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Zanzibar, Tanzania: Special Topics In Calamity Fishing
Mar 3rd, 2008 by Jen
So I am waiting in line for the ferry to Zanzibar Island when this man-on-a-mission comes barreling between Mark and myself. As I am bending down to secure my bag, the man ducks under me and then stands up into my face. Crack. He looks dazed and walks away in little circles; meanwhile, my sunglasses have carved a canyon into my right eyebrow and blood begins to drip down into my eye. I swear I am a walking calamity.
All this to say that we couldn’t go snorkeling off the atolls of Zanzibar. I feared the mask would damage my vanity by sucking my skin apart and leaving a permanent scar across my eyebrow. So instead, we decide to try fishing.
Local fishing boat / Sunset
We inquire about the price of deep-sea fishing and soon realize it is way out of our budget. As we walk away, Solomon, the fishing-guy, says, “What about local fishing?” Intrigued, we turn back around. “Is it on a sail boat?” we ask. “Oh no,” he replies. “You will have a motor. Without motor, you sail out no problem, but maybe not come back.” Motor it is. “Will we go with you?” we ask. “Oh no, you will go with Assistant Captain Jacob.” We stifle a smile at the overstatement. After a good ten minutes of haggling, Mark finally proposes $40 for the fishing and an extra $10 if we catch something. A serious conversation via mobile phone ensues, we presume revolving something around how to make sure that we catch something. Solomon hangs up: “Jacob agrees. Come tomorrow. Just don’t forget.” Mark smiles and replies, “We won’t forget. That is the only thing we have to do tomorrow!”
We do end up catching a fish, worth maybe 200 shillings ($0.17) at the local market. Our hotel’s restaurant agrees to fry it up, for a price of 3,000 shillings ($2.50), not a great deal if you ask me. But why not? So after a strenuous day of moving my lounge chair in and out of the African sun, staring transfixedly out over the gleaming white sand and translucent turquoise water, we dine on our very own fish. Total cost of the fish? $52.50. But another story for Mark’s repertoire upon return home? Priceless.
(One of both Mark and my favorite books we have read on this trip: Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by Marisha Pessl. Thanks to the former calculus teacher at my high school for the recommendation!)
Mark and fish / Work? / Yet another sunset… / Jen, bandages, and fish
