Water spraying to the sides.. The sun burning into my skin.. All I could see ahead was the blue shade of the sky reflected over miles and miles of water. And all I could hear was the hum of my jet ski... It was Spring Break last week.. And as usual, we came up with a plan to freak out - 3 days at Panama City Beach, Florida - the Spring break Capital of the World. Its known for the huge student crowd that it attracts with its beautiful beaches, interesting beach parties and an active night life. We spent most of our time at the beach. But on the third day, we went for a dolphin tour - a 2 hour tour on jet skis that included a close-up view of dolphins in the sea and a visit to Shell Island. Due to the absence of water-proof cameras on any of us, we ended up capturing our surroundings only through our eyes.
We started off slowly and headed straight to the place where most dolphins preferred hanging around - A part of the Atlantic just off the lagoon. The ride was a smooth one until we reached the borders of the lagoon. Soon, as we entered into the open ocean, the huge waves and the roughness of the ocean made it a tad more interesting to ski along (Pity my pillion rider who held on so hard trying not to fall :P). The dolphins seemed to enjoy swimming near an island where the waves were a bit cut down. The sight of the dolphins swimming alongside us was a never-to-forget experience.
After our acquaintance with the second most intelligent species on the planet (following all primates), we skied off to Shell Island. The island had a view of the mainland with calm waters on one side and the rough open ocean on the other side. The ride to the island with all the scenery around could be expressed in nothing but one word - "Wow!!!" (with all three exclamation marks). It was at this point that I really regretted being unable to capture what my eyes were relishing in a more permanent form. With the mainland on one side, an uninhabited island on the other and miles of water touching the horizon straight ahead, every moment out there was lived at its fullest.
The uninhabited Shell Island was a small stretch of land with a little grass and a run-down wooden building. It was possible to see all ends of the island from any point and was covered in white beach sand all over. The coast was dotted with a number of dead jelly fish washed ashore by the current. The clear water and the bright sand made it seem like living in a desktop screensaver - so serene and calm. The sound of waves splashing and the wind rustling was such a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the city.
If only Lyf had a pause button.... Hmmm...
