“You can’t discover a new land without first losing sight of the shore.” –adapted from Andre Gide
I kicked off 2015 in the enchanted island oasis of the Lamu Archipelago, in the village of Shela, on the Swahili Coast of Kenya. I had rented the top floor of the beautiful and locally owned Shela Bahari Guesthouse for the holidays and was reveling in the peace and tranquility of the island. Imagine the oldest living Swahili settlement in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage site, complete with donkeys, camels, and ancient sailing dhows. And thankfully, there were no cars, no noise, no pollution, no traffic – just nature…and time standing still – the perfect remedy for a year of tiresome travel.
What soon came to be my favorite activity was sailing with the Captain and Crew of Hippo Dhow. Yusuf, Ahmed, and Sheke grew up on the sea and know it as well as the land they walk on. We would wake at dawn to the sounds of roosters, cats, and donkeys starting their day. And with each day, our sail would open my eyes to yet more spectacular scenery in the archipelago. We sailed through the mangroves to the coral formations that make up Manda Toto and snorkeled among the brightly colored fish and swaying sea grass. Another day, we stopped in the small village of Matandoni to see how dhows are made and then landed at the deserted beaches of Kipungani for a feast of seafood, salad, chapatti, and local fruits. We caught high tide another morning and made it to Takwa Ruins before the water receded and life within the mangroves crawled up on shore. And of course, we sailed to Lamu Town and took a walking tour with our guide, Abdullah Bob – full of history, knowledge, and stories to make you fully appreciate the moment you are standing in.
The inhabitants of Shela Village originate from 7 families – and the people are beautiful, distinct, exotic, and a wild mix of African, Middle Eastern, and Indian. They are welcoming, friendly, and ready to open up their home to you. Upon your return to Lamu (and you will return), you will be greeted with “Welcome Back,” as no one forgets a face on the island. My sailing adventure on Hippo Dhow with my friends from Shela set the tone for the rest of the year…the year I now call, “The Year of the Dhow.”
After several productive, yet grueling trips around the world throughout the Spring, I flew to the island archipelago of Zanzibar in the middle of March to celebrate my birthday with some much needed downtime. I was in luck as friends from Lamu had sailed another dhow called Wisdom down the Kenyan coast and were safely harbored in the tiny fishing village of Kendwa on the Northern tip of Zanzibar. This time the crew consisted of Yusuf, Boya, and Bongo – all ready and willing to sail wherever the winds may take them in this new and exciting adventure. Zanzibar is a much bigger island than Lamu and presented us with much to explore. From Kendwa, we sailed to the popular Mnemba Island where I was pleasantly surprised to have a school of dolphin to swim alongside while I snorkeled at the reef. Hearing their sounds and watching them frolic underwater was a treat I will never forget. Another day we sailed to the island of Tembatu, and I found myself collecting bright red starfish and photographing to my heart’s content. Many times throughout the month, we sailed our beloved Wisdom at sunset down the coast to the village of Nungwi, waving at tourists dotted along the beach in hotels and restaurants overlooking the water (probably quite envious of our dhow!).
As my month of sailing, swimming, relaxing, and island exploration came to an end, I found myself on yet another transatlantic flight dreaming of the wind in my hair and the sun on my back as I sailed the Indian Ocean. At that moment, I vowed to find a way to sail throughout the rest of the year, booked an Airbnb, and moved to Zanzibar over the summer. We moved the boat to Stone Town and decided to make the most of our time there. I sailed all the way around Zanzibar learning the intricacies of the villages we visited and picking my favorite spots to return to – coffee shops on the beach in Paje, roof top sundowners in Nungwi, fair trade shopping in Stone Town, sitting poolside on the cliffs of Matemwe, seafood lunch on one of the many sandbanks, and of course, swimming the turquoise waters in Kendwa.
I now move between the two islands and find myself sailing all the time. I bring tourists from all over the world to experience these two unique islands – somewhat stuck in time, but full of life and love and adventure. Those that board Hippo Dhow and sail around Lamu find themselves suddenly very connected to the people, the place, the sea, and that special sauce Captain Yusuf uses on the fish. Sailing with Wisdom and anchoring at island after island around Zanzibar, sipping on Captain Boya’s famous fresh juice, instills a sense of freedom and courage to explore the unknown…and maybe even follow one’s dream all the way to their own tropical paradise.