The
turquoise waters glistened invitingly. As I gazed at the boundless
ocean expanse before me, my heart fluttered with both excitement and
fear.
Was I ready to snorkel for my first time?
With flippers already on and goggles snuggly fitted to my face, I closed my eyes and gingerly slipped off the boat and into the warm waters below. The water felt like silk against my skin. I could feel the rhythm of the currents as they pushed against my body.
I was
completely underwater when I opened my eyes once again and was greeted
by soft sunlight filtering through. With my back towards the boat, I saw
my first coral reef in front of me — countless types of coral in
differing colours and sizes and shapes, the entire area teeming with
life. I was completely enthralled.
I kicked
my flippers lightly and drifted a little closer. Small tropical fish in
every colour imaginable were swimming in and out of the reef crevices —
pops of orange and yellow and purple and even rainbow gliding gently
along. Royal blue starfish were tightly attached to rocks on the ocean
floor. The bright coloration, striking patterns, and sights all around
me were surreal.
Suddenly,
out of nowhere, it seemed, several hundred fish appeared and began to
dance around me. I found myself circling these sea creatures and
admiring their beauty. It was tranquil and I felt as if I was at one
with the sea.
The reef I explored that day in Wakatobi
sits on the edge of an enormous shelf and several times I found myself
drifting out, away from the colourful reef into the deep blue waters.
This is where the scuba divers went down and explored. There's an
indescribable mystic about the deep — the rare and unique creatures
waiting to be uncovered, the amount of control one must have down there.
I
later saw diving footage from the area: turtles, shipwrecks, creatures
straight out of The Twilight Zone — magical to say the least — and it
was then that I was inspired to learn how to dive. The next time I'm
back in Wakatobi, I want to not only explore the reefs near the surface
but explore the mysterious depths below as well.
Later that day, after I had finished snorkelling and returned to the boat, I stuffed my face with delicious pisang goreng that was served fresh on board. Pisang goreng
is an Indonesian snack made of deep fried bananas and it was covered in
bits of chocolate. Then, with happy bellies, we headed back to the
resort, a rustic and charming place nestled on the beaches of a
picturesque tropical island. I proceeded to enjoy the sun-soaked, golden
beaches and kick back with a cold drink.
After
multiple snorkelling adventures in Wakatobi over the following days, it
never lost its novelty. The wonders I beheld below the surface will be
forever etched in my memory. While I only explored the island of Wangi Wangi
this time, I find myself dreaming about returns to this region to check
out some of the other islands. Located in Southeast Sulawesi, Wakatobi
is said to have some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving spots in
the world and offers an abundance of great locations for the novice snorkeler all
the way to the experienced diver. With over 900 species of fish and 750
species of coral, dolphins, turtles, whales, and a variety of other
marine life, the underwater world here is incredible. I can’t wait to
get my scuba diving licence so that the next time I'm back, I can
explore the famed diving spots of Wakatobi as well.
Until next time, Wakatobi!
Written by Cynthia Lee
(Indonesia,travel)
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