After such a glorious retreat on Rainbow Beach I was eager to be on my way to Mudjimba Island. I was excited to meet the women there and to especially see the woman working on the tapestry of my creative future.

But there were stops I had to make on the way. First I want to spend some time with the mermaid calling out from her shell. I wanted to see her before Triton so that I could hear her calming music in order to calm my nerves. Who knows? She may even be able to give me some advice about what to do during my meeting with Triton.

So off I went in my boat with my own captain who was a very nice man called Trebor. Trebor talked to me about Mudjimba as we travelled, telling me tales about the women there and what I might find when I arrived. The water was calm but my eyes kept straying to the snorkeling equipment lying on the seat beside me. Soon I would have to suit up and dive down to meet Triton.

We stopped to spend some time with the mermaid who played her music much more than she talked. But just before we left she did give me a few bits of advice about Triton: “No sudden movements” and “Be mindful of his sadness”. The second piece of advice baffled me as much as I understood the first piece. I reminded myself that during this trip I will let be what will be and try my best to be present in the moment so I put my worries aside and let Trebor sail me to my next destination.

It didn’t take long before Trebor had stopped the boat and started to help me with my snorkeling equipment. It felt strange for a landwalker like me to be wearing such a thing but I was grateful for it when I had finally dived down and as per Trebor’s directions, gone looking for Triton.

In the end it was Triton who found me.

I must have be swimming around too near his lair and he had detected my presence. Quick as a flash he loomed up in front of me, holding an evil looking staff and I tried not to swim away in fright. He regarded me coldly as he cocked his head to one side and bared his teeth at me. Despite his show of mild aggression, I now saw what the mermaid meant. He was sad. He eyes said it all. They glowed red but were filled with such a melancholy that my heart went out to him. I wanted to reach forward and touch his face but instead I reached into the pouch I carried around my neck took out a token which I had made with love for this poor creature who seemed to need it more than me. I pulled out a necklace I had made from the seashells I found on Rainbow Beach. At the time, I had looked for the most cheerful colours I could find to make the necklace and I could see Triton’s eyes light up with pleasure as I held it out to him.

In a gesture of trust that touched my heart, he swam towards me, turned his back, lifted his hair and indicated that I should put the necklace around his neck for him. When I had, he looked down at it and tenderly touched some of the shells. Triton unscrewed the top of his staff and took out a large purple Triton Shell and handed it me. I understood from Trebor that this was the item that would be taken at the port of Mudjimba Island.

I bowed my head in thanks to Triton and then he disappeared as quickly as he had appeared before. I awkwardly swam back up to the surface where I found Trebor waiting patiently for me a few yards away. He moved the boat closer and helped me to climb in but when I tried to show him what Triton gave me, he told me to put it away and keep it safe for Triton’s gifts were for the eyes of only a few.

I put my purple shell into the pouch around my neck and felt honoured to have finally met Triton who proved to me that fears are often scarier than reality.

Image and text copyright Stacey-Ann Cole