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Bahamas season 5 part 3.

March 24-29, 2026

We woke up Tuesday morning, March 24th, to more super glassy water all day. When there is no wind overnight the boat wonders around. In this case our anchor was right beside the boat and we were pointed in the opposite direction. Water is about 9 feet deep.

Nancy paddleboarded 2 miles to the Glass Window Bridge. I chased along in the dinghy. Here she is cutting between two rocks.

Originally there was a natural bridge over this opening. But it collapsed in the 1950’s. Winslow Homer painted a picture in 1885 of the natural bridge. This area gets battered by hurricanes. A year earlier an American tourist was washed off the rocks and swept out to see during a bad storm. On either side of the bridge are ready made barricades to close the bridge during bad storms.

I did give Nancy a short tow back towards the boat. But she dropped the tow line and paddled the majority of the way back.

At anchor off of Muttonfish Point.

Enjoying a swim around the boat.

We really love this secluded anchorage. But the glass calm days this year really brings out the charm.

We both witnessed the green flash this evening, shortly after this photo was taken.

Corn beef hash and eggs for breakfast, my favorite! This is the start of Wednesday the 25th. After breakfast we pulled anchor and headed south to Alabaster Bay, Eleuthera.

This leg is about 16 miles, as usual heading south east it is into the predominate wind. We were able to sail most of the way there while towing the dinghy.

The entrance to Hatchet Bay, not as blind as Great Harbor Cay. But the fast ferry comes through here without a heads up radio call. And it is a wide boat! People either love or hate Hatchet Bay. We find the water murky and the holding poor. The settlement was pretty basic.

We anchored off of Alabaster Bay. Nancy paddled from our boat about a mile and a half north up the coast beside Governors Harbor Airport.

During her paddle she saw a young Manta Ray in very shallow water. We have never seen one in The Bahamas before.

Here is Nancy on Thursday the 26th, having her morning coffee with a rainbow behind her. We were anchored off of Alabaster Bay for two nights. Each night we had light showers come overhead. Which means I am usually the first one up, as I sleep under an open hatch. So I scramble around closing hatches first, then portholes.

On Thursday the 26th we went walk-about. After beaching our dinghy we took different roads to the beach at the abandoned US Naval base. From there we traveled south for a mile to “The Deck” restaurant.

When we beach the dinghy, we pull it up high on the beach using an inflatable fender underneath. It is an old Egyptian trick for building pyramids, or so they say. Keeps the dinghy safe.

Nancy can’t resist a swing from a tree. This is where we popped out onto the beach.

This beach is well known for its pink look. Which is caused by single cell microscopic coral insects, known as Foraminifera.

This interesting brach bar has all sorts of eclectic art work made out of refuse found on the beach. This post is adorned with shoes and nets.

Here I am adding my hat to the post with hardhats. We have always been amazed at how many hardhats we find on beaches in The Bahamas.

This is “The Deck”, a very quirky beach bar run by the “Conch Nazi”. That is what we call him. A white Bahamian from Nassau who’s ancestors are Loyalists on his mothers side and English settlers on his father’s side.

We did not have reservations, but we talked him into cooking one hamburger that the two of us would split. Plus 3 Kalik beers to wash it down. Total bill was $60 with a tip.

We walked back the same beach because it is cooler than walking on the roads without any wind or shade. Here Nancy is walking up hill on a huge concrete rain water catchment for the SOSUS Base.

Nancy doing her thing.

We left after breakfast the next day, heading south to Ten Bay. Plan is to sit out an upcoming storm.

As I was heading into Ten Bay with half a dozen boats all ready there. I decided to veer to the left and check out a secluded anchorage very near some cliffs. It is perfect. Great sand in 10 feet of water and we are protected by winds. It allowed me to practice padddleboarding several times a day.

This was an evening shot of reflected pink clouds to our north.

Nancy pulling her paddleboard up on shore to check for shell, near Ten Bay.

Nancy is trying to teach herself how to weave a basket like the one on the seat next to her. Just making it up as she goes.

She ran out of palm fronds so we went to Ten Bay where she cut several more.

These are Sea Grape Snails.

No sooner than we get back the rain showers start blowing by. A couple hit us that night as we expected. This is a super anchorage for the expected winds of 30 knots from the East.

The Bahamas season 5 part 2.

Wednesday 18 - Monday the 23, 2026

We were weathered in for 4 days with winds in excess of 20 mph. We were tucked up in the lee of Royal Island. Albert and Mary on “Timeless”, made it to the anchorage around 2200 the evening we crossed from the Berries. It started blowing that night and continued. So it was good they crossed the bar when they did. It was a New Moon with zero moonlight and with overcast skies no star light either. With a puckered tail end, Albert motored through the small cut between Egg Island and Little Egg Island. Luckily he had a cookie crumb trail from the year before. As a said the next day, “ Had to believe in technology.”

Above is a photo of Nancy and I playing Rumikub. As usual she beat me 2 out of 3. So we had a few down days of cleaning the boat, playing games, and doing social media stuff. We hardly felt stymied on the boat. Just chilled out. Nancy finally got in a shore line paddle.

I had made water for 4 hours and we had a lull in the wind. Nancy paddled to shore.

This is the 45 ft. Cabo Rico that was in Great Harbour Cay Marina next to us on clearing into The Bahamas. Steve and Karen invited us over for “Sun Downers”, which is cocktails. Since Nancy had been drooling for three days over this boat we accepted the invitation. Great conversation over drinks.

Mornings were chilly, at 71 degrees. The wind was the chilling factor. Afternoon baths in the sea were diffidently chilly. Nancy with her cup of coffee in the bean bag chair.

“S&S” for dinner, Salmon and Salad. Note the fleece jacket. Yes I know friends in New York have snow on the ground. But it is a bit chilly when the winds blow here.

Winds eased up a little on Saturday the 21st of March. Nancy paddle boarded to shore. I fired up the dinghy and chased her to shore.

There was a wreck near shore I wanted to document and put on NoForeignLand. After I did that, Nancy and I moved to the west end of the island, and a small beach there.

At the eastern end of this small sandy area were six King Conch. Nancy was able to see two large Bonefish working the sandy area. Just a couple of small starfish and Queen Conch.

Yes I have shorts on, they just happen to be similar in color to my tan.

When we did the “Sun Downers” on Anglefish they mentioned finding a Squid on deck that day. Otherwise I would not have figured out what this stain on my hull was. Turns out we were “Inked” that night by probably two squid. Luckily with finding it fresh and recent waxing of the hull. It came off with a couple of swipes of a sponge.

Sunset in the bean bag listening to an audio book.

Blink and you miss it. The way our boat is set up, we spend a lot of time in the cockpit. So views like this are usual.

There are six boats here, with several leaving for the Abaco’s or Berry Islands. This is the preferred anchorage for the jump. Glass calm with two dolphins approaching the sailboat Anglefish behind us.

While motoring 5 miles across the shallow sound, I could see an interesting feature on Google Earth. So I used Google Maps to home in on it. The depth was 15 feet and the surface was basically smooth.

It certainly seems to be a wreck, with either concrete blocks or ballast densely packed.

Nancy pretending to be a ships figurehead.

We dinghied to Pilchers Creek. This ship was washed up on the shore during a Hurricane.

We anchored our dinghy at a small beach at The Bluff Settlement. Then did a quick 1 hour walk around the settlement.

We talked to a few locals. The most engaging was a twenty something guy. He was born in The Bahamas to Haitian parents. After I walked away, Nancy said, “Did you see the ankle bracelet?” Sure enough he was wearing an ankle bracelet that was flashing. That reinforces our opinion of Eleuthera. It is just not as safe as the Family Out Islands further South.

Nancy bought two large red onions in town. We were told to talk to “Tippy” about getting some crawfish. We talked to Tippy’s wife. Tippy was out in the boat.

From The Bluff we returned to our boat and proceeded west for our nights anchorage. We sailed at a super slow rate of 2.7 kts, enjoying every minute. Winds were going to be light all night, so we anchored two yards from shore. Above Nancy is celebrating another beautiful day in The Bahamas by blowing the Helmet Conch shell.

Nancy waving at the local crawfishermen heading out for the day. Morning temperatures are 68 degrees.

We timed our passage through Current Cut to have a following current. Nancy was seeing whirlpools sucking air from the surface and being pulled 6 feet below. We picked up a 2.5 kts. current. We towed our dinghy 10 miles to our next anchorage.

After pulling anchor that morning Nancy started making Scones. They came out of the oven in the middle of Current Cut. Delicious!

We pulled in just before noon.

Nancy got to go paddleboarding twice the first day. I made fresh water for a little over 2 hours.

Our dinghy appears to be levitating.

Nancy swimming laps around the boat for exercise. Water is coolish for a couple of minutes, till you get used to it.

I had tenderized two conch for our dinner. I sit on the transom with a cutting board on my lap. Then I pound the heck out of the conch. Nancy butterflies the thick foot making it easier. Here we a sitting down to Cracked Conch and Salad. Well worth the effort to make dinner.

No green flash at this anchorage since Current Island is on the far West horizon.

Bahamas Season 5, Part 1.

February 2026.

February we got serious about preparing Sea Breeze for our fifth season cruising The Bahamas. We had the bottom cleaned professionally for the first time ever. The diver earned every penny he charged. Water was cool and visibility was a foot.

Nancy and I took our sailboat out for one night to Rodriquez Key. Then in to the marina the next morning. Four days later after a new bottom paint job and changing a o-ring seal in the sink seacock. We sailed back home. Our engine hobbs has 1,989.4 hours on it. We will probably put 200-250 hours on over the next 3 months.

With a delay getting our Starlink up we lost of weather window to crossing to The Bahamas. While upset at the time, it kept us from getting to The Bahamas and have mechanical issues there.

While anchored out, we realized that oil was leaking out of the windless. So I had to pull the windless out of the bow and repair it. Luckily since we were still in the states. We could fly repair kits overnighted to our house. Since the windless probably hadn’t been removed, cleaned and regreased. This took three times more time than it should’ve.

While anchored out we used the dinghy to drop Nancy at the marina. On the way back to the boat the dinghy engine died. Long story short. I would pull the engine off at the house two days. After pulling off the carburetor off six times to clean out water in the fuel. I could pull, clean and replace the carburetor in minutes.

March 12 we sailed from Tavernier Key to South Riding Rock, leaving at 0430. We motored to the reef with descent moon light.

It was a 70 mile run to South Riding Rock, arriving there 30 minutes before sunset at 1900. From there we continued till 2300 anchoring another 20 miles on to the bank. We offset 2 miles south and turned every light on the outside of the boat on. Didn’t want to be rammed in the middle of the night. Gentle breeze 6 inch waves.

We awoke before sunrise with a front bering down on us from the north. The Keys were getting chilled down in the 60’s with rain. We just got rain.

Holding my coffee mug with my “HOLD -FAST” sailing gloves.

My foul weather gear looks better than it is. There is little water proofing left. Sitting in the rain drinking coffee, soaked to the bone.

55 mile day, dodging rain showers first hour then great weather for rest of the day. Headed to Great Harbour Cay to check in with Customs.

Cheese, crackers and wine appetizers off of Cistern Cay, Berry Islands.

We anchored out the first night near Cistern Cay. By 1100 on Saturday we were tied up in Great Harbour Cay Marina. One of the few places stay at a marina in The Bahamas. We cleared in to Customs and Immigration. The Customs guy was the same as last year. Nice guy.

Only one bike was available that actually had air in both tires. This couple doubled up to ride to the beach.

Nancy made Cracked Chicken for dinner.

Sunday, Nancy walked 3 miles round trip to Bullocks Harbour for three bottles of Ricardo Coconut Rum. Meanwhile, I rigged a shade over the boat to help our air conditioning cool the boat. In marinas there is just not enough air to cool the boat. With shore power connected we use our air conditioning. The boat was a cool 74 degrees.

Another view of the sun shade draped over the boom.

This is Trameco from Nicholls Town Andros. He is the dock hand at the marina. When not tying up boats and cleaning up the marina, he weaves baskets. I watched him weave this basket, which he finished late in the day.

I had put in an order for a bag of frozen conch. The owner of this little conch salad stand let me act like I worked there. He ran to his friends house and brought back a small back of frozen conch for $35.

While splitting a Club Sandwich on shore we started talking to this guy. One thing led to another and we found out “Cash” was from one of our favorite islands, Rum Cay. While discussing Rum, we realized he was on the cover of the book I had bought there last year.

Cash is the middle kid, JJ is on the right. I had JJ sign the book last year. We love connecting the dots with people and their relatives on different islands.

Trameco finished his basket, so we bought it for $70. Now we have a memento of Great Harbour and will think of Trameco when we see it.

Here we posed for Trameco. He has a Face Book page Tramecos Artisan Baskets.

Early Monday morning we left the marina for our favorite secluded beach at Ambergris Cay. Unfortunately winds were not favorable for the second year in a row. So we anchored at Market Fish Cays for the second year in a row.

Nancy making conch salad for dinner.

Conch salad is great. While talking with another sailor at 2000, we both decided to leave early the next morning for Eleuthera.

It would be a 50 mile open water crossing for us. It would be a bit bumpy for the first couple of hours and then the winds would die at noon. This is a photo taken while leaving the anchorage at day break. Nancy was caught by the two rays shooting out from the cloud.

Harnesses are on and we are teathered to the boat.

It rained the first half of the day anchored behind Royal Island. Nancy doing what she does best, cooked up another great meal. This is a Dutch Apple Baby.

So ends our first 6 days of our season.

Canary Islands Part 5. To be filled in later.

Canary Islands Part 4.

Canary Islands Part 3.

Canary Islands Part 2.

Canary Islands Part 1

Dec. 30, 2025

Madrid Part 4.

Madrid Part 3

Dec. 27, 2025

Madrid 2025 Part 2.

Dec. 26.

This is a famous tapas bar, La Casa Del Abuelo. Their claim to fame is the garlic shrimp. You stand at a small table, you can throw the shrimp shells in a gutter at the foot of the bar. In the background is the vent over the small kitchen where the shrimp is cooked.

Killing time with some drinks outdoors. Next stop is the Flamenco dance show.

This is the wall outside of the Flamenco show. Earnest and Ava Gardner were frequent visitors.

Lots of passionate foot stomping, and sweating during the show. Good show with two women and a man, all dancing to the live band sitting down behind them.

The next day we walked east to the large botanical gardens, Parque de El Retiro.

There is shallow lake in the park where people rent small boats and row around. Plays have been performed on the lake.

Beautiful sea themed bronze sculptures.

Walking out of the park this was in the middle of a roundabout. Puerta de Alcala is a 5 arched triumphal gateway.

Large beautiful building on the edge of old Madrid.

We toured the Naval Museum which was free. It was so well done I gave them a donation on the way out.

A favorite hang out of Earnest Hemingway. Here the waiters wear black ties and white shirts.

This tapas was in Plaza de Santa Ana.

We were searching for a famous bar dedicated to bull fighters. I believe there are two. This was an interesting bar with many gruesome photos of bulls goring the bull fighters.

Nancy posing with “The Street Sweeper.”

Fried calamari tapas. Note the trough at the base of the old bar. That is where people would throw their shells.

Here is the tourist “Tapa Tapa, Bar de Tapas.”

Nancy wondering through a weekend flea market.

Would have loved to have bought this sled with stones embedded in the bottom. In Funchal you can take a trip down the mountain on sleds like this.

I think there were 200 + churches in Old Madrid.

Madrid 2025, Part 1

We left on Dec. 24, arriving early Christmas Day in a light drizzle and cool temperatures. Took the Metro from the airport to our AirB&B. Stayed there 5 days then flew to the Canaries.

Each day we walked between 5-7 miles around old town Madrid. Christmas day many shops were closed. But we started finding our way around town.

This was open and quite eclectic.

We found that the carved lamb leg was everywhere. So much so that stuffed toys resembling it are sold around town. It is amazing how thin they slice it. You can see how it is secured in place.

Nancy is observing the illegal street vendors with their displays. Fancy purse knock offs are laid out on white sheets. Ropes are connected to the four corners. They can quickly grab the whole thing up and run from police when needed.

Old Madrid has plazas and squares every couple of blocks. The bigger ones had Christmas markets on them. There were as many locals as tourists checking them out.

There are several bronze statues in town. Here is a street sweeper who people take their photos of.

Tapas of olives with wine and vermut ( vermouth) at Espana Cani.

Murals of ornate tiles are common inside and outside the Tapas Bars. PS, if “Tapas” is in the name it is a tourist Tapas bar. We saw one bar named “Tapas Tapas Bar.”

Christmas lights over the streets of old Madrid. No two streets were alike.

Nights were chilly, so the fireplace in the Air B&B was great to come home to.

Actually it was a tv channel but it was nice.

Two room apartment with a small kitchen. We only made coffee there and kept some beer cold in the frig.

We were to

d when we checked in don’t open the door for “ANYBODY, NOT EVEN THE POLICE.” The lock was serious. You had to twist the key three full turns to unlock the three different deadbolts that went into the jam.

The biggest square Plaza Mayor and Christmas market, was 5 minute walk.

We met are walking guide in that square the next day. He was from Denver, Colorado.

The very famous tourist Mercado (Market). Very beautiful but expensive.

This restaurant was just down the street from the oldest restaurant continuously run in the world. The Botin restaurant opened its doors in 1725. Lines were outrageous.

More ornate tiles, this one with peacocks.

One of the very ornate churches we visited.

Our guide stopped at the door of the Monastery of Corpus Christi where the Sisters sold sugar cookies. You can see a white piece of paper stuck on the door saying the convent was closed for a week during Christmas. Normally you could walk inside. Ring a bell, and talk but not see a Sister on the other side of a turntable. You could order a bag of cookies. She would tell you how much money to put in the turntable. She would spin it around, collect the money and put your bag of cookies in the same turntable.

This ally way is called “Calle Del Codo”. Which means street of the elbow, since there is a crook in the short street. Note the typical street lamp. These were all over old Madrid.

This was the oldest plaza in Madrid. Plaza de la Villa.

One of the few places where you can see the original stone wall defending the city.

Part 9, Tanzania dry season safari 2025

Aug. 2-5.

This is the guy who boils the water for our hot showers.

He drives a truck down the back of the tents. Lowers the cloth bag, then fills it with hot water. During the day he fills up the black cold water tank.

Here they are servicing the water tanks at the back of the tents. The things we take for granted in the First World.

Here is the buffet line.

The lounge area with the only wi-fi available.

Wine and liquor cabinet.

Another early departure to catch the migration.

The balloons are landing in their regular spot as we speed by.

We are at gate 2 early.

The bank here is super steep. Only a few place that are not absolutely vertical.

The jeeps line up shoulder to shoulder with their front tires right at the edge of the drop off. I was waiting on the bank to collapse and take us in to the crocodile infested river.

Entertainment is provided by our neighbors. Check out the cover over one side of the binoculars.

This was a high tech safari jeep. Notice the double back axles.

I catch a ride back to camp at noon with our other jeep. This is the tent porch. One of our party was trying to un zip her tent, when she realized a snake was up high in the flap. The camp staff showed up and shooed it away. The guides all looked at her fuzzy photo of the snake. They all agreed it was a Green Mamba. Which is highly venomous. This was a young snake, but the adults get up to 6 ft.

We had been hearing lions each nights, but this put a whole new spin on deadly animals just outside our tent.

This was our bed in the tent.

Our bathroom sinks.

Our talking shower.

Raffy’s wife had bought us all different shirts as a present.

This is the restroom at the main lodge. If the spear is across the entrance, the restroom is “Occupied.”

When the spear is to the side of the door, “it is open for business.”

Goodluck, Mike and Raffy take us to the Kogatende Airstrip to fly back to Arusha.

The waiting lounge. I did visit the souvenir shop and bought a cow hair fly swatter.

This is our airplane that will take us to Arusha.

Miracle Air Chief Pilot Mohammed, was in the left seat checking out a First Officer. Nice guys.

A unique volcano, Ol Doinyo Lengi (Mountain of God), that spews carbonatite lava that comes out black but dries white.

You know you have made it in life when a dwarf serves you champagne after a flight from the Serengeti.

We had left luggage in Arusha with gifts for a school we had visited the year before.

The kids are great. They pack them in 4 to a table.

#serengeti

Part 8, Tanzania dry season safari 2025

Aug. 2

The wildebeest are desperate to cross the river without getting attacked by crocs. They jump and run when they can. Swim if they have to. Many drown while swimming. Bloated bodies line the banks.

This juvenile got this close to the river but will not make it across. One of his fore legs is broken. Never saw a wildebeest with a broken back leg but several with a broken front leg. Probably from stepping in a hyaena den on a full run. Note that front and rear legs bend at the elbow/knee in different directions. We saw this same juvenile for two days in a row just standing there. We assumed a predator would have picked it off.

No sooner than the herd successfully crossed the river. Then the herd turns around and tempts fate again. Wildebeest can live for 20 years in the wild. That means a minimum of 40 crossings of this river throw in a couple unnecessary crossings and they could cross this river 60 times in their lifetime. They are not very bright.

These wildebeest have crossed at a smooth rock place, they slip and skid but make it across.

There is a croc in between the two wildebeest. They both escaped. You know the croc has to eat, but you are rooting for the wildebeest to escape. This Great Migration thing is pretty sick seeing all of the deaths, drownings, maiming, near misses, and carcass foraging.

Now the wildebeest are crossing in front of the croc. He had lunged and missed once.

Now we have two way traffic crossing the river. With all of this going on and a big croc in the middle of it. The croc never caught a wildebeest.

Meanwhile down river is bloat of hippos with just their nose, ears and eyes above the surface. One adult and two juveniles exit the water for a spell.

Here is another pod of hippos up stream. Note the baby center of the photo close to the water. He is close to being crushed by the adults. When it squeezes out while thrashing about and making noises. That starts a whole chain reaction of grunting, running and splashing back into the water.

One lone tusker keeps hanging out on the other side of the river.

There are probably 50 jeeps on our side of the river and 15-20 on the other side. Then this rental vehicle shows up. A young German couple rented this in Arusha and drove here. Raffy talked to them. When he found out their destination, he highly advised them to leave now so they could make it before dark. They were still in the area an hour later.

Here is an eagle that we saw several times.

This is a Leopard Tortoise. He was moving at a good clip towards some brush. Surprised he hasn’t been trampled to death in this area.

Todays lunch eaten in the jeep provided by our camp.

We passed this Troop of baboons a couple of times.

Two White-headed Buffalo Weavers.

Blue wildebeest can hit speeds of 50 mph, or just cruise long distances at 35 mph.

Only a true friend will tell you there is something stuck on your horns.

We stop at the local dirt airstrip, Kogatende HTMZ. Where they have safe bathrooms to use. This is a popular spot for the guides to bring their guests for breaks or to fly out.

The restrooms. With attendents!

Nancy with the rules sign, topped with a wildebeest skull.

A hippocampus skull. Considered the most dangerous large animal in Africa. It kills from 500-2,000 people a year.

Wildebeest are gathering, they stretch as far as the eye can see.

African little bee eater.

We watched as two young wildebeest struggled in the river current, crossing back and forth. They were getting weaker and weaker, but finally made the far bank. It was impossibly steep and muddy. The one wildebeest got a leg stuck between rocks and fell back in the river. Where he drowned caught upside down in the rocks.

We finally watch a couple thousand wildebeest make a crossing. This area was wide and deep. They were swimming the whole way.

Back to Nyikani Migration camp. Showers have to be finished prior to dark, due to predators roaming through the camp. The guys running the talking shower from the outside of the tent would be in danger of being killed.

You can see the grass fire is still burning on the far ridge.

#Serengeti

Part 7 Tanzania dry season safari 2025

Aug. 1-2

The focus of a safari in the dry season is to observe thousands of Wildebeest running the gauntlet of crossing the crocodile infested Maasai mara river. “Maasai mara” is named after the Maasai people who live here. “Mara” means tree doted in Swahili. The river running through the Maasai mara river is a choke point on the “Great Migration”. It is estimated that 1.3 million blue wildebeest (seen above), 500,000 Thompson Gazelles, 200,000 Zebras and many other mammals will ford the river in the dry season.

The Great Migration is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.

We weren’t the only ones gathering to see the migration. This tree is full of vultures. When the herds are running, the wildebeest are nose to tail and cannot see where they are stepping. There are lone wildebeest with a broken leg, spread across the Serengeti.

We check the eastern side of the river for crocodiles and to get an idea where the next crossing will take place. Note the Nile crocodile in the bottom right corner of the photo.

This migration route is very well established. There are about a dozen “Gates” where the animals will cross. These so called gates are numbered from south to north with large cement markers. They have been used for decades. The senior wildebeest have crossed this river a dozen times. They cross at least twice each year following the grass and water cycles.

No large formations gathering yet. Due to the rule of safety in numbers. Until a large enough herd gathers they will not cross. A crossing herd may be 5,000 or more. We check all the gates.

There are small fires burning in the Savannah. These are intentionally set by the rangers, but not really monitored.

There is hope of a crossing as the herd gathers. But it doesn’t pan out.

As we pull into our traveling camp there is a fire on the nearby hill. It makes a more photographic sunset. But it is unsettling to wonder which way the wind might change while we sleep.

Nancy calling by VHF for an escort to the main lodge for dinner. You can see the smokey sunset behind her.

This is the lay out of the camp. With the main lodge and kitchen in the center. We were in a tent about halfway out to the right. You can

Here is a Goggle Earth photo 4 years previous and how they burn the grass off. The camp is dead center in the photo.

Nancy having coffee at the main lodge. We get our first cup delivered prior to sunrise to our tent.

Loading up to be the first jeeps out of camp. It is a bit chilly but will warm up quickly.

The ballon passengers are up even earlier than us. They are coming in for a landing by the time we drive by.

Near one of the gates, the vultures are fighting over a wildebeest carcass. There is definitely a pecking order. Here the large Marabou Stork is letting his presence known to a White headed vulture.

Each stork and vulture has a speciality on opening up a fresh carcass to cleaning the bones. The Marabou stork has a wing span up to 8.5 ft. across. Its bill is not great for tearing apart a carcass. Where as the vulture has a hooked beak, which easily tears a carcass apart.

Not sure why there is any fighting going on. You can’t go a hundred feet without seeing a dead wildebeest. In the river there are bloated carcasses stuck on the rocks. The place is odiferous. We end up parking beside these for thirty minutes at a time while waiting. We just can’t escape them.

These guys swarmed in as a pack and attacked this old carcass. It was like the snake scene in Indian Jones. The Banded Mongoose run in packs from 20 to 70 strong.

This is the ugly side of the Great Migration. Dozens and dozens of jeeps park side by side at the best spots to watch a crossing. It actually interferes with the historic routes.

Raffy makes a decision to go check elsewhere and calls Mike giving him the plan.

We find a small group of Zebra that have crossed. They don’t run in the large herds that the wildebeest do. Depending on the gates the banks are sometimes very steep. The bank on the other side here is not very steep or high.

We head away from the river and find a quiet spot for lunch, since not much is happening.

Goodluck and Nancy chatting.

Back to the river where we spot this large croc sunning himself.

Large groups of wildebeest start gathering, making a run back and forth. But no one commits to being the first to cross. Sometimes they just stand around. The next minute is a stampede.

A waiting croc with its mouth wide open.

Wildebeest are getting antsy. We try and predict where they will cross.

More time just waiting. Some fall asleep. Not Raffy, he is in the tuna tower.

We check up stream where some hippos have been hanging out.

Back to one of the gates. It is marked with a concrete marker saying, “Do not go beyond this point.”

Which nobody pays attention to.

The crossing begins. Wildebeest are scrambling to cross the swift flowing river. They know crocodiles are waiting. Some cross in shallow water while running. Some are having to swim in deeper water. The bank on the other side now gets wet and mucky. Not much of a problem here, but the steep sections get so muddy the animals can not make it up.

#Serengeti

Part 6 Tanzania 2025, Dry Season Safari

Aug. 1

Water delivery day. Can you imagine getting all your water this way? We love the road trips through the villages, seeing how basic things are. People seem happy enough, but it is obviously a hard life.

Cattle drawn cart heading to market on home made cart.

Wheel came off of a cart hauling locally made bricks. This was just left in the road where it broke down.

We pulled into the gas station in the small village of Stendi Kuu, Tanzania. We had a great time watching the locals gas up motorcycles. Guy standing at the pump was filling up old water bottles with gas. The different containers on the ground that now hold gasoline are sealed with plastic bags.

The last motorcycle has a hand made basket with two chickens in it.

We had watched a small herd of goats come through town, and getting shoed away by a women.

The women in the bright red dress is walking through town with a chicken under one arm and a bowl of fruit on her head.

This guy had an entire bed and mattress on the back of his motorcycle.

This is a Goggle Earth shot of the town.

The open ditches are very common in Tanzania. Typical along this road are small shops on either side across the ditch. This a lumber store, usually wood is cut on site.

Above is the Victoria Secrets of Stendi Kuu. Just watch out when crossing the open ditch.

The local butcher shop.

We stopped in the village of Mugumu for lunch at sports bar, while a new battery was put in Goodluck’s jeep.

We brought in our own banana lunch boxes to the sports bar, but we did order beers here and platter of barbecue.

Goodluck, enjoying himself.

Across the street are small food stalls and merchants.

Above is a lumber store along the side of the room.

A local shop.

Bed frames for sale, seen on the right, are pretty popular. Question is where does one shop start and the next start?

Laundry day.

Apparently worldwide prisoners wear Red. We passed by a local prison where prisoners do outside chores.

After leaving the town we enter the park entrance back into the Serengeti.

Above is an Elephant’s skull near Tabara “B” gate to the Serengeti park entrance.

#Serengeti #Tanzania

Part 5 Tanzania dry season safari 2025

July 30 -Aug. 1, 2025

The Duma mom leaps up on the back of our jeep, deftly perching up high to scout the Serengeti for her next meal.

Raffy is over the moon. This doesn’t happen on a regular basis. The Cheetah is chattering to her kittens.

Close up of the toe nails.

Another quick coffee break on the Serengeti. Goodluck taking a break from driving.

Back on the hunt for Cats. We travel from rock outcropping to outcropping.

Another jackal.

You would think it would be easy to see a large predator cat hanging out on a rock. There is a cat on this rock.

Here is a close up. Another Cheetah killing time while on look out. Go back to the previous photo and find this Cheetah on the rock.

Impala’s keeping an eye out for a predator while grazing.

We pull into a shady area near some rocks. Too dangerous to get out of the jeeps. Raffy does a quick check to see if he can get a hidden cat to show its self by clapping and calling. Apparently nothing here so we break out the lunch boxes.

Banana leaf and bamboo lunch box.

On the way back to the camp. We check out a traffic jam of jeeps. The are surrounding a single tree. This is where our fellow jeep saw a Leopard yesterday.

This poor Leopard just wants to sleep in silence in preparation of a night of hunting.

Just such majestic animals.

Rock Hyrax perched on an outcropping at the camp.

Leaving our tent and following the Masai porter back to the main lodge in the morning.

Nancy at breakfast at the main lodge.

Getting ready for our drive to Masai Mara and the Wildebeest migration.

Camp staff helping with loading the luggage into our two jeeps.

Here we are on a safari to the deepest part of Africa in the famous Serengeti. And we pass a School Bus going the other direction. Just doesn’t look right. But we are glad even in this outback that kids are getting proper schooling.

A quick stop for diesel in the petrol station that was out of diesel last trip. They have gas but no diesel again. There is a traffic jam. Decision is made to take a different route out of the Serengeti and pick up fuel in a city.

#Serengeti

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