The winter sky donned its best blue with the sparing puffs of clouds obstructing the monotone at places. The waves of the sea lapped lovingly against the sandy shore, so gently that the entire stretch looked like a mirror held to the pretty sky. One could easily mistake the scene to be the Bolivian Salt Flats. With the waves caressing our feet so lovingly, it was only a matter of few minutes before we took out our ‘expensive’ trekking shoes to walk barefoot on the sand, wondering if we should have left the additional weight of our footwear in the vehicle.

As we continued our trek beside the shoreline, the rumble of the sea set the pace to our stride. Soon we were greeted by a huge colony of seagulls. I had read somewhere that the gulls usually flew in circles in the sky or perched deep inside the sea. But seeing them flock to the shore; squabbling, frolicking, and playing chase with the waves on the entire beach was something new. Our little intrusion did not seem to bother them as they gracefully took flight with our approach only to move further ahead or go beneath us leaving behind white poop for the waves to wash.

The initial part of the trek in the morning took us through wide sandy beaches. By noon we were greeted by estuaries formed by tributaries of the Sharavathi and Aghanashi rivers emptying into the sea. Meandering between rocks, the streams had created beautiful patterns on the seashore. Fortuitously, the tide was low and we could cross the streams on foot. During high tides, we were told, the streams would swell and a boat would be needed to aid the crossing. After emptying our packed lunch boxes near one of the estuaries and spending some time clicking pictures, we continued our journey northwards.

Heading north, we noticed that the wide beaches had started to taper. A rocky cliff covered with palm trees stood before us, challenging us to cross it before heading our way along the beach. The beach sand beneath us had gradually changed from soft to coarse and soon we were hopping on boulders and climbing rocks. Moving further, it was time to climb the cliff. With the footwear finally taking its rightful position, we put our strength to the test as we climb the huge rocks. [Note: While trekking along the beach, one should remember that the rocks and boulders by the sea are quite different from the ones we encounter in the hills and mountains. The lashing of the harsh waves over time would have turned the rocks smooth and slippery. So, having footwear with good grip is essential]. As the going got tough, we took a slight detour to head towards the land and it was then that we noticed the fishing village of Vanalli hidden beneath the towering palm and coconut trees. The tiny homes with their red roofs spread amidst the trees looked like a toy village. The two cliffs on either side of the village along the shore had formed a bay making it a natural safe harbor for anchoring their fishing boats. The wooden jetty, colorful boats lined up along the curved shore and the blue sea made postcard-like views. While we were the only trekking group crossing the village, it was evident from the nonchalance from the villagers that groups of trekkers crossing their cute little village was nothing new for them.

When we started our trek along the seashore in the morning, little did we anticipate treading through such diverse terrain. Within 9 km of the trek during the day, we had walked on wide sandy beaches, crossed streams and rivers, climbed rocks and cliffs, swam in a secluded bay, and walked through evergreen forest, all while keeping the lovely blue see in our sight. Just when we thought that the day couldn’t get any better, the rain god showered us with a short drizzle bringing along a whiff of petrichor. As icing on the cake came the rainbow spreading wide across the horizon of the land while at the same time the amber sun descended into the sea casting a golden glow on all that we could see.