Morjim Beach, till now known as a turtle nesting site, is slowly turning popular for sailing and is set to take off to another level with tourists from near and far coming there to learn the sport.
On one end of the beach is the site where Olive Ridley turtle eggs are laid and harvested and at the other end are wind surfers and kite surfers getting blown by the wind, an experience that for many tourists is nothing short of exhilarating.
“The sight of kites bubbling above the water is worth watching and it gets beautiful around sunset. It is scenic romanticism,” says Ivy as she stops to enquire about the basics of kite surfing.
“We have come from the South to experience life here and quite like it. No loud music can be heard at night and during the day these kites can be seen bobbing on the shore,” she adds.
Eldrid, who runs a hotel along the coast, says, “Kitesurfing is taught on the beach during the day and once a year they host the nationals here. A lot of tourists come to participate and it helps local businesses.”
“People opt to surf or kite surf from this beach because the winds are best at this point and there are no rocks around the beach,” reasons Roshan.
“It is getting hot by the day but the rains last night brought in a cool day although it started getting hot by afternoon. It gets windy by evening and even cooler,” admits Roger who comes to the beach to kite surf.
Unlike many places in the North, Morjim is a village quite different from the rest and this difference stems from the fact that it is a turtle nesting site and loud noise is not permitted.
The sea is calm and shacks make netting provisions in the sea that gives tourists a safety ring when they venture out to swim. “The nets are thrown around by shack owners so that tourists do not go out too far,” reasons Roshan who works for Drishti.
Morjim is also turning into a wedding destination drawing a large number of guests from across the country. “There have been times when we have hosted around 15 weddings a month,” confesses Ritan, and adds, “People from Gujarat, Karnataka and even Kerala like to celebrate their weddings in Goa. They book the entire place for two or three days and keep coming again later.”
But local staff is an issue that most hotels face. “Getting staff from Goa is a problem. Locals like working on ship or go to the UK. Working in the hotel is not a trade for locals,” thinks the manager of another hotel along the coast.
The sound regulations keep the area around the turtle hatchery quiet but as one goes further, restaurants can be heard playing music but not so loud that it disturbs people’s sleep.
“There are times when we can hear music from Anjuna over here. But, the same is not the problem with places playing music here. People do have parties in some restaurants but the sound decibels are within limits,” elaborates Albert.
Morjim has written its own story on its sands. There are times and places that let loose caution but for most of the time, the presence of the turtles means natural peace prevails. Most of the time, the winds here set the tone for a calm and soothing atmosphere.