigger than normal, and its ‘not good for fish.’ Excellent!

To think that Jenn will be lying in bed ahead of a leisurely breakfast and maybe a dip in the pool, when she could have been enjoying 7 hours of fishing! She’ll kick herself! Hmm…

I’ve been allocated a rod. One of four lines that we drag through the water as we jostle our way over the waves. When the sun comes out it feels almost pleasant (almost), but when it goes behind the clouds, the sea looks black, and the waves slightly menacing. The fact that the boat is about a foot out of the water at the back, is not a source of great comfort. I take advantage of the few patches of sun to take a selfie. I’m struck by the difference between reality and the impression captured by the photo.

After an hour or two of trailing our lines uselessly through the water, we cast anchor. I say anchor, it’s actually a repurposed rock, with a home-made, knotted line. It does however do the job. We attempt some ground fishing. A few strikes, but nothing catches.

With our spirits fading and Eric every so often pointing out the obvious – ‘no fish,’ it starts to rain. Brilliant. Still, only another 3 or 4 hours to go.  

By now even my two companions are starting to look pretty miserable. Eric suggests that we make our way home. I am in full agreement!

On our way in we spot a large group of gulls, and Eric, ever the professional, heads in that direction. Sure enough, and to his credit, we manage to land a reasonable size, yellow fin tuna!

The other locals are having an equally torrid time of it. Thus a flotilla of small boats start to make their way back to the beach. Getting in is even worse than coming out. I am drenched by the time my feet are back on terra firma.

Assist pulling three boats to the top of the beach before I am given permission to leave. It’s only 10.20am, but feels like I’ve been out there all day. Gratefully retreat to the lodge for a late breakfast.

As ever, once back at the lodge, it all feels like a great adventure! Note to self, if invited to go out with locals fishing in the future, politely decline.

The following day we head out looking for sea horses. We’ve never seen one. They are surprisingly difficult to spot when snorkelling, and far more frequently seen by divers. There is an estuary however, where the chance of finding them is pretty high.

We arrive at a mangrove beach. At hightide the water clearly comes up a long way. We drive across the sand before walking the remainder of the way. Our snorkelling site is only a few feet deep, and with the wind up, and sun disappearing frequently behind cloud, it’s a tad chilly.

I don’t think much of the water on first impression. It’s brown and murky. However, as my eyes adjust and we start to explore, we discover that it is actually a very unique ecosystem, unlike anything we’ve snorkelled in before. We spot a small lion fish, which is another first for Jenn.

We then start to find sea horses. They are a reasonable size, and fairly inactive. They are not at all bothered by us and happily sit grazing on the bottom of the sand. They look a little forlorn to me. Not sure how a fish can look forlorn, but they manage it, in the style of Eeyore.

There are also some impressive sea urchins, black with vivid red markings. Have to say that I’m normally happier seeing sea urchins when I’m separated from them by more than just a few inches of water. With large mud crabs disappearing into the sand at regular intervals, and in the knowledge that there are poisonous conk shells in the area, I’m even more keen that normal not to touch anything.

After snorkelling we wander back through the mangroves and spot some rather lovely pink flamingos! Another really nice trip, and with great young local guides.

We are due to leave Mozambique at 11am next day. Just enough time for a last minute 7.30am ocean safari. Jenn declines. The wind is up again as I walk down the beach, half expect them not to go out. As it is when we arrive, they declare that it’s safe. Just as we are about to push the boat out, the owner comes up and says ‘it’s safe to go out, but you should know that it is going to be very bumpy, so it’s up to you.’ Everyone else seems happy to go, so we head out. To cut a long story short, it’s rough, wet and we see absolutely nothing! Merely serves to underscore how lucky we got on our first day.

As we head back to Johannesburg for our connecting flight to Cape Town we reflect on what a great few days it has been. Mozambique is a beautiful place, people are friendly, and the whale shark experience we had was definitely one of the many highlights of our trip. Can’t help but think about all that plastic though. It’s so sad what we’ve done to our oceans.

Next stop, South Africa!