The crew needed a break, food needed to be cooked, and why not stop here at our own island. As I often do, I swam out with fins and snorkeled. Spots like this one, you have to yourself. Dive tours don’t go here and for the most part the reef is undisturbed. The depths on this side of the island was band of shallows. Sunlight shone through the surface and lit up the colors of the corals, fish, urchins, and sands. I’ve dove the Great Barrier Reef and what I can say is that reefs here in Flores are just as beautiful. I followed the reef and shallows away from the island. Then what was before me looked like a wall of blackness. The shallows dropped into deep cobalt blue water.
I could feel the cold of the blackness ahead. Standing on the ledge, it’s a wonderful while terrifying sensation. I then proceeded to follow along the track of ledge which wrapped around the island. A while later feeling a current, I kicked back along towards the island. I had now swam about 1/3 around the island and the shallows and reefs did not merge as gently on this side of it. On this side the island had a cliff face and sharp rocks jolted from the sea. The waves splashed more violently and I worked with full effort to keep moving. I could not see the boat, nor they me. I believe I was halfway around and the way back was not something I wanted to go through again.
Below, I could see that I was floating over the edge of undersea cliffs. As the waves moved I could be floating a few feet over the rocks, then as they withdrew I could be hovering100 ft over a ledge that was a deep undersea ravine. Sometimes in these notches I noticed unusually big angel fish and other large fish. They too were moved by the tide.Breathing to calm myself, with the adrenaline and hear my pulse in my ears. I eased, stopping to drift and calm.
Relaxed and now with a more natural way of kicking and efficient effort; I found that I was able to move, but slowly. “I’m moving, keep moving, stay away from rocks. As long as I can move, I’m in control” I said to myself. It felt endless. Each kick seemed to stand still. It was like this again and again. Eventually, I came around the back of this island. The ledge was farther out and the cliffs over looking the water was not here. Below was again shallows. Bright white shallow sands with a few rays and schools of colorful electric blue fish. Just ahead I could see my small boat again. I was not close but I eventually made my way back. It took all my strength to pull up the dive ladder.
When I clambered on, they asked me what happened and where was I for the last hour or so. Coughing, I pointed to the island and said “Around, round, around I go, swimming.” Laughing, shocked, and surprised, they thought I was crazy and said I’m likely the first person to ever swim around that thing. I was completely sapped, promising myself never to do anything that risky or stupid again; at least not alone. I sat looking miserable. When I could get up. I snapped this shot. It’s the island, it towers from the sea and below it reflects colors into blackness.
Linh Vien Thai is Amerasian, born in Dalat, South Vietnam, where he continued to lived during the war. He left for the U.S. and is now an American living in Tokyo. He enjoys adventure traveling and doing what’s right to make the world a better place.
