Pangalanes Canal

Today we docked in Madagascar’s main seaport, Toamasina, and explored the area nearby.

“Toamasina” means “it’s salty” and there’s a funny story behind the name. Many years ago, a man who had grown up in the highlands of Madagascar visited.

He was thirsty after his long voyage, so he took a big swig of seawater only to exclaim, “It’s salty!” Somehow the name stuck.

Our guide for the day was a fellow named Lachaka, which means “destiny” in Malagasy.
The first part of our tour in Toamasina was a tour down the Pangalanes Canal.

While a man steered the boat from the stern, a third guy stood on the bow keeping an eye out for any debris that might get tangled in our outboard engine along the way. (Even so, the boat broke down a couple of times during our trip.)

Lachaka explained that the section of the canal we were on was man made during the colonial period and that, “Many, many workers died while digging here. Conditions were very bad, like slavery.” (This is a familiar refrain for canals of the world, alas.)

These days, locals rely on the canal for fishing and trade. For many, this waterway is their main avenue for travel.

Lachaka taught us how to say “hello” in Malagasy. People were quick to wave and return our greetings as we floated by.

By the way, even though people do laundry in the canal, the women holding the sheet in these photos are using it to fish.

Other things that piqued my interest included boats with sails made from rice bags, as well as the voluptuous carving on the prow of a ship.

And while we’d been warned to keep an eye out for crocs, I did not expect to see a pink one today!Read more