Day 11: The lonely waterways with helpful people.

Day 11; - Veliancode to Rairamangalam (Tanur) via Ponnani, Mangalam Koottayi regulator.

NOTE : Pictures courtesy Jibin Thomas,  Mathew Varughese & Murugan Krishnan 

Beeyam Kayal, South Ponnani.

We had a peaceful sleep under the mango tree and Balan chettan was early to help us. The morning coffee was ready and the camp closed as we took turns moving the kayaks using the trolleys to the edge of the Canolly canal, 150meters away. After all kayaks were assembled and ready to launch, we noticed that the low tide was at its peak and the kayaks had to be slid down the embankment to avoid the fine mud. The previous day, we had struggled to climb up through the slippery compound. The plan was to get the kayaks rigged, the kayaker taking position in the cockpit and then launching with a slide. For many of us, this was the first time of slide launching. Mathew hit upon the idea of using the stalk of the coconut palm to make the slide, to avoid damage to the hull.

Reaching the embankment, Ponnani

Crossing the embankment, Ponnani

After the launch that was uneventful, we set off towards Ponnani. By dawn we had entered Beeyam Kayaal and now tracked westward to enter the canal that cut across Ponnani town. This was the stretch that we had inspected the day before. As we searched the narrow entrance and turned north, we hit upon the first check dam, erected to help with broadening of the canal. Locals at the nearby tea shop joined to help us. We relaunched on the other side of the embankment and continued across Ponnani town. The place is overcrowded with people and fishing vessels of all kind. The canal in this stretch was dirty & stinky; one could see discharge from homes directly emptying into it. Appalled to see folks also rod fishing in the same waters.We raced to overcome the suffocation and were so careful in paddling, to avoid any water from the canal falling on us. What does one tell poor people about environment when they are running to feed their families.

Reaching the Bharathapuzha estuary.

It was such a relief to see the Bharatapuzha river, as she meets the sea. We waited for all the ten kayakers to come together before making the crossing North. The estuary was being churned by wind from the sea and waves looked intimidating. Taking up the point to hit on the other shore we paddled frantically. The experience was the toughest of the entire trip for some of us. You take your eyes off to look for a fellow or the horizon, the next wave would push you off balance. It took a good ten minutes for us to cross over and having done so, we looked out to make sure the roost was intact. Crossing northward we saw fishing boats getting readied for the sea sojourn. 

Shallow waters, North of Ponnani.

The water was shallow and full of sand, looked beautiful, for it was low tide. Women were wading to pick on clams and crayfish; while men worked relentlessly to push the boats to deeper water. Fishing boats coming in were renewing the crew, the old ones being hauled in boats to the shore. We pushed on with the information about a tea shop near Purathur Juma-Masjid, where all the fishermen coming back from sea were heading. As we came landing, a large crowd started congregating, with talk on what the display was. 

The breakfast break, near Purathur Juma-Masjid.

Local kids, near Purathur Juma-Masjid

Being in camouflage helps in these situations as there is an air of respect for uniformed folks. The scene was now set for leaving the kayaks securely as Rakshit shouted captains command in Hindi, as he marched for his breakfast with his juniors following suit. We got directions from the locals and after the breakfast set off to find the narrow Canolly canal.

Observers on the walkway.

We pushed on and passed a huge cable suspended walkway and came to a halt at Mangalam Koottayi regulator bridge. The regulator controls flow and keeps the upstream saline free during the post-monsoon months. 

Mangalam Koottayi regulator bridge

The kayaks were hauled overland and we got them relaunched on the other side from a house courtyard, that was the first convenient place we found. The place was littered with boulders and the whole relaunch looked precarious.  

Relaunching kayaks on the other side of Mangalam Koottayi regulator bridge

We paddled on to reconnect with Canolly canal. This canal built by more than 150 years ago, is an engineering marvel and stands in disuse today. All along the canal bank we saw huge coconut plantations and not a soul  or a boat; using the canal. We tried our luck with plucker atop the tree for tender coconuts and our luck finally caught up. In the tropical heat, nothing can beat the tender coconut water. We paddled on and the sun was at the zenith, it was hot and humid. 

Canolly Canal, built in 1848, splendid; yet, unused.

Taking rest in coconut grove.

All along the canal at periodic intervals we saw small sheds and later realized that these were racing pigeon huts, that saw the hobbyist come in the morning and evening to take care of the birds. It was now close to 2PM, when we got stuck due to water hyacinth in the water.

Hauling ashore near the pigeon shed.

We pulled over and waited for the school to send us a bus for the function. The intermittent time was spent looking up the bird keepers and understanding their hobby. It took another 45minutes for the bus to appear, with kids carrying placards on conservation, with teachers and Gopu(our overland co-ordinator). 

We took a brief for the kids and then took the bus to attend the school function. Half of our colleagues stayed back, parking the kayaks in a grove. None of us had lunch and the school function was already late. The school was located in Rairamangalam, right next to the Ratheeb Palli(mosque) and it was past 3:30PM, when we reached the school. 

The school function was a success as lot of kids stayed back to hear our pitch and stories, even after the school gets over at 4PM. After the function we bought lunch and headed back to the grove. It was past 530PM, when we had lunch. The next challenge was to move the kayaks to a suitable camp site and it was suggested that we move them to the school. The ideas was scrapped as the distance from school to the canal was more than 300meters and the landscape was not suitable for trolley. The locals were extremely helpful, with the family staying in the grove sending a steady supply of hot tea.

Helpful locals loading kayaks for transfer to Tanur.

The decision was made to move the kayaks to a home next to the canal and we being late, agreed the departure could happen past 5:30AM the next day. It was 10PM, when we got a small truck to get all the kayaks to the storage location. We trouped to school and Deepu had got dinner, that was much less for 10 hungry stomachs. The toll of waiting in a grove without food had beaten some of us hard. After the bath and quick dinner, we went to sleep, using school benches arranged sideways as bed. The day was long and tiring, we had covered 32Kilometer.

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