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Beach Safari!
The Loango Coastline of Gabon.

There is nothing like a seaside holiday! Sunburn, warm tropical waters, white surf and miles of empty beaches. However if you add in some wild animals of consequence, such as forest elephants, buffalo, gorilla and leopard to that seaside holiday then you have the makings of an epic adventure. Our 6 week stay at a rough camp that we built on the beach at Lourie in Loango, was just that - an epic adventure where we camped right next to the surf, buffalo and elephant wandered by day and night and we were lashed by tropical thunderstorms that destroyed our camp two times. I managed to do several paintings. This was the best 6 weeks that I have ever spent in the African wilderness - EVER!

1/16 : Lourie Lagoon from the air.
An image of the coastline of Gabon, showing the Atlantic ocean, a narrow parallel sandbar spit following the coast which seperates the sea from the lagoon, and then inland of the lagoon a strip of dense rainforest bounded some small, open savanna areas with a small herd of buffalo out in the open. Image by Paul Augustinus as they were about to land in a small plane on one of the savanna areas.
2/16 : Myself, Antoine our guide, and Clarissa.
An image of three people standing on the bank of a lagoon with the sandbar and ocean in the background. A tiny vamp has been built on the sandbar next to the waves.
3/16 : Home sweet home for 6 weeks!
An image of the main encampment shelter, with a sleeping tent and the dining/cooking area adjacent to it. In the background and very dark stormy squall is advancing towards the beach.
4/16 : Mid day visitor to our camp.
An image of a dark brown forest buffalo walking along the beach right next to a stormy surf.
5/16 : Camping 'wilderness style' on a Gabon beach!
The kitchen dining area with Clarissa Augustinus and Antoine after sunset, lit atmospherically by the yellow light of an oil lamp. In the background is the dimly visible of the beach. On the table in the foreground are utensils, cans of food and other items.
6/16 : One had to be careful while walking outside at night.
An blurred motion distorted long exposure image of a forest buffalo galloping through the shallows of the sea.
7/16 : The volume of rainfall during storms was truly awe inspiring.
An image of the encampment during a storm with the beach and ocean obscured by sheets of rain while in the foreground water pours off of the sheleter roof.
8/16 : Aftermath of a particularly violent storm.
An image of the encampment showing the poles and tarpaulin of the main shelter roof to be broken and dislodged and distorted.
9/16 : Paul Augustinus at work on a Gabon beach.
An image of the artist Paul Augustinus seated on a log lying on a long deserted beach while he works at a small watercolour sketch.
10/16 : I preferred to work in the shade of the shelter.
An image of the artist Paul Augustinus at work on a small painting at the table in the main shelter. In the distance the mid day sun burns down on the beach.
11/16 : We saw a gorilla with young while walking across this Tassi clearing.
An image of an open savanna area. In the far distance a gorilla is crossing the grassy open area between two forest islands.
12/16 : This was a surprise!
An image of two leopards sitting far out in the open on one of the grassy savanna areas behind our particular piece of rainforest coastline.
13/16 : Forest buffalo were the most common animal we encountered at Loango.
An image of a small herd of red-coloured forest buffalo on one of the open savanna areas behind where we were camped. African rainforest lines the hillin the background.
14/16 : The signs of a grim past - European slavers graves!
An image of a small cast iron railing enclosed gravestone, surrounded by other, very badly damaged gravestones. In the distance Clarissa and Antoine examine a headstone
15/16 : A Slavers Grave!
An image of a headstone lying in the sand - with the inscription'Thomas Doyle, Merchant of N Cove, and Late of Ardoyne, County Carlow, Ireland, Died 1891, Aged 42'
16/16 : This is what I came to Gabon for!
An image taken by Paul Augustinus near their encampment of two small forest elephants browsing on the grassy fringe of the sandbar between the lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. In the background large waves crash on to the beach.

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