Just deserts : the camp at night
After hours negotiating the snaking roads , we finally made the turn-off for the lake . Better suited to 4x4 vehicles it was a slow , steady drive down to the lake shore in the motorhome , despite the off-road tyres we ’ d installed , with multiple stops to check the ‘ road ’ and assess the best route . I ’ d expected nothing but muddy water but as we drew up , I could see there was at least visibility in the shallows .
Water levels in this normally arid environment clearly fluctuate , judging by the many old ‘ tide ’ marks on the shoreline and the small trees growing a few metres off shore . A local stood , ankle deep , fishing for whatever edible life lived in the lake . The water , as I waded in , was surprisingly cool . Although refreshing after many hours driving in scorching heat , it still took my breath away as I sank chest-deep into the lake . Any hopes of good visibility at the rocky shore soon faded as I moved into what turned out to be an extremely muddy bottom .
The fine silt swallowed my feet as I staggered into deeper water . Even without my steps disturbing the sediment , the visibility remained opaque . At the surface I could see the expanding ripples left in the wake of some fleeing fish , so that fisherman wasn ’ t entirely wasting his time . Not entirely .
I never did get a proper look at those fish , so we ’ ll have to launch another expedition if we want to put that one to bed . So , was my desert snorkel a waste of time ? Certainly not . Aside from the bragging rights of a snorkel in the desert , it was a most excellent cooling dip , a wild swim in the unlikeliest of locations . I use the term ‘ wild swimming ’ because I believe there ’ s a significant crossover between snorkelling and wild swimming . Now , I ’ m off to hitch a ride on one of those socalled ‘ Ships of the Desert ’. �
Visibility was ‘ uninspiring ’
Searching for depth
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