Congo - February/March 2019
Totof in Congo
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D7 - Finally, it starts !
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Seventh day in Congo, and the adventure finally begins.
Even if it is a little hard to open our eyes at 5:20, we leave at 6:30 in the direction of Banda, a small village on a high isolated plateau (400m). On paper, the day seems very promising in terms of Plataplochilus, and perhaps for Aphyosemion.
Before 9am, already a Plataplochilus, probably unknown to the battalion. Christian marvels at this splendor ... perhaps one of the ugliest species of its kind!
The rest of the day? If I tell you that on almost every point, whether 200m or 400m, I met an old acquaintance from Gabon ... you know who I'm talking about? Aphyosemion escherichi of course! He is everywhere this sh...! And unfortunately, he is not accompanied by any other Aphyo, as is sometimes the case. To note an Epiplatys interesting all the same, of the huberi group.
Once on the board, we can not access Banda. The road is complicated, time is running out, Kuster is still giving us a lesson on his favorite playground, but we are afraid of the rain. Black clouds threaten. And if it rains, some clay slopes that we have just passed will be totally impassable on return. The eastern slopes will be to do another time ... too bad!
We return just before dark, which allows us to contemplate the extraordinary landscapes of the savannah / forest mix at sunset.
On the road this morning, Kuster bought an antelope killed the day before, and a porcupine. I learn on arriving at the camp that it is the meal of tonight. If I tell you that she stayed in the pickup bucket all day, in the sun ... does not you remember that too? Me if: Gabon 2016 ... I'll be dead for tonight!
The first photo shoot ends. There is a lot of work to do before finding the rhythm ... Too much time spent doing unfortunate pictures! We'll see tomorrow ... If we have to spend hours again, it will be a good sign, in a few ways ... because for now, we must admit that fishing is lean!
Tomorrow, direction the reliefs of Mayombe, from 7am. Let's hope there is not only Aphyosemion escherichi ... (well, I've heard that sentence before!)
Road to Banda
Road to Banda
The Gabon !
Our road
Sunset on Mayombe mountains
Sunset on Mayombe mountains
Nannocharax sp.
Barbus sp.