Flooded!

We're up at the center right now. It rained heavily last night, and the accumulated rains of the past few days raised the level of the Ewaso-Nyiro river (or is it Ewaso-Narok? Er... The two rivers meet up at the northern end of Mpala, but I can't remember which it is that runs past the campsite) so much that we can't stay at the campsite. The rising water has made small lakes at the two ditches/valleys that we have to drive through to get from the center to the campsite, and it's impossible to get across except via a back road. We were able to get back to grab a change of clothes and our toiletries, but Joe the Mechanic reckons that if it rains again the back road will be inaccessible as well - so we're sleeping up at the center tonight. Apparently this rain may be due to a cyclone in the Indian Ocean, and doesn't herald the beginning of the true rainy season - I hope that's true, because I much prefer staying at the campsite to staying up at the center.

On the other hand, it's marvelously exciting to have a flooded river and giant puddles blocking our road... The river is surging, powerful, muscling past banks that previously held it in check and cutting muddy V's around the trunks of half-drowned fever trees. Swirls of debris get caught in eddies or race downstream in the middle of the flow, this brown beast that is roiling and still rising. The old bridge is completely covered. The newer bridge is still about 5 feet above the water - apparently during El Nino, the site of the newer bridge was a full 10 feet underwater (i.e. 15 feet higher than it is right now), but that won't happen this time. There's no danger - we're not going to be overwhelmed by a flash flood or anything - it's just rather exciting. We ate dinner at the center for the first time ever, and we're staying in BUILDINGS! The boys in Banda No. 3, the girls in the female half of the dormitory building. We have beds arranged in a circle under a tall thatched roof, with mosquito nets draped romantically overhead. There is a loft with two beds - Melissa and I are sleeping up there. Apparently, various critters like to live in the thatch and sometimes they fall down in the night.

Overall, I suppose it's fun to stay at the center; we're watching a movie right now in the classroom, for example, because there's actually electricity up here, and there's a certain slumber party appeal to the dormitory... But we all prefer the campsite, with the awesome staff (Peter is DEFINITELY a better chef than the guys up at the center) who have been left behind at the camp, our personal tents, the river and the animals and the fire that burns all night, and just the delight of having our own wild place to return to, separate from “school.”

The plants are greening and greening and greening. Every day when Greg and I drive out to run our gazelle survey, the land is greener. It's a total transformation. Unbelievable. I can't imagine what it must be like when the true rainy season hits and the grass goes from nonexistent to waist high within a few weeks...

Anyhow, it's long past time for bed... I should just mention:

When we're at Sweetwaters and Amboseli, I don't think we're going to have internet access. So after monday, don't expect anything for 2 weeks.

That's all for tonight... Grant's Gazelle data analysis commences tomorrow, so I'll let you know how the fates of Evander, Zoolander, Vinnie, Tony Hawk, Arnold, Abdul, George W, Herman, and Casper worked out. (Yes, we named our territorial male gazelles. There were good reasons for all those names, I swear.)

Jenn