On Ibo Island, Water, Water Everywhere
Ibo – officially Ilha Do Ibo, by the Portuguese who colonized it – is one of a string of 32 islands that make up the Quirimbas archipelago, separated from the Mozambique coast by just a shallow channel. Barely two miles long and two miles wide a fringe of reefs surrounds it; at low tide you can walk to the next island. On its main, slightly derelict beach fishermen hammer at boats turned on their sides and a pair of skinny boys walk the mangrove shallows with a net between them, trolling for baitfish. Just offshore cruise elegant-if-paint-flaked wooden dhows; their triangular white cloth sails making them look more windsurfer than sailboat. Ironically their masters can only fish when it’s windy, since most have no motors.
Low tide off Ibo Island, Mozambique
A grassy square of abandoned colonial houses in ice-cream pastels anchors the island’s main town (there are just three). Their grand size and wrought iron terraces and lampposts suggest prosperity. But the ironwork is rusted; the walls pitted with black mold and fig trees grow through the roofs. After the church, the grandest building on the square is the Customs House, pink-painted with ornate iron lattice along its roof. Inside, in a vague attempt at tourism, it has been turned into a tourist office. The unmanned display consists of an elephant skull, an old dining chair with a label reading “cadeira usada pelos portugueses” – chair used by the Portuguese – and a table laid out with a few coffee beans.
Ibo’s heyday was during the late 1800s, based on slaves and ivory. When slavery was abolished in the early 1900s and modern ships no longer needed to stop off so often for water and supplies, it faded. The island’s graves tell how, over the centuries, it attracted the Chinese, Arabs, British and Portuguese. Today it feels as if time has stopped since the Portuguese left abruptly in 1974, its population having fallen from 37,000 to fewer than 6,000. There are no cars, no banks, no postal service, no television or Internet and virtually no electricity … except at its lone and elegantly restored hotel, the Ibo Island Lodge.
One thing that sets Ibo apart from much of the rest of the Africa today – a continent on the verge of continent-wide drought – is an abundance of fresh water. For an hour I watch young boys come and go from a pair of wells in the center of town, pumping fresh, clear water into yellow plastic bottles with red screw tops. It comes from not far beneath the sand and according to locals seems bottomless. (For a good read on how the rest of Africa is dealing with serious drought, read my friend Andy Revkin’s recent story in the New York Times.)
Fresh water, pumped
“All day long it will come,” says my guide for the day, Ali, of the clear fresh water pouring from the rudimentary pump. “People even come from mainland Mozambique to get Ibo’s water. Maybe we can turn it into a business. What do you think?” I assure him that if he can figure out a way to export the island’s water, while preserving enough for local needs, he may have found his own path to riches, Ibo-style.
A fort-side view of the shallow channels surrounding Ibo
Traditional singers, Ibo Island
Tags: Africa, Andy Revkin, Archipelago, Drought, Fresh Water, Ibo, Ilha Do Ibo, Portuguese
Jon,
Good to hear from you! You look wonderful.
Sandy
John,
Very nice website. I appreciated the link to “dotearth” at the New York Times – lots of provocative articles.
I very much enjoyed traveling with you, and look forward to seeing more of your beautiful videos.
Regards,
Barnaby Finch
dining chairs that are made of hardwood are very long lasting specially if you paint them with varnish ::
You can certainly see your skills within the paintings you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. At all times follow your heart.
You actually make it seem really easy along with your presentation however I to find this topic to be actually one thing which I believe I’d never understand. It kind of feels too complex and very huge for me. I am having a look forward for your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the dangle of it!
Hey there,It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest to you a few interesting things or maybe tips. Maybe you can write the next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more things about the subject! Thank you and best of luck to you.
I’d forever want to be update on new articles on this website, bookmarked ! .
Good post. I be taught something more challenging on totally different blogs everyday. It can at all times be stimulating to learn content material from other writers and observe a little bit something from their store. I’d want to use some with the content on my weblog whether or not you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a hyperlink on your net blog. Thanks for sharing.
@Miss_Law_ 1 unfollowed you between 3PM and 4PM. See who: http://t.co/x75PnCiF
This is my first time i visit here. I found such a lot of attention-grabbing stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the plenty of comments on your articles, i guess i’m not the sole one having all the enjoyment here! sustain the great work.
This is a noteworthy and distinctive piece of writing. i believe the viewpoints you have got here are not solely sound, however conjointly fascinating. Thank you.
you’re in point of truth an honest webmaster. the positioning loading velocity is superb. It reasonably feels that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterpiece. you have done a fantastic activity in this topic!
You made some respectable factors there. I seemed on the internet for the difficulty and located most people will go together with along with your website.Hope you want to see more details with regards to slow juicer
You have made quite a few respectable things now there. As i checked online for any predicament and found many persons should go and also utilizing your site.
After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I actually like your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website record and will be checking again soon. Pls take a look at my site as well and let me know what you think.Hope you would like to observe details concerning protein abb
You made some respectable factors there. I seemed on the internet for the difficulty and located most people will associate with with your website.Expect you would like to see details regarding deals on watches
That is the precise blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You understand so much its virtually onerous to argue with you (not that I really would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, simply great!Wish you need to find more information with regards to Best MP3 Players Shop Market
An interesting dialogue is price comment. I believe that it’s best to write extra on this topic, it may not be a taboo topic however usually persons are not sufficient to speak on such topics. To the next. CheersExpect you wish to see more information with regards to Fascinate Kitchen Utensils & Gadgets Shop
Would you be fascinated by exchanging hyperlinks?Hope you want to observe details regarding The Camera Lenses Spot
That is the right weblog for anybody who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its nearly arduous to argue with you (not that I really would need…HaHa). You undoubtedly put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, simply nice!Expect you would like to observe more information concerning Netbooks Electronics Shop