If you come from far and hope to swim with Dusty, be prepared for a disappointment. In spite of the argument of boaters, that Dusty decides herself with whom she swims, it is obvious that she prefers boats to swimmers. These days nearly all the time boats are cutting through the bay and Dusty has a hard time, for preferably she would swim with all of them at the same time. Usually she selects the one with the most EvinRUDE. And there the chosen one tears away, proud hand on the throttle, out of the bay, out of reach for the less moneyed, to wear down Dusty in endless circles. When finally the game gets boring, the captain, by preference at the fullest possible speed, steers his boat in his benevolence to the slipway where dozens of lesser aficionados eagerly run into the water in the hope to 'see' the dolphin up close in the murky water or even touch her. There is not much occasion for this as the next boat is already revving the engine and off they go.
Dolphin 'protectors' like to propose all kinds of rules and even want to appoint guardians to enforce them. No need. Just ban the boats.
Dusty is very shifty these days. This can be so much better, so much more peaceful, so much more for everybody. I don't get it. We are blessed here with a friendly wild dolphin and a handful of people really does everything to spoil her for all those who so much would like to spend some time with her.
In all fairness I want to say that Ute does not partake in this. Maybe the pen is mightier than the outboard motor, but I do hope she recognizes that you don't treat a dolphin like this. And certainly not when you love her so sincerely✹.
From the Irish you can expect nothing. They even organize all kinds of exercises in rescuing and whip the bay to froth in their dinghies. And if you dare to criticise, they tell you that here exercises to save lives are at stake, maybe even yours. There is no arguing against that, except the question if they can't do this somewhere else. The West coast of Ireland is rocky nearly everywhere. Exercising at a beach is easy as pie, not the place to instruct all-round rescuers. And certainly not for running fun rounds just to entice the dolphin.
I have been at White Strand permanently for three weeks now and have seen it going from bad to worse. I notice getting irritated ever faster and start getting fed up with myself. I even notice that within me I ever more call Dusty 'Fungi' and that must be a subconscious reference to the Dingle drama. It's getting time to go and chill out on the meadow in Fanore for a few days. Plentytodo.
✹Rectification. Ute has bought a new boat, a bigger, iron tub with a whopper of an outboard motor plus the one from her glorified air matras. Possibly this boat is too short to really go fast. In that case 'Shorty' would be an apt name. Also the attraction for Dusty seems limited as when I swam over she came and stayed with me. We'll see. Hopefully there's a warranty on the thing and she can return it by claiming default.