Why Mangrovebay Ecocamp in River Kollidam Deserve Your Gratitude
Although science claims water isn't magnetic, I struggle to rationalize my attraction to the Mangrovebay Ecocamp and majestic Kollidam River. Each visit feels like a warm embrace of familiarity, and her enchanting waves make me feel at home. So, when this mini-expedition was arranged as a gesture of appreciation for the river, I joined without hesitation.
Anyone familiar with me understands my affection for my kite. The breezes and delightful weather enhanced the enjoyment of the evening. There's something about flying a kite that awakens our inner child. We flew the kite to our heart's content, under both the sun and the moon. When it eclipsed the sun, it was majestic, and when it veiled the moon, it was ethereal. Simply beautiful!
Sunset, Nights and Early mornings at Mangrovebay Ecocamp in river Kollidam are magical. The rain clouds were still in the sky, leading to the most amazing halo around the moon. Picture this – the sky is above you and the waters are below, you are lying down on a dock suspended in between and gazing at the stars – it feels like you are in outer space.
The magical night paved the way to a breathtaking dawn, and we got ready to follow the path of the river. Geared up with life jackets and our paddles, we diligently followed our lead into the water. Kumaran Mahalingam, our expedition leader and seasoned paddler, is both awe-inspiring and motivating in his leadership role!
His speech reminded me of Captain America’s speech in Avengers Endgame – “You know your teams, you know your missions… Most of us are going somewhere we know, that doesn’t mean we should know what to expect… Be careful. Look out for each other…“
We had fun. Pure, genuine, childlike fun. Laughing, giggling, and singing all the way.
I was reprimanded by Kumaran mahalingam multiple times to “stop talking and focus”, but yeah, so much fun.
Leading a team involves planning ahead, managing time, preparing for contingencies, and executing the said plan in the manner it was planned. And all of this depends on the team – a strong cohesive team makes for a wonderful experience – and we did have it all.
After paddling for some 5 kilometres, we stopped at a sandbar for refreshments. There, Kumaran mahalingam told us about the historical and geopolitical significance of the river and how she helped shape the course of events that led to the Chola dynasty’s thalassocracy at one point in time. Water writing the Earth’s destiny is a deed as old as time, isn’t it?
The challenge was to go against the winds. When the wind supports you, you don’t even have to paddle – you just let the wind and water guide you while you just ensure you stay in line. But when you are going against the winds, you must not only paddle towards your destination, but also against the resistance of natural elements. Thankfully, we had support – we are a team, remember?
Once we reached the shore, we were greeted with hot breakfast, which we might have overeaten a tad bit. But the day wasn’t done yet, we had stand-up paddling sessions, and they were quite challenging for a first timer like me. While it was fun, I am still in the training wheels phase. What comes to one’s mind upon hearing the word “satisfaction”? To me it is food. What would be a better finale to the expedition than biriyani made right on site?
A feast with friends is always chatty, but this time, we ate in near silence – our mouths were so full of food.
We never forget the hands that feed us.Food is art, and food is love. And we should show love and appreciation for those who cook it by eating it with relish.” – Mark Bittman
Gratitude is the index of the soul. It is a privilege to be able to continually visit the river and bask in her glory. And to her and to the team of Paddle for Future, we show our gratitude.
This blog is reshare from blogs of https://trailingintotheunknown.wordpress.com/ by 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.
Gratitude to team paddleforfuture for rewording Shruti's original blog. We sincerely appreciate author Shruti for this engaging and insightful blog on the River Kollidam Expedition organized by Mangrovebay Ecocamp.
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