Splendour and monkey friends at coastal Mombasa 

At the shorelines, the crystal blue Indian Ocean waters hit and wet the white sands. A barefoot  white couple,  playfully splashed water at each other as they walked the 18-kilometre  stretch.

The sun warmed us and brightened the water bubbles further. Along the shorelines, beach boys, men and women were happy to make a buck by selling coconut and handicrafts. 

From the raised lawns of Neptune Hotels, tourists occasionally sipped on colourful drinks in cocktail glasses as they enjoyed views  of the beach that included motorised boats as they buoyantly awaited to cruise adventurous tourists on marine expeditions.

At the mid-morning hour, the weather was perfect for a voyage. In we went, our captain, Yahya Ali of Luna Fish Club, with his assistant, helped us into the white glass boat.

We were eager for what lay ahead of us in the sought-after Mombasa coastline whose waters are plentiful with a variety of fish, of different colours as well as creatures that come alive in the salty environs. True to beach culture, some folks went shirtless, and for the pot-bellied one, jibes were generously thrown at him. He responded with the joke your writer cannot relay.

Well, the cruise was a good start and moderately speedy for the day. We sat side by side to balance the boat and in the middle, was a big magnifying glass through which we could see marine life and other  things at the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

The zebra and jelly fish, sea urchins, water spiders, crabs, sea stars, and corals were some of the highlights of our excursion. Then, Captain Ali announced that he was going to dive into the ocean for an interaction with the sea mortals. 

In a split second, he went shirtless, wore water goggles, and took a back style dip into the waters and emerged with a water spider which he told us, as he floated, is harmless. He placed it on his hand, holding it out for us to see and went on to place it on his tongue.

He swam and brought the spider for us to feel it. Travel buddy Solomon was quick to find a distant corner in the boat while adventurous Hamza not only held it but went on to put it in his mouth just the way Captain Ali had done.

He brought more creatures, each distinct in look. For example, he fetched the sea stars of different colours  which could pass for dead until we took a closer look to realise that they are only too slow in their movement.

Reading from our curiosity, he explained, “They can survive for two hours out of water, and in shade. If under the sun, they will survive for one hour. The sea stars do not have eyes. They only sense.”

Then, he brought the ball-like sea urchins with what seemed like spikes but were soft limbs that moved to the delight of the travellers who marvelled at what the ocean and sea can offer. Besides the wildlife the Pearl of Africa is prized for, Kenya gave us a marine treat every Ugandan tourist should try when they visit the warmly comfortable and beautifully inviting Neptune properties coastal side of Mombasa.

Later, Vickram Korla, the regional director of operations of East Africa- Neptune hotels, said  Ugandans have hosted weddings at the facility thanks to the ease in transportation provided by Uganda Airlines, a direct flight to Mombasa every Friday.

Well, somewhere in the ocean, were several fun lovers swimming, cuddling, walking on the sands and sailing. And as we cruised on, the captain continued to enlighten us. 

“When you see dark parts, that means there are either sea weeds or corals at the bottom of the ocean. When the waters are blue and clear, there is sand,” he added.

The sighting of brown patches meant we had started seeing corals, skeletal calcareous marine polyps. The particular ones are Kilimanjaro which looked semi fragmented amid  clear waters.

After more than three hours out on the ocean, the bellies needed for some tasty refills which chef Dharmpal Rawat did with some delightful culinary treats.

Satisfied, we needed to relax. There were three swimming pools to choose from at the uniquely three-in-one facility that caters to the vibrant, partygoers, those on holiday and the cosy or honeymooners. 

So, I chose to sit on the dock of the baby, watching the tide as wind and kite surfers animatedly showed off. As I dozed off, off, I felt a monkey gently pat my back. 

When I looked back, he was hastily feeding on grass. I gladly captured the moments. Oh, beautiful Mombasa!