Day two of our dhow safari started off with a beautiful sunrise over Bazaruto island. A great warming-up for the day to come and a wicked scene to be spectator of.. Early that morning I woke up to the sound of birds and since I was unable to continue my sleep, I quickly searched for photo gear. I just had to take some pictures of this sunrise. Somehow it was lots easier getting out of bed for this, than for a regular day at work.. ;-)

Slowly the sun rised and the local life started to unfold. The birds set out towards the islands after their sleep in the dunes and also the fishermen woke up and made their way to their boats. After they readied their boats they set sail towards Bazaruto and maybe even beyond. Although I am not a morning person, this morning was pure magic to me..

Once the crew had made sure our dhow was ready for day-2 of the trip we set sail as well. The plan was to snorkel on 2-mile reef and to climb the big dune of Bazaruto. Seeing the fishermen in their boats in this enchanting serene setting is probably the best therapy any overworked business man could wish for. When some bottlenose dolphins chose to bowride in front of our dhow the day for us was already perfect..

Arrived at the 2-mile reef we quickly prepared our snorkel gear and grabbed our fins. We dropped in for our snorkel session and saw the great colors of the reef structure mirrored in the waters' surface. Various types of coral and fish moved through the water column in search of food, mates and shelter.

The watertemperature was not that bad, although it would increase to a warmer 26 degrees in the next months. Even here in Mozambique the temperatures are not too hot during this winter season. We were happy that just like the day before the sun was out in full force. foto Having had our wake up snorkel session we climb back on board to be served a warm cup of tea. We make our way to Bazaruto island and once arrived it is time to climb the big dune. Ponta Dundo (the highest point of the island) is supposed to provide tourists with a spectacular view over the lagoons and rest of the archipelago.

We hiked up to the summit and directly noticed why this dune has grown so large. The wind is sweeping a jet stream of sand over the summit. Sandy's legs are sand-blasted all over. Using her towel she covered them up; "it hurts!" ;-) Luckily my legs are protected with hair so I could escape this torture quite easily.

Putting the discomfort of the sand-blasting aside the view proved to be nothing short of spectacular. Seeing the dhows in the sea, the sun in the sky and the blue color of the water made for a picturesque scene. Having taken in the views we made our way down to the beach to search for our dhow. The crew already prepared lunch, so it was time to fill our empty stomachs.

After lunch we chose to go for one more dip in the fresh blue waters. I took my camera and swam towards a rocky point break where a big current was raging. The tide was coming in and I knew these locations attract schools of predators, which instinctively know where to find confused and vulnerable prey. I was impressed by the amount of schooling fish here. Different species intermingled. Amongst others were barracudas moving in and out of the current. The schools knew definitely that I was there as they mostly stayed just on the edge of my sight. Although I didn't want to push the limits too far, I swam towards the point where the current raged and then drifted with it while slowing my self down by paddling against the flow.

Dhow Safari - Highly recommended :-)

Doing a dhow safari around the islands was one of the things we were most looking forward to when we prepared our trip. It proved to be the scenery which made the big difference. The locals going about their daily life combined with the shallow blue seas were just spectacular. I admit we were a bit lucky with having our private dhow safari, but even with a bigger group it would have been great; the more the marrier! foto Lastly, the capable crew of Sail Away made a the trip a big success. Especially the food is worth mentioning. They simply prepped terrific meals and even some tasty snacks in between activities! We had fresh cups of tea, fresh oranges and even popcorn on the boat!