Book info

• Title Canoeing the Congo
• Author Phil Harwood
• Year 2012
• Genre Travel

At 2,922 miles, the Congo is the eighth longest river and the deepest in the world, with a flow rate second only to the Amazon. Ex-Marine Phil Harwood embarked on an epic solo journey from the river’s true source in the highlands of Zambia through war-torn Central Africa. With no outside help whatsoever he faced swamps, waterfalls, man-eating crocodiles, hippos, aggressive snakes and spiders’ webs the size of houses. He collapsed from malaria, and was arrested, intimidated and chased. On one stretch, known as ‘The Abattoir’ for its history of cannibalism and reputation for criminal activity, the four brothers he hired as bodyguards were asked by locals, ‘Why haven’t you cut his throat yet?’ But he also received tremendous hospitality from proud and brave people long forgotten by the Western world, especially friendly riverside fishermen who helped wherever they could on Phil’s exhilarating and terrifying five-month journey.

Thoughts

Everything about this adventure sounds terrifying - canoeing from the source of the Congo river in Zambia, through to where it meets the Atlantic Ocean in the DR of Congo, through hippo and crocodile infested waters, passing by villages where white faces are understandably treated with suspicion but also with a gun, and generally surviving on rice and fish.

The book tells it like it is, and I get the feeling it was as scary as it sounds, but also massively rewarding. Seeing what our hero learns along the way is fantastic, and although I know I couldn’t do it, I enjoyed being along for the ride by the means of turning the pages.

It’s well written, honest and humble, particularly with regards to losing tempers, eyeing up the locals, and finding ways to get around the corruption that is littered through the country. A really good read.

Rating: 4 / 5