Sand Surf and Water- WEEKEND BREAK | Nagaon Eco center

  The Nagoan beach with Casurina trees

 Breathing the fresh air, walking on the beach through the water with clam around, seeing the fishing trawlers far away, it dawns on you this is meditation and relaxation. “Weekend breaks or short trips heightens your creativity.” As the first rays of the sun begin to brighten the skies one could spot the faint outlines of a trawler against the intangible backdrop. The day has just begun, but the sea warriors are already deep into the seas.

 As the trawler slows down to touch the shore and the net is cast into the water, as the catch is pulled to the deck the team is jubilant  on seeing the catch.

My lessons on Marine Biodiversity

 The activity piques our interests reaching near it and peeping inside I see these pearl color scaled and shining fishes caught in the net with the small mouths trying to say “Today I am going to be your delicious meal “as if talking to me. I keep wondering about how beautiful these creatures are and the nature’s cycle of survival of the fittest.

My curiosity heightened I walk up to the fisherman on the trawler who allows me to be on the deck, Here I get a peek into his life,the daily chore of going into the sea for the catch and earning their livelihood through fishing .”Suresh  ” The fisherman and owner of the trawler tells me  how the technology and the newer techniques have helped them to protect marine biodiversity and paved the way for a change in one of the country’s most important fishing coastlines.

On a Monthly Dose of Creativity

We are on our weekend getaway at Nagoan located in the north Konkan region of Maharashtra on the shores of the Arabian Sea.  As you leave the Goa highway and take the Alibaug road you can smell the Ocean in the air. 114 km away from Mumbai and 9kms away from Alibaug, the place is a quick getaway.We had started early morning and reached Nagoan by Lunchtime. Night travel in the area can be bit challenging.

The Landscape

As we disembark from our vehicle we are  in for the most extravagant expanse of the Blue-green waters, the soft black and white Flat beach mere 20mtrs away from our cottage. As we run into the waters to embrace the waves the joy on each one of our faces made it a perfect KODAK moment. The landscape is covered with Casurina Trees tall and close to each other as if making a boundary between the sea and land.

Sand Surf and Water

The beach is a stretch of 3 km soft sand and surf where marine life is washed ashore with every tide. It’s a shallow beach one can walk long stretches or can swim well in. The beach is clean and sparsely crowded.The beach hosts some water sports, though I wish to throw a little caution here with the safety systems.

The cramped up stay

Our stay was booked online at ECOCETRE. We had checked the reviews, the location and rating. The place has many home stays but Eco Center has the best location, as we checked in the cabin, yes it was the size of a cabin and for five of us it became a cozy cove for the next 3 days. Eco Center has modest amenities but the most scenic view made it for all.

We were crawling on each other but the time we spent on the patio singing, sitting and watching the waves embracing the shore, made the trip worthwhile.

Eating at the attached shack the freshest of the seafood was as  a gastronomical treat, the shack chef yes a chef as he cooked the local dishes with local flavors, the freshness of the air, water and food was just the right mix for our Break

The Zero-waste Funda

The locals here have the vadis with trees of Mango, Jackfruit, beetle nuts and Coconut. They live on the simple principle of zero waste. All that comes from nature goes back to nature. Everything that comes from a tree is used in day to day life with a principle of zero waste.

People are simple, hardworking and Ocean is their life, the women with colorful flowers in their hair are masters of their work and vadis.

Life at sea and the shores

Fisherman strives hard to earn their livelihoods and with the decrease in the catch are using technology and newer ways to protect marine biodiversity. Like using square mesh nets to catch the marketable size fish and leave out the baby fish. But life is tough but SEA is their life.

Reality Check

We meanwhile at ECO CENTRE lazed in the minimum space. Ate all that was available on the menu, sang all-time old and new favorites chatted till the dawn break and completely satiated with a promise to be back resumed to our daily hectic life.

The 3 days were like peace descending, the waves coming & kissing our feet to stay longer, the shells asking to take a little more to unwind & see what’s in them, the sunrise and  set touching the horizon made me feel its vastness and at the same time it dawned on me ”  what a tiny place l occupy in the world”

 Nearby Attractions: Korlai and Kolaba Fort, Akshi & Albaugh Beaches

• Stay: The place hosts many Homestays, Hotels.
• Travel: Place is Accessible By road.
• Satiate your pallet: Surmai, bhangda & prawns made in Nariyal curry
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• Varsha Mahore Blogs… Enriching life through travel