The Mombasa Swimming Club

Almost a year ago I wrote a post about the Mombasa Swimming Club - here. In it, I described how my mother used to pack a picnic and take us across the Old Town harbour by rowing boat 'water taxi' to spend part of our Sundays lazing on its beach. However, there was another way of reaching the club, by car. This picture of the club beach is a new one to me, sent by Tony Chetham, to whom many thanks.

Tony did more. He also sent me....

....this picture of someone who has stopped on the Swimming Club road to take a picture. I had completely forgotten this 'road' yet we must have travelled down it many times.

And he also sent this picture, taken by Jill Sandifer's father, showing the island of Mombasa in the distance and the Nyali Estate below. To reach the Swimming Club at '1', one had to cross Nyali Bridge - just visible at '2' - and then drive down the dirt track to the club.

Nyali bridge was a wonder in itself, one of the longest pontoon bridges in the world, built in the 1930s which lasted through until 1980 when a new bridge was built.

We loved that beach - here is a picture of a nine-year old to prove it.