East End Drift Snorkle: Current, Coral, and Sharks!
The last day of this magical and enlightening school trip was filled with a different type of snorkelling, drift snorkelling. An hour-and-a-half car ride later, filled with singing, we were sent to the east side of Grand Bahama, a vast land area with very few people. We learned that this side of The Grand Bahama was greatly affected by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, which caused people to flee this side of the island. We made it to the boat, where we would travel to the drift snorkelling site by Captain Shervin. We learned that drift snorkelling was similar to the type of snorkelling we had been doing for several days now, but instead of having to put effort into kicking underwater, we would just drift away with the current. One by one, we all jumped in and instantly got carried by the current, but not realizing it until our heads were in the water. I saw beautiful fish and coral speed by as I tried to frantically take in all the beauty of nature surrounding me.
Searching through the water as I was being carried by the current really made me feel one with the water. I was catching up to fish I could never dream of ever chasing while snorkelling normally. I felt like a balloon floating in the air, completely surrendering my control to gravity. There is something so freeing about floating through the water’s current, only acting as a spectator to the beauty of the underwater world. A wide variety of fish were observed, starting with miniature ones covered with colour, and then larger fish approximately the size of a human’s arm span. We also found giant sea stars scattered all around the sandy floor and a nurse shark weaving itself through the rocky coral. Captain Shervin guided us to an area of the reef called blue holes, which were extremely deep areas of the reef that had a darker blue colour, containing all types of biodiversity. There were so many species of fish, starfish, sea cucumber, and a massive stingray that had dug itself in the sand as camouflage. I felt like I was in an episode of National Geographic with all the different species I saw in one area! The observation of all these beautiful animals in their habitats was truly special, encapsulating me with unfathomable beauty that cannot be done justice with any description. However, sometimes the feeling of the current being in control, drifting you away, was challenging, especially when there was a place that the whole group needed to meet. Swimming against the current felt like the most difficult game of tug of war ever played. What marked the end of our snorkelling adventures was the sweet, frozen feeling of soft serve ice cream on our tongues, cooling us down under the blaring heat.
My favourite thing about the ocean is the way the sun reflects off it. At times, it seems as if there are tiny diamonds encrusted in the peaks of the waves in a way that feels surreal. When the sun meets the horizon and you get to see the remarkably turquoise water glow, you never want to look at anything else. I got the chance to see such a phenomenon first-hand, during one of the best experiences of my life, a school trip. Going through this experience without a phone as a distraction has forced me to take in my surroundings and not only be more present, but intentional with everything I am doing. Every chance I possibly could, I would get as close as possible to the insanely clear and blue waters that surrounded our hotel and just stare down into the water. I stared at the diamonds among the peaks of the waves and the impossible glow within the horizon. I didn’t have my phone to take a picture and check my notifications, so I fully appreciated everything I was witnessing and did everything in my power to capture the scene in my mind. I was at peace to be alone with my thoughts, which is something that hasn’t happened in a while.
That magical sparkle of the sun’s reflection gave me peace in a way I hadn’t felt before. The overwhelming sensation of calmness only intensified once we stepped on the speed boat and headed to the drift snorkel site. Sitting on the boat that seemed to fly across the ocean made me feel at home in a way I haven’t felt at home before. The way the different tones of blue blended together and contrasted the specs of gold that sat on the tips of the waves, all the while being clear enough to see to the bottom, helped my mind to go quiet for a minute. It was the stillness of my mind that solidified my love for those diamond encrusted waves, and earned my gratitude for the island of Grand Bahama and the ocean forever.
