Tuesday was a slow day for the team. Anticipating our beach trip on Wednesday, we wanted to tie off as many loose ends as possible while also preparing for our workshop at Makeni Regional Hospital on Thursday. Thus, most of Tuesday was spent updating our presentation and making sure our blogs were up to date.
The next morning, we hit the road for Freetown at 6:30 AM so that we could get to Tacugama Chimpanzee sanctuary on time for our tour. Arriving at the small exit that led up into the mountains and away from the bustle of Freetown, you could hear the churn of the bus’s engine as it tried to climb the steep mountain road. The path was thin, and at times, it looked as if the bus was about to fall off the ledge! Thankfully, we made it to the entrance of the chimpanzee sanctuary safely, but that was only the beginning of the journey. Once we got off the bus, we climbed an incredibly steep hill, trying not to slip on loose sediment and rocks. Out of breath, we all arrived at a welcoming entrance, excited to begin our tour.
Our tour guide, Suilaman, began by telling us about the reserve. Tacugma was created to save chimps from pet owners, deforestation, and bushmeat hunters. Ultimately, the reserve hopes to release the chimps back into the wild once they are cured of their trauma.
While walking to the first observation deck we had to be quiet and respectful around the chimps, or else they would throw rocks at us! We were also told not to imitate their language as we might convey the wrong message. Our tour guide, however, was excellent at speaking chimpanzee.
In total, we were lucky enough to see 3 different groups, all at various stages regarding their assimilation to the wild. We watched them play, eat, and care for their young ones. It was a very special experience.
Then, to end the tour, we climbed up onto a watch tower stationed in the highest canopy of the forest, and we were able to look out onto the mountains surrounding Freetown. It was so beautiful!
In the afternoon, we visited River Number 2 Beach, which was an absolute blast. The waves were especially large so we swam a bit deeper into the ocean and had fun swimming in the waves. The sand was very hot but the ocean water was nice and cold so we were able to cool off. We also quenched our thirst with coconut water, which was very sweet and tasty.
After enjoying the water for a while, we decided to take a break and look at the shops surrounding the beach. There were many tote bags, bracelets, and other hand-made items. Hamsa bought a bracelet and Chibugo bought some tote bags. Other students also bought many items and then we returned back to the beach to chill before it was time to go.