Exploring the Hidden Treasures of Mangrovebay Ecocamp - A Prelude to Kollidam Mini Expedition
At times, when you return to a place - Mangrovebay Ecocamp, you see it from an entirely new perspective compared to before.
Prelude to Kollidam Mini Expedition
Eighteen months ago, the name river Kollidam evoked thoughts of our history – how the river witnessed significant political decisions that transformed former kingdoms. Now, it brings to mind our geography – how the river itself is a result of Earth's formation and, by extension, the universe. Undoubtedly, my Earth Science lessons might have influenced this perspective; I can't look at a rock without considering its origins, let alone the waters.
With the gentle murmur of the river below and a sky filled with stars and planets above, this was the closest I've ever felt to outer space. Using the right binoculars, we could observe celestial bodies that were invisible to the naked eye. The moon, in her waxing gibbous phase, was simply majestic. Honestly, this is one of the few rare places so near the city that offers such an experience. With two telescopes, a 16-inch Dobsonian and an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, Bhavanandhi and the Starvoirs team revealed celestial bodies in high definition, which otherwise appeared as mere specks of light to us.
Speaking of rocks, it was the time of the year when space rocks passed by the Earth, the Delta Aquariid meteor showers. Lying down in a semi-sleepy state, I began to ponder – who knew what each rock might hold for some planet or moon unknown – which one of them could be the one that spiraled a mass extinction event like the Chicxulub asteroid did to Earth? Or even more, which one of the meteors could carry water, fall onto some distant planet, and start life over there? Or what if, like what happened to Wakanda, some meteor contained a periodic table-transcending, vibranium-esque mineral that could possibly end the waste management problem we have on Earth, and what if that meteor fell on some place that had no use for it? My daughter and I scored equally in the “shooting star spotting game.”
Man, the river wears the moonlight with style. The golden shimmer of the sunlight and the pastel shimmer of the moonlight are a sight to behold. I couldn’t take my eyes away from her, as she glistened with twinkling waves. In the still of the night, when all human excitement had hushed, I sat at her shore to listen to her sing. The wind forming a criss-cross pattern on the surface was occasionally interspersed with fish creating ripples before high jump practice sessions. The fireflies in the bushes spoke a language of their own, and they resembled the terrestrial version of meteor showers – flitting from branch to branch. I recalled some writings about how rivers, although not carrying as much freshwater as the glaciers, are highly critical to sustaining biodiversity – they make life possible by networking. Basically, the river is Nature’s version of “I know a guy who knows a guy.”
The river is bordered by mangroves, the resilient forest that forms the dense shrubbery along the subtropical coasts in estuaries – where the rivers meet the sea. While they don’t conjure the image of conventional “forests,” they hold carbon reserves manifold compared to tropical forests. The trees are hardy and adaptable; they have inbuilt saline filtration systems to live in conditions that most other species cannot. The forests are a biodiversity hotspot – sit back with a pair of binoculars and be transported to the world of magic happening right before you within the dense mangroves.
The morning was fun. After witnessing the glorious sunrise, we were off to the waters. This time while kayaking before Kollidam Mini Expedition, I went slowly, close to the mangroves, to take a peek behind the intricate network of the trees. What’s the hurry anyway? I stopped actively paddling multiple times to see where the tide would lead me, steering just enough to stay within a reasonable course. It was a heavenly experience indeed, given that the conditions were favorable enough for me to experiment. My daughter was in full form, floating in the briny waters, collecting seaweeds, and playing with the resident “good boy” Scooby.
Sometimes, experiences satisfy you. Other times, they leave you curious. My experience with the river Kollidam is the latter – each time I have more questions than I have answers. And seeking answers for each question leads to newer ones, ad infinitum.
For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever – Tennyson
Author of this blog :
Shruti - Writer by passion and profession. Lover of science and science fiction. Explorer of this beautiful world and beyond. A forever student.
I write about my travels here: Into the Unknown..
I write about the basics of fitness at First Things First.
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