Abandon: A Romance

People remember days of great significance for instance when they bag a coveted job or get married. These occasions are symbolic and transform us in more ways than one. However, the day that I will never forget was when I almost lost my life on a solo travel.
I have always had a longing, the desire to fall of the map, and it has taken me to some beautiful places. This time around, I wanted to venture deep into the sea. Andaman, away from the gaze of the world, seemed intriguing. So it was decided.
On a clear sunny morning, I left for the tropical setting of Port Blair, the entry point to the Andaman Islands. My favoured destination was Radhanagar beach, famed as the second best shoreline in Asia.
The sea roared like a Lion from afar and I couldn’t hide my excitement at the prospect of a swimming contest with the ocean. The sand was white and spotless, and the turquoise water crystal clear. It was an open invitation as well as a challenge. I accepted with glee.
As soon as my feet touched the water, I felt the current that surges through the waves. An accomplished swimmer, I forged ahead fearlessly. 30 minutes later, I could no longer see the shoreline from my standpoint.
The ocean had been calm and inviting a few minutes earlier but now it was furious and aggressive. For the very first time, I experienced nature's might. A wicked wave headed in my direction from afar. I can handle this, I thought. However, as it came closer, it grew in size & by the time it reached me it had taken monstrous proportions. When it finally hit me I was pushed back as if in a bomb explosion. I went under the water & soon as I tried to rise to the surface the whirlpool pulled me down.
I had never experienced this force in a swimming pool. It was strong, unyielding & sucked me down to the very bed of the water. All my frantic attempts to rise were futile. There was little hope of a rescue or even an alarm, I was all alone here. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, the current subsided and I frantically made my way to the surface, a more modest human.
Even as I walked back to safety, I felt wave after wave hit me with vengeance. I asked it to calm down & that I was on my way out.
I lay down on the white sand & stayed there for a long time looking at the picturesque sky. Clouds formed all sorts of patterns in the sky, a setting sun and an adventurous sea; it came straight from the imagination of a painter. Or perhaps the imagination comes from such scenes.