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Sierra Leone Holidays
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Martin Beattie
The Coast of Sierra Leone
The coast of Sierra Leone is characterized by stunning white sand beaches and sprinkled with islands.
The waters of the Atlantic are rich in fish: barracuda, jack crevalle, cobia,pompano, snapper, grouper, and sea bass. Further out you will find Wahoo, sailfish, Dorado (dolphin), albacore and tuna.
One way to enjoy what Sierra Leone has to offer is by sea. The options are a gentle cruise by canoe or for the more adventurous an exciting ride in a speedboat.
Dive down onto the reefs and you will be surrounded by hundreds of Sheep Head, Pilot and Parrot Fish. You will have to push through these schools to get to the rocks where you will find the normal territorial fish, snapper, grouper, and sea bass.
Wave your arms, blow bubbles, or move rapidly, and you will hear the thump of their tails as they scatter and dash away. Occasionally you will hear a large thump behind you, so loud and close that it will make you duck. It can be quite unnerving, look back and it is probably another school of fish taking an interest in you, not the dreaded unknown. Look hard in between and under the rocks and you might see antennae sticking out, testing the water. They might be lobster. Touch the antenna gently and they will tickle your arm.
Move rapidly and in a flash they will disappear in a cloud of silt and sand. The occasional passing turtle might come by, but then you will need to be still, they are very shy. Be careful where you put your hands though, a territorial eel might take issue with you being so close. It will rarely bite just stare angrily until you move away then it might follow for a few metres just to make its point.
In the sand look for the eyes, and a triangular outline, and you will find rays there. They cover themselves in the sand. You have to prod them before they fly away leaving a wake of sand as they skim over the seabed.
Listen carefully and you will hear the cracking of the rocks, like crabs snapping their claws to attract mates. If the season is right you will hear the whales singing. A wonderful diversity of groans, whistles, and clicks, so deep and resonant you feel the vibrations in your chest, so loud you are certain that they are behind you.
Back on the surface there is a good chance of seeing dolphins, usually in pods of six sometimes up to 20. Attract their attention and they might come and play with you.
Flashing under the boat, leaping into the air, pirouetting, then diving back in with hardly a splash. Then just as quickly disappearing into the ocean. The passing whales, humpbacks breaching and rolling, taking their time to fatten up as they continue on their migration to the cooler waters of the southern seas. Pilot whales a lot smaller and very rarely, a pod of orcas.
Back to shore now, where lunch is being prepared on a beach called “Tokeh”. Tokeh is located in a beautiful bay surrounded by islands and reefs. It is the perfect beach.
The village of Tokeh, a charming scattering of mud, concrete, and tin huts surrounded by a large forest of trees including hundreds of coconut palms. These trees run straight onto the edge of the beach. The sand is white and as fine as kitchen salt; it slopes gently down and into the ocean. The slope so gentle that you walk some way into the ocean before it starts to cover your waist. The water is blue and the calm waves lapping gently on the sandy shore. To one end of the beach a small river flows into the ocean forming a beautiful little estuary. The black granite rocks arranged by chance in a beautiful random formation.
An appetizer of grilled shrimps in the shell, live oysters fresh from the sea, together with garlic bread and lunch is served. A tropical cocktail as an aperitif, maybe a jug of fresh palm wine for the adventurous, or simply a glass of coconut juice.
The main course could be lobster, crab, more shrimps if you care, and whatever fish have been caught on the trip. This will be served with rice, cous cous and salad. Served with chilled wine or beer. This is simple delicious fare.
Back to the boat and off towards “Whale Bay”, another beautiful location situated a few miles further down the coast. It is a place where the trees meet the water line. Jump into the water and feel the unusual sensation of two layers of water at different temperatures, the top six inches fresh and icy cold, the lower 36 feet normal salty seawater.
This is an ideal place to spend the rest of the afternoon, lounging on the boat or the shore, swimming in the sea. If you take a walk up the river you can stand under the waterfall and have your back massaged by the pounding water.
You might see the Fish Eagles as they hover around the bay looking for their next meal.
If you are really lucky you will see them dive down into the water. A big splash, a pause, then a flap of wings and it re-emerges flapping hard to break the bonds of the water. It struggles to gain height and you can see why, its talons are embedded in a fish half its size. As it heads back to its roost high up on a nearby cotton tree you will hear it screech in excitement.
Early in the morning or evening, troops of monkeys will come down to the edge of the water to pick fruit off the trees or just to play on the rocks. They are probably 50 metres away.
Early evening and time to set off back. Load the boats and we are away. The sea will be calm and glassy. To your right the mountains of Sierra Leone lying in wait. To your left the setting sun – a magnificent range of oranges, reds, and at the edges, purples.
Get back home with enough wonderful memories to last a lifetime.
by Toufic Haroun
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