Dahlak Islands Eritrea - November 21st 2005
No problem to wake up at 7:00. Continental breakfast. Last formalities (permit to visit the islands) are finished by Tedros on behalf of Travel House International, organizing the trip. The bus is loaded with drinks and food and off we go to Gherar, the base and landing stage of Eritrean Shipping Lines.
Two patrol boats of the Eritrean navy have been converted into fast yachts for efficient transport of passengers between Massawa and the Dahlak Islands.
Our first destination is one of the inhabited islands, called Dissei. After a one hour trip, the yacht anchors a few hundred meters from the coast. In two groups of ten passengers, a smaller boat takes us to the island, where we are welcomed by representatives of the local population on the white sand beach.
Some women are selling Red Sea shell souvenirs, sitting on the sandy beach. In the tiny Afar village, we are invited into one of the twig huts to have some rest in the shade. I prefer to walk on the beach and through the village. Others are swimming or snorkeling in the Red Sea.
After an hour we leave for the next island an a 15 minutes distance from Dissei, Madote. Madote is little more than a sandbank, occupied by seabirds and some grass. Swimming, snorkeling, sun-Bahting, walking through the warm water, or on the sandy beach for an hour.
At 15:00 we return to Massawa and at 17:00 I am at the Massawa bus terminal to board one of the last buses to Asmara. At 21:00 I have a pizza in Terhas' Pizzeria Eritrea before going home to have a shower and a good night's rest.
The crew of the ESL power boat.
Tedros and the Italian passengers.
Dissei Island - Eritrea's Red Sea coast.
Landing on Dissei Island - Eritrea's Red Sea coast.
Women selling souvenirs on Dissei Island.
Traditional houses - Dissei Island Eritrea.
Walking the sea shore - Dissei Island Eritrea.
Walking the sea shore - Uninhabited Madote Island Eritrea.
Our transport to the Dahlak Islands.
Full speed cruising between the Dahlak Islands.
