Description of Here

Unfortunately we don’t have enough bandwidth to get pictures online, but the tech guy here said he will compress some photos for me, so after that – when I don’t know – I will be able to start putting up pictures. Until then a description of the site here will hopefully suffice.

Reef Doctor sits on approximately 400 metres of shore only 30 ft off of high tide just north of the small coastal village of Ifaty. We are positioned on the southerly portion of Ranobe Bay which stretches for about 25 kilometres. The lagoon is protected by reefs, 8 kilometres being the furthest distance out. The water stays relatively calm within the bay, which makes for good diving. Only recently has the wind started picking up along with the start of summer, making morning dives necessary as the waves begin to churn up the sand in the afternoon. Experienced surfers hire the local fisherman to take them out to the waves breaking over the reefs, but Reef Doctor no longer allows their volunteers to head out into the waves. There was an incident in their first year here, and if I am to die, it will happen because of diving, not surfing.

Furthest south sits the volunteer hut, with a concrete floor and the walls and roof made up of woven reeds. It hasn’t rained since I’ve been here, but the roof is supposedly is need of some repairs, with the lifespan of a reed roof being about four years. Behind our hut further inshore are two outhouses, these being reed-enclosed cedar seats. The smell isn’t bad, but none of the girls use it as night because of the cockroaches. Sitting there at night, there is a rustling all around you as 1-3 inch cockroaches scuttle up and down the walls waiting for you to leave so they can go back to doing whatever cockroaches do.

Further north and further inland lies the eating hall wherever everyone gathers during the week for breakfast at 7, lunch at 12 and supper at 7. Those are supposedly the times aimed for by the cook, but meals can be as late as ½ an hour, which bothers no one as we don’t show up on time ourselves. In front of the dining hall are two shower stalls – just reed enclosures with concrete floors – by the well. You can shower as often as you like, but more than one bucket at a time is frowned upon. The water out of the well is slightly saline, but the only choice if you don’t want to go to bed with a slight film of salt covering your body. This is not a concern for us though, as most people consider a swim a day in the ocean as being the height of cleanliness.

Lining the shore are the staff huts, five in all. Made of reeds with concrete floors, they house everyone except for the director, who has a room in the main house. Further north up the shore sits the main house where there is power and internet, but only when the batteries have enough juice. With there being only one internet cord, being on the net is something that people line up for, usually after supper. The main house, as well as the dining hall, have plaster walls, but also have reed roofs. There is a kitchen and a bathroom with a shower and a toilet, with the kitchen being used on the weekends when the cook isn’t working. The bathroom toilet is used during the day by those who don’t want to walk all the way to the outhouse. Nobody does.

That is the extent of our area, with shrubs and smaller trees interspersed throughout and a main sand path connecting each of the buildings. I got a video of it all when I flew up yesterday, so I might be able to post a section of that. You will probably just have to use your imagination.