They say once the sea casts its spell, it holds one in its net of wonder forever. Pearl wasn’t the only one trapped in this wondrous net, but her excitement outshone that of everyone else. It was her first time on a beach.
“Would you calm your nerves already?” Bolanle poked Pearl on the arm. “It’s your first time, but not everyone needs to know that, please.”
“I’m so sorry. I can’t help it,” she returned breathlessly. “It just smells fresh out here, you know. Almost as if a dose of happiness has been added to the mixture of air around this place.”
Bolanle rolled her eyes but chuckled. “I’m pretty sure it’s just ox-y-gen!”
“Whatever!” Pearl said with a wave of her hand. She was convinced it wasn’t just oxygen. The sea breeze held a quality she couldn’t quite place her hands on, a major ingredient that nourished her bellows in a way she hadn’t ever experienced. She was beginning to think marine biology wasn’t as lame as she previously thought.
“Hello, folks. Welcome to the Aqua beach,” a short woman cheered. “I am Mrs Ajayi, and I am a proud member of the Green Team.”
Pearl thought the introduction was really not necessary. Mrs Olabusoye Ajayi was boldly written on the badge pinned to her breast pocket. Besides, here were two other proud members of the Green Team, and together, they were dressed in a matching green T-shirt that bore an eco-friendly logo and a catchy slogan: Go Green, and Watch the Earth Beam. Cool.
“So what is the Green Team all about?” Mrs Ajayi asked, paused and then continued. “Our president, Dr Olumide Martins, started this movement in order to curb the menace of environmental degradation, to nurture eco-friendly citizens, and most importantly, to maintain an eco-friendly planet. You all are marine biologists in the making, future environmentalists. So, I need you to give me a few reasons why aquatic ecosystems should be protected.” An expectant look crept up her face. “Anyone?”
Orva raised his hand before speaking. “Because they are useful for human recreation.”
“Absolutely correct!” She gave him a fist bump. Orva swelled with pride.
“They provide habitats for wildlife,” Olive said.
“Good.”
“They also help to recycle nutrients.”
“Very true.”
So many answers breezed in the air, but Pearl had no interest in offering any. Instead, she was absorbed in the magnificent view; how the heavy water hit the shore and then pulled away, how the big, tall rocks broke the undulating waves, and how the blue sky blended naturally with the seawater. . .
“How is the water blue?” Pearl didn’t realise she’d voiced her thought until she heard a laugh. Her cheeks flushed a little as she noticed everyone looking her way. She hadn’t intended to gain an audience, but there it was, staring at her in the face.
“That’s a very thoughtful question,” Mrs Ajayi praised her inquisitiveness. “Does anyone have the slightest idea why?” There was a pause. A long one. But then right in front of her, Josephine sheepishly raised her hand. When Mrs Ajayi nodded for her to go on, she said, “I think the blue colour of the water is simply the reflection of the blue sky.”
“Nice thought, but not quite.” Mrs Ajayi chuckled. She went ahead to explain how the colour of the sea was dependent on how the water absorbs sunlight. “The water molecules easily absorbed the red, yellow and green lights but not the blue one. Water is pure and colourless,” she insisted. “However, the preferential absorption of lights gives rise to the ‘blue sea’. I hope it’s all clear.”
Everyone nodded. Pearl too.
“That’s it from me. I guess I’ll let my colleague take it from here,” Mrs Ajayi said with a faint smile, stepping aside for a younger member of the Green Team. Her name was Obianuju. She was only a few inches taller than Mrs Ajayi, and her smile was slightly lopsided.
“Hi everybody.” She waved shyly. “My name is Obianuju Nnamdi, and just like you guys, I’m a marine biologist in the making as well —though I’m in my final year. I am also a proud member of the Green Team.”
A sudden wave crashed on the shore. It was loud, yet refreshing.
“Straight to the reason why we are all here,” Obianuju said more seriously this time. Her posture had straightened, and there was genuine concern written all over her face. “I’m very sure I’m not the only one conscious of how polluted this beach is . . .”
Pearl trailed her worried gaze, and frankly, she couldn’t deny that the beach was a tainted beauty. Beneath colourful umbrellas were can and bottle litters, deflated beach balls of carefree beachgoers, and buried partly in the pebbly sand were six-pack rings, straws, plastic bags, and so much more. People came down to the beach alongside their baggage but never returned home with the lightest of them. Sadly, the lives within were forced to deal with the consequences of this junk.
“However,” Obianuju continued. Now, she swelled with optimism, an infectious smile plastered on her pretty face. “I strongly believe that by the end of the cleanup we are about to get into, this place will be spick-and-span.
Hoorays competed with the sound of the wave. Pearl’s face lit up.
At the time, the day was bright and the sea was calm.
Read – Four Colours away from Green and there’s Brown – A Short Story by Blossom Umoren, Nigeria
Absolutely captivating.