Sushi, Come Play with Me....

June 2013 delivered another juicy dolphin trip in the Bahamas while facilitating another trip with Dolphin Expeditions.  Every year, I think to myself, last year was so over the top great; I can't out do it, so I will simply go to facilitate other people's joy with dolphins.  I go with zero expectations.  And, then, the dolphin universe provides me with an experience that there are no words for.  The experiences feel as though they are building upon each other.  This year, I had that same, upgraded dolphin experiences!

A recent article in Time Magazine about dolphins called, "Hello, My Name is Dolphin, The Mammal that Never Forgets" explored the findings of Jason Bruck and his studies at the University of Chicago.  Writer Veronique Greenwood shares:  "Now a study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B reports that dolphins can recognize the whistles of others they shared a tank with as long as 20 years ago, the most enduring social memories ever observed outside of humans."  The article is worth a google!

The New York Times also had a little piece called "How Dolphins Know Who's Who".

I think dolphins not only recognize their name and have social memories, they recognize songs about them that carry their signature frequency and restored joy of an encounter.  Like a name, a song has an energetic autograph to it.  I don't have scientific proof. Rather, my experience tells me this. 

If you've ever read any of my newsletters, or follow me on Facebook, you have seen the picture of me with a dolphin.  The picture I trot out regularly is part of a series of about 12 pictures of me and a dolphin named Sushi.  She is bringing me a piece of seaweed in what can only be a play offering.

Sushi is quite distinguishable, she is gorgeous, she has a bite out of her dorsal fin, and she is clearly a little impish and has a wicked sense of humor and timing. Sushi is a young Atlantic Spotted Dolphin beauty with a personality that outdoes any dolphin in Bimini.

Two years ago, 2011, Sushi rocked my little world, between her insistence in playing and the pictures that I had no idea were being taken......I felt initiated into the dolphin kingdom and that is confirmed for me every time I look at the pictures that were taken while I was in complete rapture with Sushi.

In 2012, when I arrived back on the beautiful vessel, the Indigo, I asked Bradley, the Bahamian crew member if he had seen Sushi much that season, and he said, "no ma'am".  In fact, in 2012, Alex, a newer crew member, had never seen Sushi until the week I showed up. 

Bradley and I decided Sushi needed her own song. We created a very simple one verse song.  And, within about a day, to our surprise, she appeared.  She came by, jumped out of the water and then swam around, slapping her tail like a scene out of Flipper. 

Captain Geoff of Dolphin Expeditions will tell you that tail slapping is the equivalent of Aloha - it can be a greeting, an exclamation point, it can be Hello or good bye or all of the above. 

That moment when Sushi turned up out of the calm blue ocean after we were singing her song was enough for me, as it was minutes after we created the song that Sushi appeared.  Everyone was amazed.  Sushi made me look like a super cool animal communicator!!  I tried not to act too surprised, but I couldn't hold back.  I was shocked and ecstatic and talked about it for a year!

Now, 2013, I get on the boat, the first thing I ask Bradley is how much he has seen Sushi and if we have another verse for the song.  He said they hadn't seen her much this season and yes, he added a verse.

The next day, while we were all hands on deck looking for dolphins, Bradley and I sang the improved song.  Within 2 hours, Sushi showed up.  She not only showed up, but she swam with us for two days.  I have so many pictures of her up close that it is hard to pick which one I love the most.

On week two, we sang the song with the new group and she showed up on the last day.  She made a little scene off the stern of the boat and took off.  Within a few minutes, we were surrounded by dolphins.  We humans slipped into the water with that mega pod.  I think we spent about 2 hours with 40 plus dolphins.  It was beyond anything I could have imagined.

It's as though, if she can't hang out with me, she brings me a pile of dolphins!

Since I've been back on ground, the crew lets me know if they had a Sushi encounter.  It's about every 3-4 weeks.

I'm always amazed that the dolphins have an entire ocean to play in and they choose to play with us.  Because I take so many pictures, I have pictures over the years of some of the same dolphins.  The Atlantic Spotted Dolphins are the friendliest, and their incredible markings (and some scars), help me compare pictures over the years and see that I am playing with the same dolphin friends over and over.  I love that.

Sushi however, has imprinted in my heart.  She is living, playful proof that dolphins do want to connect, just for joy.  And, they too, love the shared experience.