Satapada, Dolphins and Chilika Sea Mouth

Exploring India’s largest Coastal Lagoon

See also: Sterling Resort Puri FAM

Geographers define a “lagoon” as a special type of lake separated from the sea by a narrow natural embankment with small openings connecting it with the sea. On the other hand biologists claim that these small openings allow salt and sweet water to intermingle and thereby form a unique, but fragile, ecosystem found nowhere else in the world.

The Satapada Jetty, Chilika Lake, Odisha

For a layman like myself, it is a place where one can cruise through the endless expanse of blue water, laced with green hills in the company of egrets, herons, flamingoes, kingfisher, kites and the last but not least the elusive jumping dolphins – it’s paradise!

Chilika Lake, Satapada, Odisha

You may have guessed it by now – this is Chilka, India’s largest brackish water lagoon and one of the subcontinent’s largest winter-ground for migratory birds.

Located just south of Puri, the 1100 sq kms (it shrinks to 900 sq kms during the dry season) lake is bordered on the north by the alluvial plain of Mahanadi Delta.

On the east and south by the rocky hills of Eastern Ghats. Bay of Bengal lies on the eastern side.

Located at different strategic positions of the lake are a number of tourist spots, including Satapada, famous for its dolphins sightings.

Boat ride in Chilika Lake, Satapada, Odisha

I visited Satapada (Chilika) on a FAM Trip organized by Sterling Holidays Resort. The two day tour aimed at Holiday Differently in Bengali’s age old pilgrimage and tourist spot Puri.

Dolphin, Satapada, Chilka

It was little over an hours journey to Satapada from the Sterling Resort Puri. Well before we reached Satapada the Chilika Lake was visible on our right.

Satapada is an entry point to the Chilka Lake and is famous for Dolphin Sighting and trips to the sea mouth.

The boat journey from Satapada to the sea mouth (mohana) takes little over an hour and includes a brief stopover for dolphin sighting.

The Irrawaddy Dolphin is the flagship species of the Chilika Lake and there are spotted leaping out of the water, sadly they barely come out of the water making photography extremely difficult.

Getting down from the boat, Chilika sea mouth (mohana)

Our disappointment was soon overcome by a remarkable journey through the lake where the boatman, with remarkable skills, guided our boat through a complicated maze of fishing nets attached to bamboo poles.

A short walk through the area under afforestation, Chilika Sea Mouth (Mohana), Satapada, Odisha

The one-hour journey took us past fishing villages located on the numerous islands that dot the lagoon. We landed, which was a tricky one, on a narrow stretch of sand separating the lake from the sea. On our east lay the rough seas of the Bay of Bengal and on the west were the calm waters of Chilka.

Near the Chilika Sea Mouth (Mohana), Satapada, Odisha

This narrow stretch of sand also houses some makeshift food stalls selling fried fish and crabs but the centre of attraction is definitely the pearls sold straight out of oyster shells! A short walk through an area under afforestation  took us to the sea, the Bay of Bengal. The sea mouth was not visible from the spot. The sea was spectacular and feathery white clouds in the deep blue sky created a picture postcard scene.

Note: This FAM tour was hosted by the Sterling Holidays 

Special Thanks:

1. Bharat Raja of Sterling Holidays and Sourav Sengupta of Sterling Resort Puri
2. Roshan Gupta, Public Relation person
3. My fellow FAM participants consisting of bloggers, vloggers and influencers