Dark clouds rolled in over the choppy sea as I drank my Nescafe on the top deck of our boat on the morning of May 25. Despite the gloom, I was excited for our next big adventure.

After 10 days of intense reporting, we were officially done with our work in the field and now had the chance to take in the beauty of the Sundarbans. 

We had a full day of activities planned, starting at 6:30 a.m. with a boat ride through the mangrove forest. Our skiff floated down the narrow waterways, which were lined with flowering trees and palm fronds. Birds sang, and monkeys screeched in the distance. Our photographers gripped their telephoto lenses, ready to snap a photo.

Our boat captain called out bird species, and the sound of shutters quickly followed. The king fisher was a fan favorite with its large beak and bright orange feathers. Then, our captain shouted, “Cobra!” We crowded to the front of the boat to see the snake zigzag through the water. 

On our way back to the liveaboard boat, we saw a water monitor emerge from the rover like a prehistoric dinosaur, covered in scales and on the hunt for its next meal.

That afternoon, we hopped back on the skiff and set off to our next destination.  

Our forest ranger led the way with his bayonet strapped to his back. We walked through fields where tigers were known to stalk their prey, making our way through the shady mangrove forest towards the sound of crashing waves. Herds of spotted deer grazed and wild boars ran free as as we stayed quiet in hopes of seeing a striped cat. 

As we approached the sea, the forest floor turned into fine sand. Driftwood and Japanese net floats scattered the beach shore as white caps rippled in the distance. We quickly realized that we would not be able to swim as giant waves crashed into the shoreline due to the storm that was brewing in the Bay of Bengal. 

A few brave souls waded into the water just to feel the ocean on their skin. They held onto mangrove trees for support as the wind whipped across their faces. 

We decided it would be safest to turn around, so we made the trek back as the sun beat down on our backs. 

We returned to the boat covered in mud and in desperate need of water. I spent the rest of the day cooling off in the shade, painting my friends’ hands with Henna and watching the sunset from the top of the boat, reflecting on our great adventure.