Ile de Madeleine With Steve (Through Soumbidione)

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1/2: Steve & Tod en route to the island; photo3: basalt columns; photo4: nesting cormorants; photo5: Bette Midler baobab; photo6: find-of-the-day, an incised stone (on both sides); photo7: mystery of the day: shell casing; photo8: home of the island's protector jinn; photo9: stone shelter (or sanctuary) on the south end of the island; photo10: turquoise cove; photo11: nesting cormorants; photos 12-15: images of boat landing, cove (note Steve swimming in photo 14).

The backstory (in brief): Ile de Madeleine is a jewel, the country's smallest national park situated several kilometers offshore from Dakar. Until last summer, access was via a park's office near the fishing village of Soumbedione.

A park's officer shot and killed a fisherman who was allegedly violating the 500 meter conservation limit surrounding the island. The death led to riots in Soumbidione, the burning of the park's office, and the closing of Ile de Madeleine to visitors.

I'd heard recently that there was access to the island via the fisherman of Soumbidione, who were willing to arrange transport. With inquiries, Steve and I spent a day touring Ile de Madeleine on an idyllic mid-January day, cool and clear, with relatively calm seas. Beautiful.

The finds of the day included an incised stone (photo2), a exploded shell casing (photo7), and a hot mamma baby baobab (photo5).