“Annafia” finally has water beneath her keel

At the end of 2019 we ordered a “Kingfisher 430” motorboat from Legacy Marine in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with a 20 hp Suzuki outboard motor. The plan was that this boat would improve communications between Ambika on the RN7 road and the trackless Mangoky Reserve about 40 river kilometres upstream, to transport materials and evacuate in the event of an emergency situation, and make it possible to transport luggage and provisions on long kayak tours,

Then pandemic came and the boat stayed untouched in the garage in Toliara for more than 3 years until we were finally able to launch the boat at the end of May. The engine started on the first try and we were able to start a test drive on the Mangoky right away.

However, the planned trip to the location of the kayaks in Beroroha had to be cancelled. We quickly had to realise that 180 river kilometres on a shallow river with constantly changing sandbanks and a strong current is not possible. In addition, we learned that the presence of a motorboat is not necessary for the successful accomplishment of kayak tours, on the contrary. This would rather disturb the fascination of silently gliding along and the seclusion in a natural river landscape, and it would go against our idea of a gentle, ecological tourism.

Nevertheless, our conclusion is positive: It is good to have the possibility to transport material and people from Ambika to the White House in only one day, and the presence of a motorboat gives security in an emergency situation – which hopefully never arises.