Wild Spirit (28 page)

Win and me at the Adventurers' Club in Brisbane, soon after we first met in 1970. It was a party night, and Win had cooked dinner for about 100 people. (Photograph © Bill Atkinson)

On the riverbank, waiting for the
pinnassier
to fix the outboard motor. Belinga camp could only be reached by travelling upriver for a whole day on a pirogue. We wore heavy clothing against the dry season cold.

A village we passed on our first trip up the Ivindo, on our way to Belinga. The people lived by fishing and hunting, and grew crops of maize, cassava, taro and bananas.

My first view of the cloud forest around Belinga in daylight left me speechless. From that moment I realised we were entering a world few were privileged to know.

Belinga camp from Belvédère, a vantage point from which we could look down into the Republic of the Congo. Surrounded by endless forested mountains, we sometimes forgot that another world existed outside.

The guesthouse at Belinga, built from the local ironstone. Office, dining room, kitchen, living quarters and radio shack, it was the hub of the camp.

Interior of the guesthouse at Belinga. The hard hats and rain jackets hanging on the fireplace were in constant use. Workspace and relaxation area, the guesthouse was where I spent much of my time.

The Gabonese workers' village at Belinga. Constructed from puddled mud over sapling frames, the huts consisted of two rooms with cooking fires outside. Specialist workers occupied prestige spots at the top of the hill.

A block of mini-apartments under construction at Belinga. Win introduced modern building methods to the area. The Kombi played a crucial role in transporting materials and men.

Rodo, Win and I loved to drive out on the old forest tracks wildlife spotting. Fallen trees often blocked the way, but Rodo was prepared for this one.

We made weekly trips to buy manioc from women in the local villages. Here at M'Vadhi, the SOMIFER pirogue is beached alongside the women's small pirogues. Their trips often involved hours of paddling each way.

Women and children at M'Vadhi village, Upper Ivindo, on our manioc-buying day. Bundles of manioc lie on the riverbank, ready to be loaded. This commerce, organised and managed by the women, provided vital cash.