Day Seven; Going nuts on the net!

Today is scheduled for sunset cruise. We arrive at sports center sharp 4:15 where Siddiqui family joins us for boom net adventure.

 Greeted and guided by the captain we head towards our small yet sturdy boat. All of us are wearing life jackets. Snorkeling in sea has proven that our swimming skills in deep sea are near to non-existent!

 We take the ladder for upper deck. It is a clear, azure sky with white flossy clouds seamlessly sailing through it. Deep blue waves are cradling the boat with a rhythm which is calm at one moment and vexed at another! We are reclining by the railing, surrounded by unbound, unyielding, deep blue waters of Indian ocean! Regardless how much we want to be there, in this very moment, we are compelled to capture it in our cell phones. Golden hour is there, urging us to take selfies. Charm breaks when one of the crew guys ask us to come down as it is time to go nuts with the nets!

So far, we have a vague idea of sunset cruise. Aleem called them in the morning to enquire about what to wear, answer was preferably swimming costumes as we are going to be wet. However, I was unfazed by the suggestion as I was hooked on the name ‘sunset cruise,’ an opportunity to capture some pictures amidst the sea while sun is setting in the background, so against my own better judgement I chose to wear one of the nice outfits.

 The picture I saw earlier in the sports center was of a laughing family merrily standing on the boom net. And when the guy from sports center called us to know about our snack preference, the image I weaved was of me causally reclining on the net, sipping chilled Coke while relishing cucumber, lettuce sandwiches. But reality is in stark contrast. Boom net is neither close to any definition of net I know, nor it is like anything I imagined! It is loosely weaved, crisscross patterned thick nylon strip, unceremoniously dangling from a boom on either side of boat to maintain the balance.

Once boat reaches the deep waters, nets tied to the booms are opened and thrown into the water and we are invited to join the fun. Boat is going on with full throttle to keep the nets afloat and our job is to skillfully entangle our feet in the net, which is badly quaking with ebb and flow of strong waters of Indian Ocean,  with one hand holding the boom while defying the gravity with other, meanwhile looking for the right moment to let your back adjust on the boom with a thump!

We are standing there, trying to take it in whether it would be wise to take the risk or is better to enjoy the sunset from the deck, our ramblings are not a pretty sight for the kids who are getting excited at the mere sight of dangling nets! All charged with adrenalin they are set to take the challenge. Fatima is the first one, carefully placing her feet while holding the boom, she walks to the far end of it and sits there. One of the crew members is already there, deftly balancing himself while helping us to settle on the net one by one. Once settle, gravity supports you to be there against all the thrashing waves. 

Boat is rushing past the rapid waters which in turn are shaking us and soaking us to brim. Wind is fluttering through us. Waves are tossing the net and we are swaying with it. It is like roller coaster ride with less speed but un matching views. Kids are loving the experience and we are loving their laughter!

Guy who is taking care of us on this little excursion is a middle-aged Maldivian with deeply tanned skin and curly hair. I ask him whether girls are also as good swimmers as boys, he says that they used to be, but times have changed and girls are conscious about their complexion and sun exposure, so they prefer to stay indoors. All the staff members of sports center I met so far are Muslims and Maldivian.

Sun is about to set, one by one we are going inside the boat, shivering, struggling to remove life jackets and covering ourselves with towels. Chilled drinks are waiting for us. All the activity has made us so hungry that cucumber sandwiches are tasting delicious than usual. We are not done yet talking about the exhilarating experience when one of the guys called, ‘dolphins!’ Super elated we rush towards the railing where we see our first wild dolphins, majestically emerging out of the water and diving back in with such subtle grace. 

Sun is setting, waves are catching its crimson tinge and letting it reflect on kids’ faces. No one was expecting this, it is not that we are on dolphin cruise, it is sunset cruise where there is no mention of dolphins. Couple of days ago while browsing the cruises available at our resort we were told that there is no certainty that we will be able to spot dolphins on dolphin cruise.

 Yet here we are today, luxuriating in the moment, where waters are ablaze, sun is setting, wind has a wholesome chill and dolphins ride over the waves right beside us!