Dolphin Address 28
July 15th 2005
Not only has the geographical residence of Dusty changed. The Boathouse bay offers more shelter than the inlet of Pollenawatch. The high tide island embraces her presence for almost the geometrical half, but the first 20 meters are a little bit foul. The bottom, until about three meters, is covered with dead algae and the fresh water that slowly mixes with the top layer gives Vaseline like, out of focus visibility and stinks.
Dusty has accompanied us to the instep several times, but it is clear that she does not like to be there. Usually she meets swimmers a hundred meters further out at the jump- and dive rock, but she also likes to be at the far peripheral. The out water is considerably clearer, but also quite colder. The high tide island runs further into the ocean, specifically with satellite rocks than submerge partially or totally. The wave building is not, like at Pollenawatch, calmed by the Aran Islands, but is supplied straight away by the full ocean. The reefs far away head truckloads of water with enormous crests along a jagged horizon.
But the main difference is the depth. The high tide island has steep walls that often go perpendicularly down. The bottom is of irregular with kelp overgrown rock groups and sandy stretches in between until some ten meters down. This is the room to move for the dolphin. For most swimmers that do not or hardly break the surface this makes little difference, but for the deeper divers this dimension is an irresistible challenge. By these very deep positions Dusty can sonar me better than at the surface and she clearly prefers swimming in depth. Sometimes I have to compensate twice to get to the bottom, but then I mostly get rewarded with her presence.
For some obscure reason Verena cannot compensate, but nevertheless she goes down to some three meters. Therefore we are happy to receive the intensive interest of the dolphin.
In the old days, at Pollenawatch, the room to move was only some four meters, except for high tide and far out. Therefore the maneuvers with Dusty were limited to relatively horizontal. In the Boathouse bay these have been quite intensified.
When she comes to me when I am down below we often ascend face to face, sometimes in a spiral. Then I don't swim, as this costs breath and only steer by the waterwing. Often she observes me with curiosity, but also sometimes she closes her eyes as in meditation. It is a brilliant sight, her elegance that radiates so much peace and confidence in that infinity of weightlessness. Sometimes she lets me stroke her jaws and often we break the surface at the same moment. And it feels so good, this creature that spends time and attention to join me. Actually we are developing a new body language. She clearly feels less tightened between surface and bottom and she gives me the courage and the power to make these arduous dives. Our swimming movements are slower, more circumspect than at Pollenawatch, but not only because I have to nurse my stamina. It is particularly the adventure of the third dimension that scatters the time and she adapts wonderfully gently to my limitations.
Mostly I try to aim my ascent thus as to surface close to Verena, who high above me strums the sunbeams. Then she takes over Dusty in a splashing sprint, a low glide or a loving cuddle.
It is high time we receive the ordered underwater housing for the camcorder for the moves we see here are as yet nowhere to be seen.
Jan Ploeg, Meadow Fanore, July 15th 2005
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