At this point the choice is between being cradled by the seas movements on the shore under the sun, going for an exploration of the island or observing hermit crabs and sea birds which live there.
The remaining guests arrive on land after sport to dedicate one hour of their time to complete relax or wander amongst the palm trees and mangroves in search of a few rare coloured shells. After the return to the boat and a lavish lunch, the boat moves anchor next to one of the sandbanks. Along the shore shells draw imaginary waves leaving traces with the change of the tides. Red, yellow and white shells tell us of the tides movements, the waves and the high tides…… Some of these sand banks disappear with the high tide, others are more stable or larger and are home to seabird colonies. Occasionally some seeds or coconuts are carried by these birds and are able to germinate forming the life of a new island.
Some of these islands have bowed to the existence of man and today the Maldive population live here. In the past they were a completely self-sufficient fishing population and the islands still demonstrate this antique tradition. Today the boats anchored in the lagoon once used for fishing are now used for tourism. Each island has a small boatyard where wooden boats are made. The older houses were built entirely out of coral and shells torn from the reef, today this building practice has thankfully disappeared as prosperity has consented the acquisition of building materials from further away and with strict laws for the protection of the environment.
Each island has a school with children wearing their neat and trim English style uniforms smiling in front of the camera. The mosque is still the most beautifully decorated building on the island with gardens and multi-coloured flowers surrounding it. Some of the islands further away from the areas more frequented by tourist and holiday villages have retained their genuineness and kept their local culture. Those nearer the tourists areas have completely modified, or partly, their style of life and the fishermen have turned into gentle and careful shopkeepers selling multi-colour pareos, t-shirts and other souvenirs. The evenings on the boat are dedicated above all to relax…… a glass of something on deck under a starry sky chatting with friends. Now and again, a film is shown on board or there is some good music to enlighten the evening. Occasionally, depending on the itinerary, an evening out to the local holiday village disco will be proposed.