Swimming with wild dolphins

Now that I've found a photo, I can tell the story!

One of the highlights on our honeymoon was swimming with wild dolphins. We were up at 5am for the 1 hour, 35 minute bus and boat ride to their sleeping grounds. While there were a lot of very subdued people on the bus at that hour, I have greater respect for the dolphins who continue to try to sleep in the same location knowing that boatloads of humans come to play with them early every morning!

We had read before we went on this excursion that we would probably spend an hour in boat chasing 4 or 5 dolphins. That could not have been further from the truth: we found a pod of 40-50 dolphins!

The first time we dived in we didn’t' have much luck. They all swam off in a different direction. We (along with 5 or 6 other boats) duly followed! Although it was 6.30am the water was very warm, so diving in again was a pleasure, even for a cold-blooded Irish woman!

It was then that the most amazing thing happened; the pod changed direction and swam directly towards us. Suddenly the sea was alive with the sound of their clicks. I put my face under the water and, as the sunlight streamed through, I saw four dolphins just in front of us. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realised that there were dolphins all around us. If there is a legal high, that is it…

I can't quite describe how it felt, but I now understand why many people report cures and healings after swimming with dolphins. I experienced a deep feeling of being honoured to be in their presence, as well as a profound sense of joy and humility, combined with awe at simply being alive.

I can only smile when I remember that moment as the joy of the moment floods through me again. Someone once suggested that we create mental scrap books of moments that bring us joy, to lift us up when we are feeling low. This moment goes in my Premium Edition!