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ricki 04-14-2011 09:34 PM

Adventure Travel Kiting?!
 
Janneke has a dream, she would like to travel to the Bay of Nouadhibou in northern Mauritania with a skilled photographer and experienced kiter to ride among the stark armada of abandoned ships littering the shores of this place. There is WIND here, caps warranted. Western Sahara, more specifically Dahkla the next country to the north is a newly discovered kiting destination. "Kite camps" have popped up and now are well booked in advance in that country. Apparently Internet kiting forums are abuzz in Holland, Germany and France with the wind prospects offered by this section of the African coast.

Mauritania has yet to be opened and for good cause. It is still a conflict zone, heavily impoverished and besieged with other problems. I changed her name for purposes of this article. She is actively looking for a good action photographer and well experienced kiter to come along. If you're interested drop me a line and I'll pass your interest along. Could be a singular trip! Being a woman and Mauritania being a strict islamic state she plans to wear a burka to try to avoid problems.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/12799782_s.jpg
Lots of abandoned ships are decomposing at points along the bay.
Photo by crondenas

Are there really a lot of ships? Yes, hundreds. How did they get there? This is one version "There is no mystery in how those ships got there,
for years Mauritanian harbor officers were taking bribes and allowing ships to be discarded in the harbor. Discarding a ship is very expensive so during
the years many companies from all over the world got rid of their unwanted ships cheaply in the Bay of Nouadhibou."
http://crazytopics.blogspot.com/2007...graveyard.html

http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/16364647s.jpg
Photo by Antonio Gullen

She was taken by some images I posted kiting around the wreck of the Sapona. The imagery that might come out of Mauritania would likely be far more amazing. Still, the Sapona is easily accessible about 60 miles from Miami in the friendly Bahamas. The Bay of Nouadhibou is a different proposition, turbid, streaked with oil slicks, industrial runoff, Al Qa.eda cabals, etc..


http://www.fksa.org/albums/album545/2_gopro.jpg
Kiting by the Sapona off Bimini, Bahamas


A few other kiters have been here I understand. One even shot an intriguing video, see below. He traveled in over night on a pile of rock in a railway ore car on the QT. Dangerous living.



Thanks to Janneke for telling me about the video.

Aside from some mining and oil interests fishing and agriculture seem to be some of the main livelihoods.


http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/boats.jpg
A satellite view of a harbor area


http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/23076608_x.jpg
A surface view of the same area

Logistically, such a trip poses some serious hurdles and risks. This is aside from Visa requirements that may exist. There have been numerous terrorists attacks against foreign nationals, including several murders over the years. http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-...ania#terrorism

There is abundant child slavery for domestic servitude, forced begging and sexual purposes of both genders. In fact up to 20% or 600,000 people have been estimated to be slaves in the country currently. https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat...k/geos/mr.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Mauritania

You are looking at an inexpensive air fare of about 1800 euros and then overland travel from Nouakchott about 500 km to the Bay of Nouadhibou. I guess you could travel through from Dakhla in Western Sahara and travel overland south too although that would call for travel through hazardous areas of Mauritania. Considering things temporary wearing of a burka may not be enough. Using Islamic swimming garb along the lines below may be indicated:

http://images.usatoday.com/money/_ph...suit-large.jpg
http://usatoday.com


http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/6237903_x.jpg
A surreal landscape of sedimentary rock created under the ocean eons ago and now scarred by desert and ocean winds.


It is interesting to take a look at the area in google earth. You can see numerous oil slicks drifting from tanker bunkering areas and grounded wrecks. Most of the images on here came from the panoramio photos embedded in the sat. images.

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/o...l/16989895.jpg
An abandoned ship at the knife point of land separating the Atlantic from the Bay. Wonder about riding both sides here? There are some massive wave cut cliffs along other parts of the western shore. Could be some major current here at times though.
Photo by bigcarlitos


So where is this place?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...0px-Mr-map.png
http://wikimedia.org/


http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/20593275s.jpg
Local fishermen waiting by the sea.


http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/8976204.jpg
Photo by Julio Dominguez


http://www.fksa.org/albums/Mauritania/34018561_s.jpg
Photo by Maxim MD


Good luck Janneke and all success in your adventure. Looking forward to checking out the images if you are able to make this challenging and dangerous undertaking a reality.


.

ricki 07-13-2012 03:19 PM

Kent had a great idea, no wonder there, there have been lots over the years. This one involved a group of boats heading over to the Biminis in the Western Bahamas for diving, kiting, SUP, cookouts and having a great time. The first trip was set up as a dry run and just an over nighter. Gilligan had his three hour tour to make history, we were targeting about 36 hours.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/albums/...g?m=1342149782
Dawn the day of the trip. There is no wind, forecast good for crossing and diving.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149793
Kent and Paula's 29 ft. "Sleepwalker"



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342212162
The gang's all here and loading up.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149793
We're off, being trailed by our companion boat for the crossing.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149795
Kent and Garry in the fly bridge for a very nice crossing in excellent summer conditions.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149795
Motoring out of Coconut Grove past Stiltsville via the Biscayne Channel and into the Straits.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149992
Crossing the Straits of Florida in good seas and light breeze.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149803
A short three hours later we head into Bimini Sound with Paula, Alexandra and Maui in the bow beanbag chairs.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149804
Passing by the old Chalks seaplane ramp in Alice Town, North Bimini. There is Tropic Ocean Airways now flying passenger service to Bimini from Miami, FL.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149804
Heading north up Bimini Sound passing Weech's, where we used to dock regularly back in the day.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149805
Alice Town


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342188788
We are heading up to the Big Game Club to dock and clear Customs.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149812
Chris Quinn moved Bimini Water Sports to the Big Game Marina offering kite, windsurfing, wake boarding, SUP gear and lessons, diving and small boat rentals.




http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149782


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149815


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149815
Preparing for the Custom's clearing ordeal, Brian Green, Kent's colleague looks on. We were talking about making entry more tourist friendly than what the process has currently evolved to with seemingly unnecessary redundant forms, long lines at Customs, mandatory shoe requirements (ha, wear your shoes next time Kent!) often resulting in a several hour process. For the major money the Bahamian government has been investing in promoting tourism through the media for years, streamlining/speeding up Customs clearance seems to be a necessary step.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149815


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149815
The Big Game hotel and pool area.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149827
Kent with the manager of the Big Game.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149828
Chris, Paula, Garry and Maui hang out by the pool.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149829
The upstair restaurant at the Big Game festooned with Bahamian artwork and classic photos.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149829
North Bimini Beach from Kings Highway.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149831
A panoramic view east across the marina and Bimini Sound from the restaurant deck at the Big Game. You can see Chris' kite rigging platform just to the south of the island in the center of the frame. You can ride in shallow flat water with wind from all directions in that area. CLICK image for full sized photo


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149841
Paula, Alex and Maui stroll back to the boat looking good.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149851
So, we load up and head south down the Biminis to Kent's Mystery Island.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149894
We tow divers along the way looking for dinner.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149854
We arrive after a while and approach from the sheltered flats side to anchor. The island is about 1200 ft. long and uninhabited, by people anyway. There is a lot of life there to be sure.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149991
A look at the island, mostly rock with some small sand beaches on the east side and a good sized shipwreck along the northern end.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149856
We need to tender in supplies for dinner and hanging out on the island. Kent paddles a cooler ashore amid rays and a few small sharks swimming through the shallows.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149863
Sunset comes to our island.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149864
Kent and Louie clean the day's catch for dinner. Paula had brought some superlative ceviche makings for the fish. Garry and crew cooked dinner over an open fire and life is good!


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149863


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149866
I strolled down the beach a bit later on and came across a large loggerhead. She had laid her eggs close to the rocks and was resting on her crawl back to the water. I used to tag these guys and recovered endangered nests in Florida back in high school. Folks enjoyed getting a look at the female on her trip back to the water.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149869
Dawn the next day



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149878


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149872
We had brought kite gear, thinking if we didn't, perfect 9 m winds would come through. It was to be a calm but beautiful summer island day.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342212153
Let's go checkout that wreck off the north end of the island.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149879
The sun is up and the day is on!


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149878
Hitting the shallows on the way to the shipwreck.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149882
Kent and Maui paddle around the island to checkout the wreck.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149885
The bow of this as of yet unnamed freighter. The hull is of riveted construction aiding with the dating a little bit. It seemed to be over a 100 ft. long from the plat strewn over the bottom to the southward. The bow at and below the waterline is still somewhat intact with the rest pounded flat.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149889
Nurse sharks are usually pretty docile but this one swam directly at me and slammed into my camera mounted on a Quikpod monopod. It just swam off and didn't linger however.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149893
Paula goes out for a paddle in all that incredible Bahamian flats water.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149784
I swam up on another nurse shark on the wreck for a close shot.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149893
The Marinkovic's have a family moment on the water.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149992
We raise hook and ease around the island to down the Biminis to Riding Rock. You can get a better look at portions of the wreck.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149894
We dove at points along the way.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149896


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149782
Louie got a good sized mutton snapper. Kent and Garry did well too.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149899
Paula and Alex head out to explore this incredibly scenic place on an SUP.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149924


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149924
Alex in the cut between the western and eastern islands of Riding Rock.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149926
Kent had told me about a swim through further south down the cay. I went looking for it and finally found it. I free dove through the shallow cave and came upon Kent on an SUP on the far side of the island.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149927
Paula and Alexandra hang out with Maui in the background. These ladies put together a very nice Waterlust video recently, "Azul." The video used imagery in part shot on this trip.




"Azul - A Waterlust film about women in water
by Waterlust PLUS 1 week 17 hours ago / via Final Cut Pro
A short film by Paula Marinkovic & Alexandra Menk that explores their aquatic lifestyle.
Shot entirely on GoPro cameras with the Blurfix lens by Snake River Prototyping.
Powered by Adventure Sports Miami."




http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149927
A look at the small cave, swim through passing from the west to east side of the island. Someday this will be a cut between two islands but for now it is a solution feature in the limestone comprising the island.



http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149933
Swimming into the cave from the west side. There is this startling red algae just at the cave mouth. I was shooting with two GoPro HD2 cameras in the new Underwater Housings mounted on a Quik Pod monopod to catch things both forward and back.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149777
This is the view heading back west beneath the cay.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342209714
The Biminis are a marvelous place!


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342149935
We pulled anchor to boogie back to Florida before sunset. Kent dropped me for a short time to try to find the wall off Riding Rock. From what little I could see it might be more gradual there at least in shallow water under a couple of hundred feet deep.





http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/albums/...g?m=1342210120
Conditions were lake-like on the return crossing, so it went fast. Before we knew it, we're back at Scotty's Landing in Miami.


http://fksa.org/gallery3/var/resizes...g?m=1342210120
What a fantastic 36 hours, it really is better in the Bahamas! Thanks to Kent, Paula and all the gang for a great trip.

500EPILOT 07-26-2012 04:05 PM

Great photos, you are a great storyteller!


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