2nd day of rest and we set off once again with our car, though with new and regulatory number plates this time... and Alex. Not that we’ll be counting on him when encountering some nice policemen, but because he’s one of the guides in yellow that are at the entrance of the hotels, for “adventurous” holiday makers. We’re stopped everywhere, be it beach or street, where people offer us their services as guides. I don’t doubt that there are nice and competent people, but the ones here are recognised and it’s their job.
It’s a good thing that we chose to take him with us because even if the crocodile pool at Kachikally is only about ten kilometres from Banjul, in Bakau, access to it is made by very improbable alleys that we would never have guessed by ourselves. You need to break from the usual “I’m looking for a signpost” habit because most of the time, there won’t be anything to show you the way and if there is, it’s probably because you’ve already arrived! Don’t hesitate to ask for directions as people here are very friendly.
Some roads are paved with tarmac though many are just made of sand and suffer during the rainy season without even being repaired in the meantime.
Kachikally is one of the 3 sacred places with crocodiles in Gambia used for fertility rituals. The other 2 are Folonko (in southern Kombo) and Bereding (along the river to the North).
The “pool” is the private property of the Bolang family, one of the founding families of this location 500 years ago and who still own most of the land in the town of Bakau. They must not make any financial profit from this pool as they believe that to do so would take away its “healing powers”.
The entry price is low and there’s also an excellent museum which retraces and speaks of circumcision (future subject), musical instruments as well as the intervention of Gambia during the 2nd World War. In the garden, you can also go on a small walk amongst the baobabs, ‘silk’ trees and more.
We were told that there are about 150 crocs, but even though they were stretched far out, basking in the sun, along the beach, paths, and vegetation, it seemed that there were less. Perhaps some of the smaller ones have been munched since the last census!
The pool itself looks like a giant cup of green tea like the ones they served in Sydney! The sun was not at its highest point so the crocs were searching for any niche where they could warm their cold blood.
These are Nile crocodiles who are fed fish every day and who are not… so they say… dangerous. That’s all well and good but I wouldn’t got dip my toes in the water. A croc is a croc!
The nesting and birthing season is the only one where they become aggressive as the mothers must protect themselves from the greedy appetite of their peers.
Well here we are. Who would have thought that one day, we’d be stroking a crocodile. It’s not easy to turn your head towards the camera when you want to keep an eye out for the slightest bit of movement. Note the position: ready for a sprint. Who knows!
I present to you Chally, the most famous of crocodiles here at Kachikally. He must like being stroked because the bottom of his back looks smooth and polished. Strange, no-one seems to be polished nearer their head, but dogs love it when you give them a scratch behind the ears☺. To the touch, the feel is supple and leathery; no wonder we make bags and shoes out of them! More supple than a cow for sure!
They must spend so much time in the water that the bigger ones are often covered in this green ooze which lies like a film on the pool. As they don’t have a tongue, they open their mouths wide to cool down. Being the Sylvie that I am, I would say: “But why do they stay in the sun if it makes them thirsty?” ;)
A visit that’s well worth it and which allows you to learn a bit more about life here.
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