Captain’s Log 011026 – October on the Lagoon

01/10/2026

October is not the start of the dry season. That comes in December. This month is the short rains.

Days sit around 28–30°C. Nights stay close to 24–25°C. The air is heavy, often near 90% humidity, and the lagoon is green. Rain is part of the month — often fourteen or fifteen days with a shower, usually heavier in the afternoon or evening. A morning can still be clear. An evening can turn.

That is what a booking looks like now. A sunset cruise can still run. It can also be moved, shortened, or called if the sky closes in. The captain on the day makes that call. We would rather change the plan than put anyone out in a squall. Mornings are the safer bet if you want a longer run toward Jacqueville or Assinie.

The lagoon itself does not stop. The water stays warm. The mangroves are at their fullest. Between showers the light is soft, and the city feels quieter than it will in January.

One date is worth knowing. From 25 October, Grand-Bassam holds Abissa, the N'zima new year. About two weeks of drums, dance and cloth, half an hour from Abidjan, and the one real gathering of the month. It is not on the lagoon. If you are here at the end of October, it is the day to add.

There is no festival calendar to hang a trip on apart from that. October is a working month on the water: warm, wet, and still worth coming if you can live with a shower.

December to March remains the easiest weather. October is for people who are already here, or who do not mind the rain.

Captain Murray The Uncharted Waters – Ébrié Lagoon, Abidjan