A morning with the manatees in Senegal's Saloum Delta

By Philipp Laage Jan 10, 2012, 3:06 GMT

Ndangane, Senegal - Tropical, warm air lingers above the water and the sky looks like a piece of milky glass. Alpha Ousman Dieng steers his pirogue across the lagoon and peers into the distance.

The 25-year-old crab fisherman knows the delta of the Sine and Saloum rivers on the west coast of Senegal like the back of his hand. 'I always find my way around,' he tells visitors. He also knows that the only way to penetrate deep into this delta, where two mighty rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean, is by taking a boat. His craft is the pirogue, a long narrow canoe made from a single tree trunk.

Tourists who go out with the fishermen will find it difficult to get their bearings among the myriad islands. The Delta du Saloum national park lies within a biosphere reserve covering 180,000 hectares. Around half of the area has been declared a national park and was recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage territory in 2011.

A river trip starts at Ndangane in the north of the delta. Alpha is dressed in jeans and sunglasses while his 11-year-old brother Sekou is perched at the stern of the boat in charge of the rudder.

Half an hour later he halts the pirogue at a sandbank where around three dozen flamingoes are stalking in the sun. A pelican pops its head into the water and a heron flies off. A rainbow pierces the mangrove swamps and behind it is a sky laden with heavy, grey clouds. The estuary is also home to the West African manatee or sea cow, one of the most threatened of all manatee species.

The eyes of ornithologists light up when they visit the Saloum Delta. The region is the habitat of all manner of aquatic birds and in winter the bird population is boosted by migratory species fleeing the cold climate in Europe. A pair of binoculars is an essential bring-along for visitors who fancy a spot of birdwatching along with a telephoto lens if they want to take close-up pictures.

Sekou heads for the island of Mar Lodj which lies opposite Ndangane. A religious service is here every Sunday. Women with golden earrings and colourful dresses fan the air in front of their faces, the choir strikes up a hallelujah and after that the sermon is read. Mar Lodj is a predominantly Christian island although Senegal is a Muslim country. 'The religions respect each other,' says Alpha.

Out at sea a storm is brewing. The pirogue glides through the mangroves. These plants thrive in saltwater conditions and grow only in coastal regions. Among the bushes lies a cayman, a semi-aquatic reptile similar to the alligator. The mangrove swamps are not only an important eco-system for numerous species of animal, they also benefit the Senegalese. Alpha and Sekou snap off the low-lying branch of a bush and find it covered in mussels.

The tasty seafood find is destined for two Swiss nationals, Barbara Kaufmann and Bruno Albrecht. They settled in Senegal four years ago. At their pension in Ndangane they welcome guests from all over the world.

'Most of the tourists come between October and April in the dry season when there are no mosquitos,' says Barbara. Soon it is time for a rest on another sandbank. Alpha and Sekou are grilling three sea-bream. After the meal the boat returns to Ndanghane. 'The best time to fish is at night,' says Alpha. 'That's when the crabs come up to the surface.' He won't be going out to fish again today though. As night falls streaks of lightning can be seen in the distance.

Barbara and Bruno have switched on the terrace lights at their lodge. Alpha's mussels have been safely stowed in the freezer. The evening is profoundly still, apart from the distance rumble of thunder out on the waves. 'When you are out there on the edge of the sea and a storm comes, everything goes silent all of a sudden,' says Bruno.