Our second day exploring this gorgeous corner of Sri Lanka saw most of us enjoying a mixture of nature, culture, and local flavor.   After traveling along a coast lined with rocky points, statues of Buddha, and beautiful waves, we arrived at the Madu Ganga River.  Here, we boarded some local boats to navigate through mangrove channels and a series of lakes dotted with islands, experiencing a bit more of the local lifestyle. 

Onboard the boats, we enjoyed searching for wildlife.   Brahminy kites and fish-eagles circled overhead while colorful kingfishers and Indian cormorants fished closer to the water.  A few different lizards were spotted, including one large water monitor.  Hiding in amongst the mangrove roots it allowed for a close approach.  For me, the highlight was the monkeys.  Purple-face leaf monkeys put on quite a show leaping from tree to tree.   They were quite tame and didn’t seem to mind all of us burning lots of pixels pointing our cameras in their direction.

Part of the fun of our excursion was simply navigating along the channels and lakes.   We had to duck under some very low bridges while trains, bikes, cars, and pedestrians passed overhead.   A few stops added to the excitement as well.   Visiting a Buddhist shrine allowed for many of us to learn about the predominate religion here in Sri Lanka.   A stop at a Cinnamon Island taught us about this important spice and how it is prepared.   Man-made mangrove tunnels and caves helped us learn more about this essential ecosystem by being inside of the trees.

After a delicious local lunch with nearly endless choices, it was time to return to the National Geographic Orion and set sail towards Colombo.  It has been an incredible voyage through the Seychelles and Maldives and ending here in Sri Lanka.  From the biggest (blue whale, giant tortoise, and whale sharks) to the smallest (geckos, sunbirds, and clouds of tropical fish), it has been a voyage filled with amazing discoveries.  Sun and sand, diving and snorkeling, history, culture, and ecology.   It is time to get a cold drink and enjoy our final “green flash.”