The Day I didn't care for my life @Digha Trip

This is a real story. Names of characters are also real. This happened on 20 June 2009.

This was vacation time of summer 2009. I as well as some of my friends were still in campus for project works. Tired of our work we were planning a trip. Everybody suggested Digha as it is the best beach nearby our campus. I've been there for 2-3 times yet I agreed to them.

    The next night at 1.20am we left for Digha and reached there by 5.30am. We were six people (in picture from left to right)Tarun , me (Pankaj) , Manoj , Satish , Sumith and Hitesh (Not in the picture). 

     I've been here many times and have never seen water level so high on this beach. There is a slanted cemented way to enter in to sand beach and usually sea starts after 300-400 meters strip of sand. But this time I was surprised because water was so high that sand was not even visible and water was reaching more than 2/3 of the cemented slanted path that must be slanted with 20-30 degree of elevation. When water waves were coming towards us , water was reaching too high through this cemented way and coming with very high speed that It was slapping our legs. Oppositely when waves were back we can see most part of the slanted path still water level must be 3-4 meters from sand beach.

    This was Manoj who reached there first. He didn't have any idea that water can reach him. All of sudden, a wave came, He was watching that wave but he didn't get how early water came up slapping his leg with a high impulse and he fall badly on his left arm and lot of water was flowing up over him. While going back water was pulling him back but he put his hand in a breach between two blocks of that cemented path and finally he was safe but he got hurt badly in his hand and hip.

   Then we all came to know that don't go in beyond a limit and we were limited till other people were. Now we were just lying or sitting when water was coming up. But this was not enough fun for us. We were thinking of having some more fun and adventure. We found that in parallel with this path there is more steep strip that ends to sand beach first that must have elevation of 30-40 degree and have rough surface but there were seats on which people were sitting. So, Sumith, Mnoj and I went there and sit there on one of the seat. We didn't had idea that what can happen there. We were on 9-10 feet ahead of the general people. Initially  very normal waves were coming that were getting through the stone in front of our seat and getting deflected. Those waves were not much serious and those were just able to reach our hips. We were enjoying those waves. We got used to the pattern and felt that there was no danger at that place. But regardless of the pattern a very high wave came that went over 2-3 feet over our head and all of us toppled back of the seat and got pulled toward the sea by heavy amount of returning water. But somehow Manoj and Sumit was just behind the seat and get support of that and I toppled in side of the seat and had no support. It was really a dreadful scene. I was not able to get hold of anything to save me. Manoj gave me his hand and making a hold on rough surface I manage to survive that flood. Finally we came to know that how dangerous that place was. This was just our good luck that we manage to save ourself. Sumit and I were wearing spectacles and surprisingly those were safe.

Through this episode we got very minor injuries. But we learnt a lot. Now we decided to move 4-5 feet up but still we were 4-5 feet ahead of general crowd. Now we came to know how to handle these waves. Three of us were holding each others hand and making a very good hold on seat. We developed a very good skill to  fight those waves. Hitesh didn't participate in that and in whole episode Tarun and Satish was missing. They came later. They were not aware of that place and took that place casually and sat side by us. We were trying to explain them but by the time a high wave came and both of them get toppled out of the seat and got hurt. Then they went away from that place. Still Sumith, Manoj and I was there. We found that water level was increasing by the time and getting dangerous.

       By all this, Manoj has lost one of his sleepers. He saw a 12 year local girl (in right picture) having his sleeper. Now, He ran after her and asked her that sleeper she had. He showed her one sleeper that he had. Still she refused to give his sleeper back to him. He asked her to take some money for his own sleeper. Finally, he managed her for a deal of Rs 20 for his own sleeper. But, he got pissed of as he don't have any money there. He told her, "come with me to hotel room. I've money there. I'll pay you there."  She replied, "Hotel le ke jaye ga muje...?".  Manoj was too embarrassed. Finally, that girl sent some boy with Manoj and He purchased his own one year old one of the sleeper again for 20 rs.

   By now, Hitesh was enjoying at the safest place. Manoj were dealing with girl. Tarun and Satish were enjoing somewhere. It's only Sumith who was with me. We thought to go a long on the strip and sat on one seat thinking that to be safe. But this was our bad luck that a strange wave came that touches nearly the last boundary and we toppled back and this time both of us lost our spectacles. We were feeling so unlucky that we manage to protect our spectacles in the most difficult situation but at this time we lost.

   It was 9 am still water was not going down and it was on it's peak. I and sumith had lost our spectacles as well. I had one extra pair of glasses but that was in car. We moved back toward that old slanted path and came back where we toppled first. We were watching waves and people and searching for our other friends as we lost our glasses. By the time I saw that one family of five people is going toward the seat where we were sitting before. Surely, these people has just arrived to beach and just went there. They were unaware of any danger. This family have one man (nearly 40 years), a woman (36-38 years) and three girls (nearly 16 years, 13 years, 10 years). All of them sat on the seat. This was so dangerous by now because water level had increased a lot from we were there. I screamed to them in Hindi, "Don't go there. It's very dangerous". Probably they don't know Hindi. Many other people screamed to them in Bengali. But the man didn't listen any of them. I was sure that sitting there was like a suicide attempt. But being unaware of any danger they were enjoying there and feeling other people jealous of them. Everybody else was watching them only. Nearly after 3-4 minutes one of the strong wave came and all of them toppled in side of the seat because this came with an angle. Now, this situation was far away our. As the same happened at the same place with us nearly one and half hour before and water level was has increase a lot from then and overflowing water over them was so huge that they were invisible for a moment.

  This was the moment on what there lives were depending. Everybody was sure that it's nearly impossible for them to get out of that flood and it was a very much steep surface. A huge amount of retuning water on that steep surface was getting speed and toppling this family downwards towards sea. Everybody was shouting for help. People were just watching that like an television show. Sumith and I was standing there without our glasses. Within seconds , I ran towards them crying, "save them... save them....". I entered in to the water. I only remembered some words from Sumith, "PKP..! where r u going...?". I didn't here him and ran in hurry having concentration on them. The whole family was flowing downwards with very high flow of water. The man was lying with head downwards and legs upwards and his wife was lying oppositely to him and two daughters were in mid of them and the one girl was above her mother. I reached to them and making a strong hold of seats and stone I gave my hand to the man and stopped him from going downwards. His whole family stops as they were above him. Later some people came for help and took them one by one at the safe place. Still I was holding the man and taking him up. All family was in trauma. That man was crazy. Water was flowing and I was helping him in going up but he was not coming with me and weeping and going back downwards saying that where is her one of the daughter. I was trying to make him convinced that everybody is safe but he didn't know Hindi. Finally I took him up forcefully and then the family sat at a safe place without any talk any movement for more than 30 minutes in trauma. Thus, I saved a family.

This was not the end of adventures of that trip. There was still a lot  remaining. Till the family matter ended, I and Sumith found our other friends. It was difficult for us to enjoy without glasses. I sent one of my friends to take my other pair of glasses from car. Sumith and I shared glasses as we have same power glasses.

This was 10am and water was not going down. Local people told us that water will go down after 12 am. So, We needed to pass more than 2 hours without entering the sea. Now, we were just chilling out at the steeped path. By the time, a new family came there. One man with his wife and sister-in-law. His sister-in-law was very hot and he was enjoying with her by holding her and facing waves to-gather. This beach was empty of babes. So, this Jija-Sali couple was centre of attraction. We were chilling out in side by them nearly 10 feet away of them. We were just having fun by lying down to-gather side by side. Satish was wearing a jockey underwear that was popping out of his pants. Tarun cracked joke on him,"Show your Jockey to Jija-Sali. Here nobody is giving a damn to your high-class undi". Now, Satish and Tarun went before them keeping a distance of nearly 5 feet in front of them towards sea. Everybody was enjoying. Suddenly a big wave came and while going back It was taking back Satish as he entered in slippery place. One local boy gave him his hand but he couldn't stop him and both slipped nearly 5 feet together towards sea. Then that local boy left his hands. Now, It was Satish alone and going towards sea. He tried a lot to climb on that steep-slippery surface by clinging his paws and made marks by his nails on the that algal surface. Minj was also pray of the same wave. But, He managed to escape from that. As Minj came out of the trauma, he looked back and found that Satish is nearly 15 feet away from him and going in sea. The whole episode happened in less than 6-7 seconds. The rest of us was on the other end of the path and all it happened before we could react. Now, Minj ran back toward satish. He was slipping in that steep path towards Satish and in 3-4 second he reached him. Now both were slipping towards sea holding each-other. By the time I've also ran toward them and entered in that slippery area. Now,Satish and Minj were nearly 10 feet below me slipping towards sea. As I entered the slippery area, I found it nearly impossible to stop yourself from slipping by any mean. Now, It looked impossible to me that any of us can get back and stop himself from going into sea. Satish and Minj had nearly reached the end of the path and I was above them. Everybody was just looking at us like a play is being played in theatre. All of us left any hope of help. Satish and Minj was at the most dangerous end and I was 10 feet above that end. We were just praying to God. In the next second, a new wave came and throw all of us back till the safe place and as we reached there some people came and took us to the safe places. Now, We sat there for more than 10 minutes in trauma. It took a long for Satish to come out of trauma of that wave. Thus, We came out of the jaw of the Death.

It was 11am by now and water was relatively down but still we couldn't see the end of those man made slanted paths. Till 12am the end was visible and we can see the strip of stones in front of end of slanted path strip. Everybody was waiting to enter the sea.
   Some of the people started entering the sea going through stones. There was a 15-20 feet wide strip of stones. People started crossing that. Now, Satish and Minj went through that layer and entered the sea. From there They were waving hands as they were calling me. Now, it was my chance. But the problem was still strong water waves that were 3-4 feet high and those waves were so strong that they can throw you out and it's quite possible that we can get hurt between stone and waves. So, I entered when wave went back. Still, in every 5-10 second waves were returning and the more time it was taking, the more strong it was. I was bare footed so that I could make good hold on stones by my hands and legs. I started climbing on stones and just after 3-4 seconds I saw that a strong wave is coming. So, I made a strong hold there itself to fight that wave and I won as that wave couldn't throw me. Now, I was running through stones towards sea to reach sand. But, It was not possible to reach there without facing more 3 waves. In the whole episode, I faced 4 strong waves that were trying to throw me out but somehow I managed to get into the sand.

Now also, it was not easy to get rid of those stones as waves were throwing back towards them as it's so difficult to  travel in water of hight over your waist. After a good fight, I reached till Minj and Satish. They told me, "We were saying that don't come. Everybody is bleeding." Satish showed me his hand that was bleeding badly and his lag that was bleeding as well and got hell amount of wounds. The same with Minj. Then I felt that something was biting in my legs. I put my legs out of water and I found that my legs were bleeding. Now, I was feeling such a brutal pain like a group of bees has stunk in my legs. The salted sea water was making my pain double and unbearable. Now, I was feeling the pain of 'Tom Hank' in the movie 'Cast Away'.

   Satish got hurt badly. Now, Minj suggested that let's go back and should have some treatment as we were bleeding badly. But we found that It's impossible for us to go back through stones and fighting waves with our    wounded legs and hands. We saw that thousands of people has entered the sea. All of them were in same condition. All were hurt badly and blooding. But nobody couldn't leave the sea.  Everybody was waiting for the sae to go back. Now, Manoj were entering the sea. We screamed to him not to come. But, He couldn't listen us and he also entered. Now, Four of us were in the sea. Sumith and Hitesh didn't enter the sea and they were not aware of our conditions. But they came to know about the fact when they saw red stone with blood bathe.
 We were in the situation that we could do nothing as we were not able to go back. Then we decided to forget about our pain and enjoy the sea. We did the same for 2 hours till sea was back and we could see the sand. Then, Manoj went through stones barefooted and called Hitesh and Sumith. He told them about our wounds and told them to take some sleepers as it was not possible for us to go barefooted. Then Tarun, Satish and I came out of sea one by one. As we came out of sea , we felt that our pain has increased. Hitesh and Sumith gave us first aid. Thus, We finished our journey to Digha full of adventures.

What I learn from this trip?

1. If sea is furious, this means It really is. Don't play with waves of a furious Sea.

2. The stones near by sea are not as simple as it looks. Small shells stick to the stones thus stone has a small layer of sharp hard sea shells. It is not possible to  observe that by naked eyes but you can feel that if you rub your skin on stone. If your skin is puffed due to water then stones hurts you like hell.

3. Never do stunts for a girl in sea. It can cost you your life.

4. If you find someone in such a traumatic situation feel free to help him but make sure that you have enough balls to save your own ass first.

5. Always have first aid nearby before getting into the sea.
 
                           I hope that you will learn from my experiences and have safe trips to beaches and thanks to you to read one of my longest posts.