An eventful journey on the 7th trip

The journey from Sonakhali to Chargheri during 7th visit (05-Sep-09) was somewhat more eventful than other weeks.

We woke up early in the morning to find that the overnight wind and rain still continued into the dawn. We started a little late. On the way to Sonakhali, Sandeepan got a met office forecast that there will be a cyclone. We looked at each other for a while. None of us is a regular at river travel, especially in areas that are so severely exposed to tropical storms. We second-guessed the wisdom of making the trip with a cyclone alert in the backdrop. However all of us knew fully well that people will be waiting for our food materials at Chargheri as we have promised to come this week. Besides, the crop training was scheduled to start from this visit.

Over the preceding weeks we had to put in some effort in making this training happen. All of us in PAKT saw the importance of this training to the locals who are largely farmers. Since the time he learnt of this idea, Sandeepan in particular had put in relentless effort towards this training program. An earlier attempt to get this effort started had to be cancelled because the trainers were done in by vehicle problems on their way to Sonakhali. Trainers, thus, could not make that earlier trip. This time we were determined to start the crop training program. It was too important a program to get delayed any further. We decided on going ahead and travelling to Chargheri.

We started the journey from Sonakhali at around 11 AM. Some videos of that journey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHSESLAHqV4

[This video shows the windy conditions prevailing during most of our river journey to Satjelia on 5th Sep 2009]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL_FGen-7gQ

[The wind and rain lashed us to wetness on the top deck of the boat. Kaustuv and Sandeepan were better served by their rain jackets.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu0CXg0KO38

[The usual practice of picking up Sumo driver from Gosaba. We started from Sonakhali where we buy the rice. Mahender took the Sumo to Gadkhali and crossed the ferry to Gosaba, where we pick him up.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCj_GF5leE0

[A bird soared along with the boat for a stretch near Chargheri, as if to wish us good luck]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVoYp_c98mg

[Soon the well wishing bird near Chargheri was joined by a companion. They said hi to us and then went their way.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glYl5EeCz7I

[Since the water was already receding, our boat was anchored at a distance from the banks. The remaining distance was covered on the now-familiar small boat. We also carried some bags of rice and kochu (Arum) with us as also the soya packs, so that initial distribution could be promptly started even as the material gets unloaded from the main boat.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIRIHlV1vfA

[Another common sight on our visits: A video of the small boat being dragged from the river over the mud to the distribution point. As I said in an earlier blog post, the slippery mud (which poses a serious accident risk to all who walk on the dyke paths) is a boon for this activity.]

The return journey had a little twist a well. It was dark and we were yet to start our return journey when we learnt that the cyclone warning was now a TV news. Upon return to the boat, we learned that the boat hull had been punctured at the bottom by a blow from the anchor spikes during lifting operation. Some repair work had thankfully been done to 'cover' the return journey.

Midway through the 3 hour journey we realised that water still kept seeping in though the repair work. We checked it out. Thankfully the rate on seepage was evidently too low to raise an alarm. Also, the boatmen were attentive to that . They kept throwing out accumulated water from the boat hull manually from time to time.

The good wishes from the two birds on Ganral river near Chargheri were desperately needed on our way back as well.