surfing

NASA: The Rihat Structure, Mauritania; 2005

Mauritani's coastline forms an inverse parabola dipping away from the Western Sahara to the north which restricts a lot of energy from reaching it's shoreline. The swells from the southern Ocean have all since disapeared this far north and so it is really the extreme northerly reaches near Nouandhibou that act as a swell magnet and the only decent surf provider for the entire coast.

It doesent help that the border with Western Sahara could well be one of the most corrupt checkpoints this side of Vietnam but hey, your on holidays! Oct ot December is probably your best chance ot catch the leading edge of a strong Northern Atlantic bomb as it peters out against the West african coastline here.

what to pack

Rich Niewiroski Jr.: 62 mm ultra-violet, fluorescent, and polarizing lens filters. Camera used was a Canon 400D; April 9, 2007

Pack light when travelling to Mauritania. Forget all your expensive belongings, take one bag, which is resisstant for multiples crashes when you travel in desert. Make sure you take a good sunscreen (SPF 30+) and sunglasses; a good insect repellent is a must as well. Bring on the medicines you are used to take, you won't find it there. Comfortable walking shoes, sandals, hat and natural fabrics (such as cotton or linen) clothes will be useful as well. Some warm clothes for the evenings as well. Don't forget a backpack, that might be usefull if your planning to travel around or sail. You won't regret hygienic paper, little wet towels and a mosquito net.

You won't regret swimming and snorkelling gear!

It is a good idea to bring some presents for local children you might meet: coloring books and crayons, little toys and nick-nacks (like hairclips, bouncy balls, etc.).

Make sure you protect your camera from the sand, use filters. And tale lots of batteries, as it´s quite difficult to recharge them.