DOLPHIN CONNECTION TEXAS

INGLESIDE ON THE BAY, TEXAS

09/09/09An alternative education.
First, thanks to all of our great customers who come from all over the world. Kids from one to ninety two. The number of letters we receive saying, "It was a dream come true." or "The highlight of our vacation." is amazing. Most all of our customers have one thing in common: an image of a dolphins jumping through hoops, walking on their tails and bouncing balls on their nose. Circus clowns, working for a living, rather then being a dophin. "Dying" to amuse us. Our guests learn quickly they are so much more. Leaving with an accurate understanding and appreciation of the dolphin in its own element. They are still amused and entertained, but are left applauding the dolphins -- not the unnatural behaviors associated with captivity. For example, we had a family of four come out with two children ages 5 and 7. They had been to Sea World the day before. After meeting our aquatic neighbors, watching them play and interacting with them, they left our dock with the little girl, 5 years old, saying "Mommy, why are those dolphins in that swimming pool in San Antonio? It makes me sad". Intuitively knowing at such a young age that there is something seriously wrong with that. So, each month we will share with you a highlight of one of our trips. Here is the first. One of my favorite dolphins, Merrie, approx. 28 years old, had her 7th baby this last March. Merrie is gorgeous. She appears to have eye shadow. Has a great sense of humor towards us and her kids. When her second baby "Mikey" was about two weeks old, she brought him to our boat. Pushed him up out of the water and held him on her nose just inches from the boat. Not long, but at least for 15 to 20 seconds. Long enough to allow some to touch him and others to get a photo of a lifetime. Mikey is the only one of her kids she's done this with and the only time we have ever seen it done. She must have either been very proud of Mikey or she was offering him to us. Merrie also had a long relationship with our dog ,Pete, who died a few years back. She probably wonders why he doesn't come to see her anymore. One day, we threw a cast net and caught a few mullet about 10" long. We've never seen a dolphin eat mullet. So at best they are on the bottom of their grocery list. Anyway, we brought them with us. About nine dolphins came over to mess with our customers and Merrie was with them. I took the mullet from a bucket showed them to Merrie and let them go. They took off with Merrie swimming upside down after them. All three disappeared. We continued to play with the others and forgot about Merrie. About ten minutes later, Merrie returned to the boat, herding these two mullet right back to me. Both mullets had visible marks on their bodies where Merrie had grabbed them. Maybe she thought they were important to me. I don't know this to be a fact. However, I do know they were not important to her. We've had lots of wonderful times with Merrie. She is as special as the girl she is named after. Precious as gold.
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