Klaus Broersma drove the hovercraft from Tana to Beroroha with the newly constructed trailer which churches in Somerset in the UK have been raising funds for.
The new system that Jeroen developed for (un)loading the hovercraft off/on the trailer works very well. We got stuck with the trailer and decided to leave it behind, unload the hovercraft and then transport the trailer a week later early in the morning (with some difficulties) to the campsite. Both plugs for lighting the trailer had to be replaced.
We had some technical problems with the fuel system of the hovercraft. The desiel pump was broken. Jeroen looked at it and we have to replace it.
The hovercraft performed well. When we didn’t get over hump we had to repair only one finger at the back. Jose was able to continuse driver training with Jeroen and Klaas-Jan.
We used the hover on/off trailer to load the hovercraft out of the river.
Both trailers and the hovercraft are currently standing on site of the Gendarmerie.
Survey by hovercraft:
We did a survey on the Makay river above the village of Ankazoabokely. The river has many channels, and sometimes we had to go back to take another route. It is a difficult river to hover. It was not safe to go further than the big village of Beronono at that time as the stream had become too small.
Underway we saw an landslide which maybe was because of the cyclone.
Survey by Landcruiser
On the way back we took an another road. They are constructing it. It lays east of the Isalo massif. We had to cross an river with the Landcruiser to reach it.
A part in the middle for about 40 km has still to be done. It goes trough forest and had some difficult turns so it is not yet possible to do it with an trailer.
Medical team
The team was lead by Dr. Fernand with Andriamaro Fanekena a young doctor who wants to become surgeon. There were also the new vice-president of Hover+Aid (the official name of the MMS in Madagascar) Mr Samy Raoelina and his wife Lalao Raoelina, also a board member. They could seen how Hover+Aid works and they were impressed. Lalao was very good with the local children.
We went to Bemavo and we had about 70 patients. The local authorities where very helpful. The next day we were in Ankazoabokely (on the Mangoky) which was more remote and treated about 40 patients. The last days the doctors helped patients which came to the camp and did also an small surgeon.
We also visited the local hospital where there was a victim of the “dahalo’s” (cattle raiders) . He was shot several times in his backside. Dr. Fernand ask me to arrange an evacuation. But the men responsible didn’t want to pay for the transport, etc. and pay only the cost of the Beroroha hospital. The family didn’t do their best to collect money or try to find any solution. So we cancelled the evacuation. We give him some medicines for free. It is difficult sometimes to know what to do for the best.
We need to make sure we have a malagasy cook at the base camp – the Medical team preferred Malagasy food and westerners didn’t know how to do it!
Day by day
17 September: Travel from Tana to Fiana
18 September: Travel from Fiana via Sakaraha to overnight location
19 September: Travel from overnight location to Beroroha
20 September: Build up Camp
21 September: Pick up medical team and some guest from airstrip and bring the guests back to the plane.
22 September: Medical team to Bemavo
23 September: Medical team to Ankazoabokely
24 September: Medical team practice in Camp, and visit health post
25 September: Bring back medical team to Airstrip
26 September: Bringing Becca and translator to Ankazoabokely, Survey Makay river
27 September: Bring the trailer we left behind through the river bed to camp. Put the hovercraft on the hover off/on trailer. Cut back some trees on the road to Beroroha to make the road passable for the Hovercarft.
28 September: Bring both trailers to the gendarmerie
29 September: Travel back via Ranohira to Fiana
30 September: Travel from Fiana to Tana
