The Mysterious Saint Martin

Saint Martin! The only coral reef in Bangladesh. Located in the middle of Bay of Bengal. The most happening tourist attraction point of Bangladesh .Just five six years back it was a paradise. The island is surrounded with clear blue water and if you notice clearly then you might se some dolphins and jelly fishes in the water loitering around. On winter 2007

as traveling around Bangladesh fro a long time and this time I wanted to go and see Saint Martin at a different point of view. It is quite obvious to see this island from a boat or from a plan. But the really beauty of this island lies under the water .I have planned that this time I will get under the water and see this island how it is.So I got up from komlapur bus stand on a bus to Teknaff from their I got on to a local brumis style fishing boat for Saint Martin. This was a trilling journey itself. The rolling and pitching of the boat made few passengers sick but I enjoyed it. This boat had to cross the Bangla Channel which I crossed in 2006 .All the past memories was flashing in the mind. Especially when I was swimming all by myself and my buddies were ways ahead of me. So from the past to present this boat journey ended quite fast. After two hours we reach the Jetty of Saint Martin Island. Who knew that there was a surprise for me waiting in the Island on the same day there was a kite festival happening in Saint Martine Island .Which was organized by the group of my Aritist friend from Chobi Hut Dhaka. So it was like the cream on the ice .I had a quality evening with them out there flying different kinds of kites. Then on the same evening I went to Chera Deep.Before that I had to rent the snorkeling equipment from a local diving club called “Oceanic Scuba Diving Bangladesh “and then started walking in the dark along the beach. On the way I meet lot of locals there were all very curious to see such an alien backpacker trekking in the beach so late at night. After trekking for an hour or two I pitched my tent just between Chera Deep and Saint Martine. The set my and started to prepare my dinner. After my dinner I went to sleep. Next morning I got up early to see the golden sun rise of the island and learn how the locals start their life every day. Since it tourist points so few people are into this business and the rest are fishermen. Women are not encouraged to go outside the house so they are mostly house wife.After m breakfast I got into my dive suit and went into the water to see the heavenly underwater world of Saint Martin.

I was really beautiful view. There was lot of colorful fishes and corals. I was having some difficulty to capture these fishes because there were to fast and restless. Still I was happy with the photograph I did on the corals.Atleast I can show my friend the coral that are making the island look glamorous. So after snorkeling for after an hour I came out and went back to my tent.
Few things made me disappointed about the island was that tourist are making the island polluted .the corals are dieing because of the anchors of the fishing boat. After that I came back to Saint Martine Island on tourist boat that comes to Chera deep. After that I had my lunch and came back to Teknaf of the ships. Then on the same evening I got on the Dhaka bus. this was m first time doing underwater photography in Saint Martin but I hope to be there again and do more of underwater photography and get more better photos and show the people of Bangladesh the real beauty of saint martin is underwater the water not above.