As dolphins navigate chiefly by sonar Dusty’s choice to return to Inisheer after a brief but worrying stay in Doolin and Fanore might be taken as a generous gesture for meeting up yet another glorious summer in the turquoise water at the golden beach of this hospitable Aran Island.
Meanwhile I have found another way to rub shoulders with Dusty. As she was at Inisheer most of the winter and since the Doolin ferries stopped sailing by the end of October it cost a long ride to Rosseveal and a rough cross-over to chance and meet her. Swimming was out of the question. Apart from being more vulnerable on account of my kidney condition I’m still crippled by the back injury I contracted clearing rocks from the meadow last April. And since I feel naked without my monofin, waterwing, wetsuit and weight belt, which out of the water are rather subject to gravity, I kept to dry land.
After a first winter of discontent I entered an Art course in Ennistymon to not only learn how to draw and paint, which I have always felt lacking in the background of my wood sculpturing, but also to share and celebrate the pleasure of creating with like-minded spirits. And when I discovered I could spent quality time with my new-born grandchild Cato, 1200 km away in Holland, by drawing her,
soon after Dusty came in the picture.
As you can see I follow Dusty’s habit to approach from behind. As I’m always enthralled by the golden shroud she wears close to the surface on a sunny day my next portret splashes light over her face with the curious side-effect of the micro-waves caused by her sonar projected on her cheek.
And guess what, we’re doing sculpture now and as blood is thicker than water I’ve started on an ash fork, but I’ll keep that when it’s ready, for the next Dolphin Address.