Nike Lake: The Crocodiles' Sanctuary

Nike Lake: The Crocodiles' Sanctuary

   Past the walls of the Nike resort lies a body of murky water as dark as midnight.  The area breathes serenity only nature could offer but this is occasionally disrupted by the flocks of egrets flying above the lake only to perch on the mangroves edging it shore. The eagles also hover around the water for their daily meal.

  

the oil reflecting colours on the water

eagles hovering the skies

   My friend and I sat lost in the tranquillity in the wonderful lake that accommodated crocodiles. My first visit was in the evening and I couldn’t see the much talked about crocodiles but the funny calls they made assured us of their presence. So right there at the terrace, we sat at the adjoining bar eating “Abacha” a local salad peculiar to the “Igbos” and downing it with chilled drinks.    

night view

selfie mode

relaxing time

The Abacha tastes yummy!

  So I heard the crocodiles were a bit shy and they rather hide around the mangrove trees so I decided to pay them a visit in the afternoon. Some part of the resort was littered with flowers and it was indeed a beautiful spectacle.  As a lover of nature I moved around and threw these beautiful litters in the air while my friend tried to capture the moment.

night view

flowers

playing with nature

smelling like a butterfly

We got to the lakeside and were very disappointed that the water stank of fuel. The lake reflected a kind of oily glow and out from nowhere we heard the crocodiles snort while the eagles and the egrets displayed their noisy orchestrated flying skills above.

fuel on the water

The murky water shows no sign of life, everything around it apart from the birds seem lifeless. The lazy breeze occasionally runs through the branches of the mangroves and the eagles dived down to snatch fishes from below.

eagles and egrets at the background

Gradually we became impatient; the crocodiles were either too lazy or too shy to sun themselves. I asked one of the bartender where were the “famous crocs” and her reply was that I should throw something in the lake and they will surface. We laughed about it then I took some pieces of stone and threw it down the sluggish lake but it was no avail.

 I decided to walk around the shoreline and I saw point marked “beware of crocodiles”. I stood there enjoying the beautiful view from this side when I saw a strange sight close to the grooves of trees. A man wearing a funny hat paddling a half canoe, well from far, it looked as if the crocs took parts of the canoe during an encounter.

the man with the half canoe

I immediately burst into torrents of laughs. The fisherman went on throwing his net into the lake and I kept thinking what if the canoe tumbles over but the man was experienced, he skillfully manoeuvred his craft on the water. We waved at him when he passed us but he seemed engrossed with his work.

minding his business

While we stood there reading rules of boating on the lake an expatriate walked up to us and ask if we care to roll a boat but we declined. The man lives in the resort and he told us that he sees crocodiles during his early and evening walk around the lake and if we were patient enough we will be able to sight them.   

He said he doesn’t know where the petrol polluting the water comes from.  We sighed because the lake needs a proper clean up and if the pollution goes on there will be no aquatic life in this serene lake again. So we left hopeful that the next visit will be successful and I will get to see the “crocs”.

our expat sharing his experience

goodbye!

wait!!

      more pics of the resort

Next post …..

  Ngwo Cave Water Fall… The Waterfall from Heaven

Hiking Ekoyi Iheaka Holy Mountain

Hiking Ekoyi Iheaka Holy Mountain

“Remember to follow only beaten trail and watch out for animal foot print and poo.” our guide voice echoed around the valley as we followed the tiny trail close to the foothill.

the hills

the trail

  The vegetation hid some view of the hill from us. We looked around for sticks to aid our ascent uphill but what was available were rotten cassava stems. We gave up the search when we found out that the hill was stony and easy to hike. 

I hid my fears and followed the others but when we got to a steep section and I cowered in fear. I shot a cursory gaze back then I became terrified. My group kept hailing me so that I will catch up with them, so I followed their advice and crawled my way up to the hill.

 The view from the hill was breathtaking. I stood for a moment uneasy; wondering how I got myself up here .The graceful palm trees dominated the scenery while other hills stood proudly afar. This particular hill we stood on is called Amube and Umuokome hills (the u in Amube is silent) it extended far in the background like a slanted “L’’ shape. The hills were infested by termites and bugs and around us were miniature termites’ hills.

Me wondering how i got this high

Termite hill

Termite hill 2

A particular ugly sound reverberated around the hills. I couldn’t tell which animal produced the sound but it was kind of creepy and unnerving. After some group photography we continued our hike.

In the first section of the hill, there was a lone iron cross erected there. Someone said prayer requests were granted there, so  we bowed our heads and said our prayers but the insects kept buzzing all over our faces.

Insects buzzing around my face

Prayer section

Faraway away on the hill was section for crosses; it had a total of fourteen crosses in all.  A member of the group who is also a native of the place said the hill is sacred to the Catholics. Soon we came across the sanctuary built by the Catholics. We obeyed the instructions we read on the signpost and uttered a prayer to God.  

the sanctuary and prayer alter

Paying respect

The strange noise grew louder and discomfort followed. While we were enjoying the view, we heard series of gunshots in downhill. We stopped immediately. Then we saw smoke floating from the same spot.

“A very important man has died”. Someone said as we stood, lost in thoughts of whatever rites that were being performed down there.

smoke from the village

 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

There is the feeling that prevails high on the mountain, it something I cannot explain but you have to experience it yourself. The air is fresher and you feel lighter. The world seems smaller, the houses turned to tiny dots and the trees dominated the landscape.  You feel like you are just a speck in the picture.

trying to get the perfect shot of the sky

that moment you realised you beat your phobia

High up there, you are vulnerable because people can see you but you can’t see them. You wonder how many eyes followed you as you moved excitedly on the hills. The mountain eagles circled round and round the sky, I wondered what they were planning to feast on. It was later when we got down that I found out from the two lovely little girls I met.

view

view

view

view

“Snakes”. She said giggling. “The hills are infested with them. Patience continued. So it was the snakes that were making the horrible noises all over the hills. The girls told me that they have to hike the hills every day to get firewood for fuel.  They said the snakes are small and they are even scared to come out because of the eagles. 

My two little friends

Patience leading me to my friends

So we waited to see if an eagle will swoop down to catch one but none did. They kept circling the skies and making their usual calls. Soon a guinea fowl and it chick hopped out of nowhere, it sighted us and quickly hopped uphill with it chick. I tried to snap but it was too fast.  Then the children left while I rejoined my group to continue our adventure.

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off to next adventure

Scenes from the village:a calabash stuck in a branch

community borehole

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