A Christmas special.
Shortly before Christmas, while we still had a heavy heart having said goodbye to the family who had come to spend a few weeks on board, nature offers us an unforgettable gift.
We wake up in the morning, anchored at Le Pain de Sucre, Les Saintes. The weather is beautiful, very quiet we are only two boats in the bay.
I am preparing breakfast when Oliver shouts: “Dolphins”. At first I thought it was a (bad) joke because we had never been visited by dolphins at anchor. But knowing my captain, I do not think that his brain had been awake enough to have that kind of humor before his first cup of coffee. I therefore rush on deck. He told the truth! Two dolphins are swimming around the boat.
Neither one nor two I put my mask slipped my palm and I jumped into the water. So much for coffee, farewell morning toast and cereals! The visibility is not great, the sun still low on the horizon (it is only 6am), fresh water … (only 24 degrees)! I swim, I do circles around the boat, then in the bay … Nothing. Oooh … But where are they …? After a quarter of an hour (this is long quarter of an hour swimming in circles in the water without seeing anything! ..) I felt as if someone was watching me. I turned and found myself literally face to face with two dolphins who were starring at me, curious and probably wondering what I could well be looking for. I know that dolphins are nice .. nevertheless they took me by surprise and I “made a jump” out of water (yes, it is possible for humans too!). So much so that I scared them too. Then we meet, the baby dolphin provokes me to play under the watchful eye of his mother. They move away a little, I caught my breath, my spirits and warn Olivier and the children to come and share this moment of great happiness. Noé jumps into the water and we leave again in search of the dolphins. Five minutes later (it’s long 5 minutes!) .. as we began to think they were maybe gone, they are right there, back to play with us again… The baby swims towards Noé to play, it turns around him very close, comes right in front of his mask to make noises with his mouth, passes between his legs. Noé makes some apnea dives to play under the water with the dolphins (to the delight of the youngest). Later Camille will join us too, with Olivier. I forget my breakfast, also that I am freezing cold and we stay good 3 hours swimming and playing with these beautiful creatures! Then other boats arrive at anchor, we are now about a dozen swimmers around the dolphins. This is too much for our taste. We take this opportunity to swim back to Planet to warm up and eat. Later, when bathers have gone we go back to the water, just to say goodbye to our new travel companions.
What an amazing encounter with these beauties of nature, free of their movements, free of their destinations, free of their lives. Unforgettable!  Noé and Camille were so comfortable with these huge animals. They played with them with respect, love and admiration. Noé « recorded » every detail of the two dolphins (the shape and function of the vents, the spots on their body, the shape of the fins, the scars, the look, the way they communicate, swim, their facial expressions, sounds etc…)
 

We thank you life, thank you nature for this precious gift!! We enjoyed every second of it and we will keep this treasure within us foerever!

Stephanie
I attached some photos of poor quality but it certainly helps to imagine … especially that of Olivier playing with the youngest one.