1st Jan - Happy New Year – welcome to 2009
Papa wrote: -   We woke up at 6am. Dhrupad had milk-bourbon biscuits and bhujiya. Others woke up one by one and finally after a quick “crow” bath we were all ready to leave at 7:30 am
After a long walk (about 1.5km) along the banks of the island (bund) we reached the boat through jetty.

There were around seven boats and one had to hop from boat to boat to reach one’s boat.
The boat itself was very interesting. It had an upper deck with pilot cabin, deck chairs and dining table.

It also had a lower deck where one can sleep (like train sleepers – though one tier only) as well as space to cook (fitted with gas stove, utensils and vegetables).

The tour started with first getting permission – which Nilangshu went for collecting all the identity cards – while we all hogged on breakfast of bread- cucumber (with salt) bhujiya and even cream crackers.

While we were waiting the boat made a neat circle in the river – which looked like a pond in the sea.

Its rather complex to describe the water body here – it’s neither a sea nor a river nor a lake – so what it is? Delta is the answer – Imagine loads of water with very wide rivers with ‘sea’ water inside it and clay islands all sprinkled in it with mangroves growing all over it.

Initially there were villages / settlements on left side of the river – but after couple of hours of boat ride towards the sea (Bangladesh)  and slowly the islands became distant, turning into large forest islands – typical of the tiger habitat with mangroves all along the edges (clay banks).

As settlements vanished, and we entered the core forest area, we got our first and most significant sighting of year 2009 – a huge water monitor lizard. It was about 3-4 feet – sleeping or rather sun bathing – which goes to disturbed by our boat and excitement.

Soon we entered a narrow delta river with mangroves close to us on either bank of the rivers.

Asawari wrote: -
Today in the morning at 7:30 we set out for our tour.
The boat has two parts – one up and one down. Down is the kitchen and two beds for sleeping. In the upper part there are chairs to sit, a small cabin for the pilot to sit and a small bed. In the end of the boat is a box – it is the toilet. In the front is an open space to sit (called the bow).

I like sitting on the bow – because I can feel the cool breeze and I feel as if the water is with me and the islands are all around me – it feels I am inside with them.

Sunderbans is a delta of Ganga. There are islands all around. Water flows in between. The width of these rivers ranges from half kilometre to two kilometres. Water is muddy, saline, calm and cold. In few islands people have settled down and formed villages.

On the islands mangroves tress grow. They grow in water and land – their roots are visible and are used for breathing.

When I was in the boat - I felt that I was flowing with the water.

After lunch we reached an island where the forest department has built the watchtower.

Unfortunately we did not see any animals – but we saw the tiger paws.

Royal Bengal Tiger are 12ft long.
We saw a deer on our way back and saw some birds like the beautiful black capped kingfisher.
 I really want to see a RBT and a crocodile. Lets see if we are lucky we shall see one.

Meanwhile what we can see are the mangrove trees. The Mangrove trees are found all over Sunderbans. Mangrove tree breath through the roots. The water is very muddy – like clay as the soil here is all clay.

Some questions that came to my mind are –
Where do crocodiles sleep?
How low and high tide is formed?