Ask Valentina and Diego where they want to go on a Saturday morning and they'll
have no trouble at all answering: Treasure Island! Smart kids: that's where I
want to go, too.
They call it Treasure Island; I call it the Île de Ngor, or Ngor Island. It's
minutes away from our home, yet "far enough" from home to make it a worthy trip
-- you really, truly feel away from it all. First, to get there, you take a
little wooden pirogue across the strait to the island. Pirogues leave every few
minutes or so, and cost a little more than two bucks. Not bad! Button up your
life preserver, which they helpfully provide. You may actually do a little
bouncing, if the wind's up. And at sunset, the ride home across glassy waters
almost feels like a booze cruise, except in this Muslim nation there's no hope
of them serving you a cocktail on board.
On the lee side, there's still water that's safe and fun for kids, and
umbrellas and beach chairs lined up against the water's edge. It's a Senegalese
crowd used to tourists -- even Senegalese tourists -- but that doesn't mean
they're jaded. Last time I was there a local brewed up a pot of hot Senegalese
tea (attaya) and offered me a cup. Very cool! Those without kids and kick back
and read a book; the sun doesn't rise over the top of the coconut palms until
around 11AM and until then, the shady spots are lovely. Those of us with kids
wind up digging holes, building castles, splashing around, and of course,
looking for treasure (haven't found any yet, but we'll keep trying).
The island is far too small to handle vehicles, so it's quiet. And foot trails
lead across the center and past small homes and their gardens to the backside,
which faces the Atlantic. No sandy beaches and gentle waves here! It's the side
facing the open sea, and its rocky, battered cliffs lead down to heavy surf and
a whole lot of sea urchins.
That heavy surf is perhaps the treasure. In the 70's, a surf movie by the name
of Endless Summer showed friends traveling the world looking for perfect waves.
Their travels took them even to far off, exotic Senegal, where they found a
fantastic "right" peeling off the ridge leading from this very island. A small
trail leads through hedges of bougainvillea until the sea lies before you, and
the wave is impressive. Too impressive for me, actually -- my surfing skills
require I still stay clear of this thumper, and there are a couple of submerged
rocks that keep novices honest (or crack their skulls). The little yellow sign
explains the wave's history and the movie.
Not a bad little escape from reality. Maybe I shouldn't tell you about it, and
keep the secret for myself ...
