Henry Island Part4

Coming back from Bakkhali, we decided to explore the private beach at Henry island itself. The motorable road ended after a 5 minute drive, after which we had to make it by foot for 10 minutes.That involved crossing a rickety bamboo bridge jointly with a series of cows who patiently gave us the right of way.

On both sides were mangrove trees. Almost 40 varieties of these trees are grown here, one of the largest in Asia in terms of the different types under cultivation.

The area was obviously marshy, and we had to walk through the narrow muddy road, looking right and left at the glorious red mangrove swamp.

We then walked through a pathway amongst the casuarina trees--and the beach was right in front us!!!!!Desolate, with only a few cows grazing  far away towards our right, a lone fisherman trudging along with his net, and a solitary boat in the distance.

Amongst the trees, a good 20 feet above us swung a shark like fish--a grim reminder as to how much the sea had swept in a few days back.

The only sounds were of the wind passing through the trees, the occasional mooing of a cow, and Pluto's panting.

We started speaking in whispers at first!!!! Somehow it seemed unethical to break the silence. The sun set behind the treeline, transforming the sky into a collage of a million colours.

The twilight etched the leaves sharply for a few moments, before it enveloped us.

The clouds bereft of the sun loomed large over the trees.

The stretched out fishing net subsided onto the beach, its white globes disappearing with the fading light.

 

The lonely, dying mangrove branches stuck out for awhile as did a slate rock.

The water ripples started to disappear into the background of the sea. The fisherman cast his net for the last time.

We wended our way back after a mini spat between Pluto and the cows. The cows won because they stopped in the middle of the bridge, and we thought it prudent this time to  give them the right of way.

Nearer home the blue-black sky stared at us from the waterbodies, interrupted only by the splashes of a few intrepid fishes wanting to catch a view of the last light of the day.

 

Even Pluto became strangely silent.

That is the effect Henry Island has on you....