I’m standing at the southern tip of the island of Diu and the water is a clear blue. But it’s not the water that has my rapt attention. It is the sunrise. Despite being on the West Coast of India, the sun is rising majestically over the sea.
As the town wakes, I’m stretching for another day of kayaking. I am 10 days into my three-month-long, human-powered expedition to solo kayak across the west coast of India (3,000 km), the first attempt by any Indian. The sea is calm and as I launch, it doesn’t portray what is in store. I kayak, for the first time, into a golden sunrise. And it is indescribable!
Just 30 minutes, or 3 km later, I am astonished to find the blue water has turned a murky opaque brown. To my left, the coastline is now jagged with rocks. A wind picks up and the calm sea turns into a whirlwind of raging brown water. As I enter the influence of the Gulf of Khambhat, I realise I am being sucked into the Gulf at great speed. I’m suddenly being propelled at 10km/hr, often into the waves.
It is fast and reckless all of a sudden, and a turbulent sea keeps me guessing my route. After 28 km of horrendous kayaking and four hours at sea, I am now 3 km away from Rajpara, the last big fishing village on this side of the gulf. At this opportune time, dehydrated and aching, I get sucked into an eddy. Waves leap up at me as I kayak above rocks hidden from the view. The water makes it difficult to decipher the right way out.
A large fishing boat, the only kind that can ply here, spots me. They take a U-turn, from their position of safety, to provide help. By the time they arrive I’ve made my peace with the water and instead we quickly exchange information. Sitting 2 km out at sea, they help plot a course, and I bid adieu to the rough waters in exchange for Gujarati hospitality. Day 11, 79 more to go.
Kaustubh Khade is an IITian, Asian Silver Medalist in kayaking and a Limca Book Record holder. He recently kayaked the 3,000km West Coast of India solo
