The lake of seven islands

Whether you are staring at Devils Island or having a brush with hippos or crocodiles, Lake Baringo is one of Kenya’s thrill-seeking destinations, writes Harold AyodoTucked away at the bottom of the Rift Valley is Lake Baringo, a bank of natural wonders yet to be exploited as a getaway. The beauty of Baringo and her surrounds is legendary — spectacular sunsets, a dazzling array of colourful bird life and Njemps fishermen.With a group of friends we set out from Nairobi — by road — to explore the marvels of Baringo, approximately 272 kilometres from the capital city and north of Nakuru town.Bewitching silenceWe arrived at Soi Safari Lodge on the shores of Lake Baringo shortly after 9pm ready for the weekend ahead.Nights at the lodge are a rare treat thanks to the bewitching silence only interrupted by waves from the nearby lake and the chirping of birds. While others were contented with the beauty of the lodge, I was keen on taking a boat ride on the lake. Somehow I managed to convince my friends to accompany me. The scenes were rugged yet majestic as we made our way to the seven islands on the lake, namely Lokoros, Rongena, Lengai, Samatian, Olkokwa, Parmolos and the Devil’s Island. Given the name it was clear why we were more interested in the Devils’ Island. It is the myth of this deserted island that we found interesting, as communities in the area have given it a wide berth. According to the Njemps, no one lives on the island following beliefs that it is the home of devils. The locals claim a bluish fire burns in the area at night and the devils call out names of people who dare row around the island after sunset.Fishermen on a fishing expedition using locally made boats.Fishermen drawn from four communities — Njemps, Turkana, Pokot and Tugen — avoid the waters around the island lest something bad happens to them. Ironically, unlike most fishing expeditions where a boat has at least four fishermen, it is one per vessel in Lake Baringo. Furthermore, the fishing vessels are made from hollow indigenous trees, which enable them float despite looking so unstable. According to Weston Lemkut, a local, the Devil’s Island has been a no go zone to the Njemps for generations. Ironically, most foreign tourists adore the Island for rock climbing following its natural physical features. According to Sylvester Kipkebut, the Soi Safari Lodge tour guide, foreign tourists are unshaken by the myth on the island."Tourists adore it for rock climbing and many fall into the lake when they miss a step during their expedition. But no one gets hurt," Kipkebut says. According to Lemkut, a Njemp, a daring family once built a home on the Island but left the following morning."The family had horrid tales of happenings in the island on their first night before moving out at dawn… no one has ever set foot there since," Lemkut says.HuntingOther islands in Lake Baringo have hot springs where visitors boil eggs or make coffee during boat-ride stopovers. Scenes of the African Fish Eagle, which is among 400 other species in the area, hunting for fish from the lake are breathtaking. The bird identifies its prey from trees on the shores of the islands and flies down to collect them for a meal."The African Fish Eagle is one of the fastest birds here. Using their claws they swoop down on the fish and fly back," Kipkebut says.Parts of the lake are infested by crocodiles and hippos, which environmentalists say are good for the ecology of the natural resource. Unlike most ecosystems, the hippos are many and healthy following the availability of water plants, which they eat. It is said that hippos in Lake Baringo, which move in groups of 10-15, eat up to 40 kilogrammes of grass a day. And the crocodiles are more dangerous to human beings during dry spells making them seek alternative meals. In fact, when riding boats we were warned against dipping our hands in the water. "Some of the crocodiles bask in the sun with their mouths wide open to attract birds that pick insects for food," Kipkebut says.Visits to local communities, especially Pokot villages, are among other activities towards experiencing the preserved cultures."Guests request us to drive them to the villages where they spend over two hours marvelling at the Pokot’s way of life," Marigi says.Given the high temperatures, one is advised to carry a lot of water especially since there are no water vendors at the shores of the seven islands. Communities like the Njemps, however, make hay while the sun shines by selling their traditional artefacts like gourds and ornaments on their occupied islands.However, environmentalists have raised concerns about the fresh water lake. The experts concur that siltation is a problem, besides water level changes due to occasional drought and damming of afferent rivers. Water levels reduce as siltation fills up the lake thereby reducing its depth, thus affecting productivity, according to Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute. Consequently, the reduction of productivity implies reduced fishery as researchers call for a multi-sectoral approach to solve the siltation nightmare.

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