Picture one lake fly or even two – minuscule, nearly transparent creatures little bigger than a gnat. Hard to photograph. You would not notice them. They would appear as just another speck in the air, one of the countless insects surrounding us. But lake flies don’t come in ones and twos. Tornado-size hatches of them rise out of the lake filling the horizon and obscuring the view. How many of these otherwise invisible bugs are in each hatch? It is mind boggling. The clouds of flies are deep and there are several clouds blooming at once out there. Blown ashore, flies will quickly coat any surface and light source. Huge flocks of birds devour them, as do the fish. The villagers collect them with nets and make a “patty” to fry and eat. James and Rudolph, working the carving shop just outside our camp, could likely bring us a patty or two if we wanted. No, that’s ok – there’s other products of Malawi to sample if you know what I mean.

Time does stand still on the Lake and it is becoming clear why some travelers arrive and forget to depart. We’ve been parked on the sand for five days with glorious shade, a wide open view and no plans to leave soon. Across the water, stacks of cumulous clouds top the visible mountains and present a grand view. We are the only campers at Steps Camp but day-use is allowed. On February 14 (not a day I take any trouble to remember) people come to the beach to celebrate Valentines’ Day. Who knew? Many come from Lilongwe, 1.5 hours away on good roads. Good music blasts from car speakers. Red dresses are in style, and matching red t-shirts. The scene is picture perfect. A photographer works the crowd, a guy hawks straw hats, fisherman sell their catch of the day. Welcome to Sanga Bay on Lake Malawi.

James and Rudolph come by to see if we need anything. Their wood carving shop has 17 carvers and there is probably nothing they cannot carve for you. They give us a tour; we watch the master carver shape a chameleon out of a block of ebony – no drawings used, he just taps the creature out with his chisel bringing alive the chameleon with its curlicue tail.

Back at the Pottery Lodge north of Sanga (where they had an excellent shelter from some ripping rainstorms) you can purchase earthenware pottery, cheerfully painted cups, bowls and such. That pottery had always been fired in wood burning kilns – deforestation has brought an end to that. Meanwhile, people keep busy, goods are created, and the tourists will be here soon – like us, they might stay far longer than they’d planned.