Monday 26 April 2010

Hi from Olivia!

After the excitement of yesterday, we set off in the morning with high expectations. It was also Alex’s last day and we had gathered up 2 more volunteers to help out – a Hungarian couple staying at the resort – so we really wanted another good showing from the dolphins. We started eagerly but by the time we stopped for lunch we had seen nothing, not even the swirling splash of a dugong, and we were beginning to worry we would have our first day with no sightings. After lunch we experienced our first storm at sea, watching it approach from the distance and pass quickly overhead. We were close to giving up on the dolphins and had started heading for home when suddenly Kevin spotted a promising silhouette in the distance. Sure enough, at the last minute, we had another group of dolphins! A sense of excitement spread throughout the boat and soon the boatman drew alongside them and we were all playing ‘count the dolphins’ – a surprisingly difficult game even with the relatively small numbers we’re finding here. We eventually agreed on eight; 4 adults, 1 sub-adult and 3 calves. We stayed with them for some time and, for the first time, the sea was clear enough to see them beneath the water. They were close to the shore and watching them breaching through the clear water with the sandy beach in the background was a truly beautiful and thrilling sight. After enjoying them for a while we headed for home feeling elated and happy to have been able to share our enthusiasm with our Hungarian friends. The only downside is that Kevin has now crept ahead of Alex and me, with 3 sightings to our 2, and was quick to reclaim his title as chief dolphin-spotter!

2 comments:

Pine Eisfeld said...

Yeah, only I can beat Kevin in spotting things! He he heeeee!!!!! Even if they are a turtle-turned-out-to-be-a-seal... Thanks, Bev, I tried to keep that one quiet...

Bev de V said...

I've had an e-mail report that Kev once identified a tree as a dolphin! Now he definitely kept that one quiet!!!