Kisite's Kiss

In December of 2014, I spent a few days at the Kenyan south coast. While travel advisories were being issued against that gorgeous slice of paradise, I was there with a couple of friends: camping on a beach with pearly white sand, snorkeling in teal waters, and thoroughly enjoying the beach bum life that I’ve always fantasized about living. It was magical, and that's as good as it was going to get for me until my friends (who were less eager to subscribe to the lazy agenda than I was) added the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park to our itinerary.

In a little under an hour we'd made the drive from our campsite to Shimoni - where we would take a boat ride for the last stretch to the marine park. As we boarded the dhow, I was thrilled to see Kenya Wildlife Services guards on patrol, their presence a reassuring reminder for wildlife/nature lovers that we were entering a protected reserve.

We set off across the ocean blue, and an hour later we'd arrived at the park - which is a geographical region on the open water without any particular boundaries. The dhow was docked on a prominent sandbank (Kisite Island), which was only accessible when the tide was low. We'd set out on the trip a lot later than we'd anticipated, so our time in the water was limited.

My snorkelling gear was on in no time, and I was first in the water. Floating face-down in wonder, admiring the sand bank and the tiny fish darting in and out from beneath the sand bank, I was content. Until the sand bank suddenly dropped off about 15m (45 feet) into the ocean floor, and beneath me opened up a magical world of coral and fish. The coral garden was breathtaking in its colour and diversity, and the fish that swam in and out of the reef a perfect compliment.

My wonder grew the further I swam out and the garden increased in depth and vibrance. The strong and fluid “whoosh” of my inhale and exhale the soundtrack to the breathtaking ethereal world, exquisitely illuminated by sun rays filtering through the water.

Within no time, we were called back to the dhow as the tide began to rise and Kisite Island began to be submerged.

As we coasted back to the dock, and I devoured my fresh crab lunch, I was in wonderland. And just for good measure, a school of dolphins decided to escort us for a length of the way back.

And as the rise and dip of the dhow lulled me to a light post-lunch nap, I vowed that I would return every day for the rest of the vacation. And I did.