A first time experience on a boat floating into an estuary was a fascinating experience for Poonam, our guest blogger. One that she captured in her heart, and recounts it with lyrical clarity even today. 

I had read about estuaries in school, but it was always a ‘short note’ that would fetch me two marks in my exams. Little did I know that I would see this phenomenon playing out in front of my eyes for less than two mins, and realise with a shiver down my spine that what I just witnessed was nature’s miracle. 

This happened in March 2015 when I was accompanying a media promotion group. I had known of  the Estuary at Poovar, when I was heading sales at Estuary Island Resort a few years ago. The team was always talking about this phenomenon of the backwaters rising when the sandbanks open to let the waters merge into the Arabian Sea.  Every time I visited the resort I was hopeful that I would see  this natural drama, but it remained elusive. Soon I joined Niraamaya and was pretty sure that I wasn’t likely to witness this ever. But life always seems to have its own plans, doesn’t it? 

My lady luck must have been smiling, as I almost opted out of the backwater cruise and beach picnic that was planned for the journalists. We had Tinku Ray, Lalitha Iyer, Kalpana Sunder, Julie Sam and Anupma Tripathi on the FAM, we all got along very well, and they insisted that I accompany them on this outing. 

A 30 mins drive from our retreat, we reached the Poovar backwaters – not as beautiful as the ones near Alleppey and Kumarakom, but it’s a quaint journey nevertheless through some narrow channels flanked by overhanging mangroves all around. Birding along the way is amazing and I wished I had packed my binocular and a bird book. Once there I thought the vibe was like ‘Lake Placid’, but maybe that’s just my fear of crocodiles playing tricks on my mind. In another 20 mins of gliding through the channels, the narrow backwaters open out to a larger lagoon and you see a sandbank, over 150-200 metres wide that divides the backwaters from the sea. What is interesting to see is the spectacular play of colours and this is one image that has stayed in my memory. The murky and at times bottle green of the backwaters; the myriad shades of green of the trees and mangroves, the golden sands in front of you, and the azure blue of the Arabian sea beyond. A fancy phone camera could capture the colour and some of the mood. But by far the best image is the one my mind captured. I  beheld the colours enough to take that picture and store it in my memory. 

When the waters start to rise in the backwaters or the sea, there is a danger of it flooding the nearby areas. But nature isn't always about fury. The water gushes towards one point on the sandy beach, and starts edging towards the other side to merge with the salty water. Within seconds, the sand starts to part, creating an inlet for the waters to merge, and you see swirls of green in the blue of the sea water. You have to be careful not to stand too close to the mouth of the estuary, as the speed at which this phenomenon occurs rivals the blinking of an eye. And as is the case with magic, the phenomenon is over within a matter of  minutes. 

The landscape has changed right in front of your eyes and you depart a much different person for having witnessed this miracle of nature. 

Poonam Tipnis

General Manager Sales 

Niraamaya Wellness Retreats