Down by the Bay in Dar es Salaam

I’m so excited to be in Tanzania with the International Reporting Project (IRP). Yesterday, I had a few moments to myself. I walked through an overpriced market, but I only had eyes for the coastline. Dar es Salaam sits beside a bay of the same name that links up with the Indian Ocean. The water is gorgeous and calm.

I wandered through a market and came to a little wooden fence.

I wandered through the market, past an empty playground, and came to a little wooden fence.

The weathered stone steps led down to the water. I took a seat.

The weathered stone steps led down to the water. I took a seat.

The water is only a few feet deep at high tide; at low tide, it's ankle-deep.

The water is only a few feet deep at high tide; at low tide, it’s ankle-deep.

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I pulled out a book, but I was soon distracted by nature. When water bubbled up through the stones, mud crabs shot in and out of their hiding places.

The waves were calm under a serene breeze. White clouds scuttled like mud crabs.

The waves were calm under a serene breeze. White clouds scuttled across the sky like the tiny crabs around me.

Soon, fishermen poled closer to me.

I could hear fishermen shouting to one another. Soon, a boat poled closer to me.

Two men jumped out, and the boat moved on.

Two men jumped out, and the boat moved on.

Once the boat got a fair distance away, the men aboard began throwing out a large net.

Once the boat got a fair distance away, the men aboard began throwing out a large net.

As the boat circled back, casting the net, the men in the water held the line.

As the boat circled back in a wide arc, casting the net, the men in the water held the line.

The men began pulling in the line.

The men began pulling in the line as the boat passed them.

After the boat came ashore, all of the men jumped into the water to pull in the net from both sides.

After the boat came ashore, all of the men jumped into the water to pull in the net from both sides.

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