Western Sahara April 2017

[JOHN OF LONDON]

Still in Tafroute and exploring the surroundings. Trying to get to grips with OSM and follow the local routes but we seem to lack your skills! Today's route was on a track shown as being upgraded. The first part was a nice smooth newly laid track which then degenerated into a bulldozer scrape down the river bed and then, after the last village disappeared altogether. Traces of the road were to be found along side the river in places but nobody had driven that way this year. After a kilometre or so of this we gave up and returned the way we came, bearing a battle scarred driver's step!
Still, the gorges south of Tafroute are, well, gorgeous and worth a trip if you haven't been.

I'm not at all jealous of your desert heat, it's a relatively comfortable 30 here which is more than enough for me.

 

[MarkW]

Great scenry in that area, well worth exploring. Got caught out with some track around there last year!

 

[ByronJ]

Today we watched the rally then followed the route up through a river gorge and Byron got to test his new winch in a nasty boggy muddy section churned up by the rally.

Hmm. Byron got to try out his new winch by first dragging Mark out of the deep gloopy mud and then by dragging George out of the same spot . I drove through first with no problems...

 

[MarkW]

Bryon broke the mud

 

[MarkW]

A bit of an update.

We left Essaouira heading for Tafroute and stopped at the Scrap Yards in Agadir Andy I sourced some good front shocks and springs for my truck. Once removed a broken spring was discovered on the drivers side.

Stuck nuts on the passenger side meant getting them changed took longer than expected so we camped south of Agadir.

Destination for the next day was Fort Bou Jerif. Leaving the campsite we picked up a nice little route along the coast with a short section of beach driving.

From Bou Jerif we heading down to Plage Blanc. This year the tide was perfect with some solid hard sand to drive on.

Byron had brought Easter Eggs for us so we scoffed them along along the beach. Camp for the night was the riverbed the rally was driving the following day. That night we had a visit from 2 African Wildcats

 

[MarkW]

 

[MarkW]

 

[MarkW]

Next morning was the first stage of the Morocco Derset Challenge rally. Racing from the Atlantic to the Med entirely off road.

Our camp site turned out to the perfect spot to watch despite the plague of insects.

Once the rally passed we continued up the river canyon to find the rally had left a quagmire of mud. Byron got through ok but I managed to get bogged down up to the doors as did George. It was also a hideously hot day but cloudy no shade to cool off. In car temp hit 43 so after we stopped in TanTan for supplies and to get the trucks washed after the beach we decided to camp at TanTan Plage with slightly more bareable temps.

 

[MarkW]

From TanTan Plage we headed South to Smara entering the Western Sahara and my truck turned 200k Morocco miles.

After lunch in Smara we headed off into the desert first to look for some rock carvings which we didn't find then our long route south. What happened next will be discussed elsewhere.

Today we took the tarmac alternative to Dakhla. South of Boudjour was all new to me. Tomorrow we explore Dakhla properly.

 

[MarkW]

Great day in Dakhla today exploring including a chance meeting with a welsh chap who has lived here for 12 years. Been drinking too much and nows its late. Think I need a month here to explore properly!

 

[JOHN OF LONDON]

Guys,

I've not been keeping up with your progress, still less with Byron's disaster. What a shock for you all, makes you think though, the stuff of nightmares.

John

 

[MarkW]

We are out of the Western Sahara and back in Morocco.

Had a great night at a party in Dakhla listening to tales of drug running, smugglers, British Sugar Tankers and stolen cars.

Then it was off to the Tropic of Cancer which was one of my goals for the Western Sahara trip. Despite being told had good the scenery was down there we decided to head back north. I'll have to go back to Dakhla and that area for a few weeks to explore properly and take up the offer of some deep desert driving.

So we headed back north to Boudjour and stopped for the night before heading back towards Smara before picking up one of the all time great routes from Morocco Overland. Spent some time of a dry lake bed taking videos and pics before some nice smooth fast pistes towards Assa over the next day and a half.

Quick lunch in Assa and an encounter with the local crazy man and we headed east to Tata. Today has been giant lizards, dead sheep, crazy man and huge dust devils kicked up by the strong winds.

Next we'll head up to the Anti Atlas for a couple of days before headed into Erg Cheggaga. Avoiding the route I did with @JOHN OF LONDON

 

[stumog]

How long was / is the trip? Seems to be some time?

Photos are great thanks for posting

 

[JOHN OF LONDON]

Hi Mark and Co,

We are planning to be in Rabat over the weekend if you're passing by.

John

 

[MarkW]

How long was / is the trip? Seems to be some time?

Photos are great thanks for posting

I'm out here for a minimum of 2 months so still have plenty of time left. But it's getting hot in the south now.

Hi Mark and Co,

We are planning to be in Rabat over the weekend if you're passing by.

John

We'll still be down south John. Got 2 days in the Anti Atlas planned then back to the big dunes before we turn north to get to Marrakech for a weeks time

 

[stumog]

Wow that's a nice amount of time to be there.

Enjoy

 

[MarkW]

It certainly is. Anything below 25degrees seems cold now

 

[GeorgeG]

Dry lake. Fantastic!

 

[JOHN OF LONDON]

I thought for a moment you must have run out of Carlos wine!

 

[MarkW]

Carlos wine is long gone. We have 2 bottles of Byron Wi e left

Cracking drive today from Tata to Taliouine through the Anti Atlas. I really must try harder to find rubbish off road routes!