Pomene by Sea

Description

Pomene by Sea

Pomene by Sea : The fantabulous Pomene point lies 110kms due north of Barra, and 90kms due south of Bazaruto, and is easily reached by boat. For a glorious week in Pomene.

We launch early bells from Barra or Vilanculos, and meet our support crew, who travel by road, at Pomene at about the same time. This is only after we have loaded a few fish at The Sylvia Shoal (The Coral Gardens: where they buried the sailor in Jules Verne’s 20 000 Leagues under the Sea). This huge expanse of reef comes up to 5 metres and is still a bastion for fish. There are plenty!

Fishing and snorkeling up the length of the narrow mountainous reef, gets you to Crocs Wall, the northernmost piece of The Sylvia Shoal. This 4km wall drops from 20m to 40m and is where the big fish hang out. Billfish, sharks, and other marauders patrol this drop off.

Then it’s the home stretch, and we round the secretly preserved surf spot at the tip of the Pomene headland. This wave reels for hundreds and hundreds of metres. Barrelling and twisting and spitting on the big days. Super fun when it’s smaller. Long paddles back in crystal clear, warm water as your buddies scream past.

Our permanent camp site is as close to the point that you can stay. Amenities are in place. But it’s wild and remote. So we bring everything. Solar power gives us light, charge and connectivity. Networks can be picked up sporadically all over the area, and from sea between Barra and Pomene. Nothing further north?! Hot showers.

The setting between aged Red Milkwood trees and Coconuts gives out tented village a classic island feeling. With the point so close, fishing and snorkeling the high tides, surfing the lows – and exploring in between.

The old hotel is steeped in war stories, but it’s best to just imagine back to the heydeys of Pomene, when a family from Johannesburg made it in a Datsun 120Y?1 Now it’s 4×4 only. They had huge marlin boats (the local chief and here Sathane, was the skipper before the war – you got to set a few hours aside for his endless wealth of knowledge of lore of the area). Sathane’s village has grown from when it was a single hut. It’s now Pomene City, with about 10 little Lojas’s (shops) having opened up around Sathane. You can get beer, cooldrinks – ice cold, and the usual smattering of biscuits and sweets. Long life milk, water too. But that’s it. Oh yes, of course…toothpaste and soaps and shampoos.

We eat a lot of fish on this trip. And crabs (Mangrove and Blue) Crayfish. Mussels. Oysters. Clams. Sardines. Prawns. Fused with locally farmed veggies. Garlic. Tomatoes. Onions. Spring onions. Even coriander these days! Sathane will cook us a chicken any way we want it, and a goat curry will knock your socks off. Our crew are all great chefs and things like Tuna Bolognaise (minced fresh tuna loins) will have you forgetting about meat completely. However, the nearest town on the EN1 road, is Massinga. A busy little strip of road that has restaurants and more comprehensive loja’s. Even the odd chinese shop. And a garage. Cellphone shops. An impressive scene after being way our into the wild.

The most perfectly placed Pomene Lodge is at the bottom of the point, on the sand peninsula seperating the Indian Ocean from the vaste Pomene Estuary. The lodge is well appointed with civilasation like things, even DSTV! There are other lodges scattered around the estuary we can visit and even stay at (your call and shout).

With the boats(s), we can groove on out of our little natural sea harbour, cruise the backline past more and more surf spots, to the estuary mouth, turn left and we are in another heavenly place. The Pomene Estuary. A mangrove laced expanse of water that reflectsthe pure beauty of nature. Flamingoes and all kinds of wonderful avian life. Even fish still like the place and some even seem to dodge the nets. It’s a fraction of what it was though – the stories and fables and legends of years gone by. But we will take it and try do what we can to enjoy, and preserve the wonder of the place.

It’s a lot of water and at high tide the floods allow you right in by boat – through tunnels of white and black and red mangroves, spotting huge mangrove Crabs in the absolutely aquarium sea through water. Boats are very important, in that they open so much to you. And this is what we are about.

Bassas da Zambia.

Another incredible undersea mountain. It connects to the Sylvia Shoal by a dotted string of proper reefs and pinnacles. And it’s only 17 kms from Pomene by sea. It is fished commercially, and plundered occassionally by unidentified ships, who disappear in the early mornings. But as an undersea feature it is immense. At the north part of the reef, it gets a bit deeper, like 20m or so, and pinnacles pop up all over the place. Snorkeling with the current down the shallow part is exhilerating. They even got sharks at Zambia!

Itinerary

• arrival in Inhambane puts you comfortable in Tofo for preparation and arrival party
• start mobilising and packing the boat(s)
• sea trial: ocean safari and fishing trip, with safety drills and procedures
• depart first light for Pomene
• stop at The Sylvia Shoal
• Pomene by mid afternoon
• arrival party
• many days doing just exactly what you want, co-ordinating all this through our team, as we facilitate through weather and tide conditions
• depart for Barra (by road or sea – your choice)
• wind down and demobilise

Special requests can be dealt with. Bring whatever you like.

The Sardine team have been conducting proper trips like this one far and wide. They are well versed in local sea conditions – a must to be near these places. Medical requirements and evacuation procedures are in place. But. It is a hard trip, and although you will plenty time to relax, keeping yourself healthy and on your toes, is imperative.

We need a few people to get this trip going, and weather always plays a part (in 7 days there are definitely going to be 2 or 3 unuseable ocean days), so best plan is to buzz me on umzimkulu@gmail.com, and we get the ball rolling. Or fill out this quick form…

October/ November coming up is wild with fish!