48.9

I came across this unbelievably beautful scene on the deserted east coast of Zanzibar. After nearly 80 miles dodging palm trees and slithering along muddy paths I emerged in paradise and sat in the shade of a palm tree whilst bemused children gathered to look at my lily white skin. After a brief rest and a coconut, I decided to wander out into the crystal clear sea and used the outrigger dhows as foreground subjects. Whilst doing this the weather abruptly changed and a squall swept in churning the custard powder fine sand, the sky turned dark and the water boiled, then just as suddenly it passed. To my astonishment the sky returned to the velvet blue you see here, but the sea instead of being clear, looked like milk, stained turquoise with the increased depth. The icing on the cake, the only red sailed dhow I had seen on the entire island then drifted into the perfect position. This image was second in the inaugural Wanderlust Photographer of the Year and has been used countless times since.