Fisherman’s Camp

We shed our heavy bikes against a tree and made camp away from the thin electric fence. A carpet of thick green grass sloped gradually toward the shore of Lake Naivasha. Hyacinth grew thick and obscured the water’s edge. Monkeys loitered at the camp’s perimeter and in the trees above us.

Hippos began appearing near the shoreline at dusk. Several sets of eyes protruded from the glassy surface. One rose from the lake with its mouth fully open, its pointed teeth exposed.

On the patio that night Tusker bottles replaced each other and slowly we lost track of the tab. Calls from the lake shore became deep and irregular. Time loosened.

I woke many times during the night. Loud thuds. Bellowing. Grunting. Feet shuffling and racing. Wheezing. Deep raspy guttural calls.

Lake Naivasha, Kenya - January 25, 2024