Will still be a couple of days before they reach Dakar, Senegal, since they are not going to Gambia tomorrow.
As I understand it, the ship was out in the bay and they were using the lifeboats as tenders. The lifeboats had been brought on board and stored. The boarding platform and ladder had been secured. The only way to have boarded at point would have been through the hatch like a Harbor Pilot jumping from the ship to the Pilot boat. Much Much to dangerous for passengers to try. Imagine the screams if someone had fallen into the ocean and died because they could NOT make the jump.