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Lake Malawi is approximately 575km long and up to 80km wide. It forms part of the Great Rift Valley with steep and precipitous slopes in places. It is the third largest lake in Africa and amongst the twelve largest lakes in the world. The deepest part of the lake, at the northern end, is 213 metres below sea level or 701 metres deep. The lake surface covers an area of nearly 23,000 square kilometres, which is approximately 20% of the total area of the Republic of Malawi.
Ships have been operated on Lake Malawi by Malawi Railways since 1931 and vessels have been able to connect with the rail system at Chipoka since 1935. However, because of the exposed nature of the lake shore at Chipoka the headquarters of the Lake Service were developed at Monkey Bay, the nearest sheltered bay about 45 kilometres almost due east of Chipoka.
Built in 1935, the first modern ship to operate commercially on Lake Malawi was the MV MPASA. At that time the facilities at Chipoka were very scant and there were no services at any of the ports of call. The complete redevelopment of Chipoka was completed in 1979 whilst proper harbour installations were first provided at Chilumba in the northern region in 1973.
Improvements have also been made at Monkey Bay including in 1975 the provision of a slipway.
The MV CHAUNCY MAPLES was originally constructed in 1899. Up until the mid 1950s, she was operated by the Universities Mission to Central Africa. She remained idle until 1965 at which time she was acquired by Malawi Railways. After an extensive conversion and re‑engining to a diesel‑powered passenger vessel she re‑entered service in 1967. After operating a regular weekly scheduled service for many years, the vessel is now (1985) largely used for relief purposes.

Log Book September 1985

Malawi SG729

Hi

Have a look here: "http://www.chauncymaples.org/default.php" for the latest on the plan to renovate the ship as a mobile medical centre.

Andy

Thanks Andy
The Chauncy Maples project on Lake Malawi combines:

health service delivery
preservation of Malawi's marine heritage
green engineering
The project will be run by the Government of Malawi with support from donors in Malawi and Britain. Malawi in Central Africa is a quiet, peaceful country of immense beauty. However, it is one of the ten poorest nations in the world, with high rates of malaria, HIV-AIDS and tuberculosis. Healthy life expectancy at birth is 35 years. Lake Malawi makes up a fifth of the country. For most of the thousand miles of shoreline there is no road and no access to health services for about four million lake dwellers. When desperate for healthcare, many travel by dug-out canoe, risking the dangerous currents, storms and crocodiles.

Marine History

Moored on Lake Malawi is the steamer Chauncy Maples. Built in Glasgow in 1898, she is the oldest ship in Africa still afloat. Divided into 3,481 parts she was shipped to the East coast of Africa, transported up the Zambezi and then carried across 350 miles of uncharted land. It took two years to assemble her there.

The Chauncy Maples was a hospital ship but she has not sailed for a decade. She is owned by the Government of Malawi, which plans to renovate her as a floating clinic.

Free health care

Lake-side villagers will receive free treatment for common diseases, maternity care, simple operations, dentistry, immunisation for their babies, family planning and information on hygiene and safe sex.

Green engineering

The fuel used to run the Chauncy Maples' diesel engine will contain a proportion of bio-diesel made from jatropha – a non-edible tropical plant growing in Malawi. This will also create employment and reduce fossil-fuel imports.