Dolphin Diving in the Deep!

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Sometimes I think about all the times I was too afraid to push myself, all the times the only thing separating me from an amazing experience was fear. It happens less frequently these days but there are still moments when the weight of practicality outdoes that of pure spontaneity. Luckily for me, I have this one distinct memory of the life altering effects of jumping the gun and it’s the only memory I allow my mind to focus on when doubt sets in.

It was the summer of 2009, and I had just got off an eight hour direct flight across the Indian Ocean to land in the tiny island of Mauritius. I had been looking forward to this solo adventure all throughout university and couldn’t quite believe that I had finally arrived.

Being an avid ocean enthusiast compelled me to head straight for the water. I spent hours floating on the turquoise water and took a hard beating from the sunlight. But a tan was not enough to keep me out of the water. I then indulged in every water sporting activity available.

I started out with the easy stuff – body boarding, snorkelling and operating a jet ski, and then I graduated to diving and one measly attempt at surfing. Needless to say I was a natural at diving but staying perfectly balanced on top of a board while riding a wave was not something my body seemed to comprehend the physics of.

I was addicted to the ocean. It was a like a nicotine hit, reaching the furthest corners of my body and igniting a fiery passion to chase another hit. This newfound conviction to live life scared me a little as I caught myself daydreaming of the life of a beach bum.

As fate would have it, the best part of my trip was saved for the end. I decided to join a group of South Africans I met who were also on holiday to take a boat ride out into the ocean in search of a pod of wild dolphins. Having lived in Western Australia for awhile meant I was all too familiar with catching glimpses of dolphins in the Swan River that ran along the city of Perth, but I decided to go along anyway and see what all the fuss was about.

We were at the dock at the crack of dawn. Mobs of tourists lingered around, all waiting for the guides to arrive. Our skipper was a Mauritian local, spoke English with a sexy French accent and convinced me that this little boating trip would change my life. He spoke animatedly about the ocean and his love for the marine life. He kept us hooked onto his every word as he relived tales of being lost at sea and fending off an octopus during a dive when before we knew it, we were out in the middle of the ocean.

I sat up in the little dinghy and looked all around, there was nothing but the ocean and the big blue sky. I had never been this far out before and especially not on a little boat like this. The skipper asked us to look out for the dolphins but quite frankly I was too busy panicking about being so far out at sea. I didn’t even notice the pod of dolphins that had swam right up to us when one of my friends started shrieking.

I put my hand in the water and hoped they’d pick up the scent of a fellow ocean lover. Ten minutes into spotting the first dolphin and we were now surrounded by at least a hundred dolphins. The skipper was whistling out to them and they responded by jumping up into the air spinning as if they had spent their whole lives at SeaWorld. It was beyond amazing.

Several other tour groups finally caught up with us and the ruckus we were making didn’t bother the dolphins in the least. Kids were screaming and laughing and the sound of the shutters on cameras played a symphony that never ended. The dolphins were very used to human interaction and didn’t shy away from putting on a show. They dipped and dived, swerved and dodged, swimming circles around the spell bounded humans.

Half an hour in, the skipper finally began to start up the motor boat and the sheer thought of leaving these wonderful creatures behind hit me like a tonne of bricks. I was not ready and I had not gotten my fill, not yet. A ten year old boy in a neighbouring boat seemed to have read my mind as he instinctively whipped off his shirt and dived into the ocean. I gasped just when most of the skippers laughed in unison. Apparently this happens a lot.

I remember not giving it a second thought. All I knew was that there was no grave danger involved and the next thing I remember was braving the icy chill of the open waters. The skipper warned me not to reach out for the dolphins as they were still wild animals and so I did as I was told and floated patiently, waiting for my new found friends of the ocean to come in for a closer look.

There were nothing like land animals. They did not inch closer, they merely whizzed right by you at lightning speed. Sometimes so close that I could feel the rush of the wave against my legs. It terrified me and exhilarated me all at once. I strapped on a pair of snorkel goggles and took a peek under water.

The memory of that sight will forever strike fear into my heart. Before catching a glimpse of any dolphin, I was only unfortunate enough to witness the darkness that lie deep below. It was nothing like the dives I had experienced earlier in the week. There was so little blue and so much black.

I quickly readjusted my vision to the ocean’s surface and witnessed what I can only describe as a National Geographic ocean special. Dolphins here, there and everywhere. Some little, some slow, some spotted, some on the go.

They swam right by me but never once touching me. I saw their smiles and heard their clicks, wishing with every fibre of my being that I could speak back.

My time in the deep ocean amidst a pod of wild dolphins will forever remain one of the best lived experiences I have ever had. It has taught me to stare down fear, avoid over thinking and most importantly – always take cues from ten year olds.