Inspiration Behind Whispers of theTide: A Visit to Robinson Island

In July 2024, I visited a place that changed how I see the ocean, the coast and trees. Robinson Island, off the Kenyan coast, was where I first met the mangroves. Not just as a word in science class, but as real, living guardians of the sea. It was a family trip meant for fun and relaxation, but what I saw, heard, and did planted something deeper in me, the seed that would grow into Whispers of the Tide.

Meeting the Guardians

We arrived on a clear, breezy day. As our boat approached the island, long fingers of twisted roots rose from the water like a natural fortress. These were the mangroves, trees that grow in salty, muddy water, balancing between land and sea. I had never seen anything like them before.

But the real surprise came when we met a small group of youth on the island. They were not just hanging out. They were leading a full mangrove reforestation project, planting seedlings, educating visitors, and protecting the coastline. Their passion was infectious.

They shared how mangroves help:

• Protect the coast from storms, floods, and erosion by breaking the power of waves

• Provide nurseries for fish, crabs, and other sea creatures

• Trap carbon, even more than regular forests, helping fight climate change

• Filter water, keeping marine ecosystems clean

• Getting My Hands Dirty

They handed me young mangrove seedlings. I waded into the muddy water with them and planted it, pushing the roots deep into the soft earth. I did not know it then, but that moment, ankle-deep in wet sand, the sun on my back, the tide slowly creeping in, would spark the idea for a story.

A story where the mangroves whisper. A story where a child listens. A story where we remember why nature matters. That story became Whispers of the Tide.

Why We’re Losing Mangroves

Mangroves are amazing but they’re disappearing. I asked why. The answers were sad, but important to understand:

• Clearing for development: Hotels, roads, and fish farms often destroy mangrove forests.

• Chopped for wood: Mangrove wood is durable and resistant to rot, so it is used for building, furniture and cooking.

• Used to build boats: In many coastal communities, mangroves are cut to build fishing boats.

• Pollution and waste: Trash, oil, and plastic dumped into coastal waters kill mangrove roots.

It is not that people do not care. It is just that they sometimes don’t know what is being lost or don’t see another way. That is why stories matter.

Why I Wrote Whispers of the Tide

I wanted to tell a story that does not blame but awakens. A story where tradition,

memory, and nature come together. Where a girl hears the voice of the mangroves.

Where a community remembers what their grandparents knew that mangroves are sacred. And maybe, just maybe, someone who reads this story will decide to protect rather than cut, to plant rather than destroy.

I cannot wait to go back to Robinson Island. I want to see how the seedlings we planted have grown. I want to help again. And I want to share this story, because *Whispers of the Tide* isn’t just about the past. It’s about the future we still have time to protect.