Musings from Kealakekua Bay

October 19, 2000

I slipped into the water around 6:20, having seen a swimmer on a surfboard just puttering around in one spot, out by the Three Pyramids.  I got that familiar explosion sensation in my heart, my chest, as I saw the graceful dorsal fins cutting through the top of the water in three's fours.  How many were there?  I looked below me now into the clear warm ocean.  I know no water like the water of Hawaii.  The saltiness of the Florida water, even though it is vibrant with color, is nothing like the water of Hawaii.  I had barely realized I was even in the water, so similar in temperature to the air.  It is so healing, soothing, and giving.  There below and now around me were many dolphins .  Now they moved away, and I quieted my breath, listening, holding... waiting to hear conversation.  Ah, where was it coming from?  I felt directionless and had to rely on checking to see where the surfboard had traveled to.  He had a clear vantage point and although the water was clear and smooth, height has advantages.  I swam over to the chatter and squeaks and now there was one dolphin that separated from the rest and came to swim next to me.  He seemed to get closer and closer and I tried to keep breathing at all.  His eye was restful and calm and side by side we swam.  there is something familiar and unique in my experience so far with these encounters.  Time is released, there is no time suddenly.  The only determining factor was to be that I became tired and decided to get out out of the water.  On land I discovered it had been over an hour.

Now there were many swimmers and two kayaks and the play became very active and it seemed there were dolphins in front, below and behind me at any given time.  I think we had become involved in a game of tag because it certainly looked like they were training us to follow them and stay immersed in twisting and spinning around and following their lead.  I saw three dolphins swim by with a man swimming among them.  It was very dreamlike.

I met up with  my friend Joan Ocean, in the water. I was visiting Hawaii this time to have meetings with her and some other people.  I had not known how we would find each other.  This was the best and heartfelt greeting.   We swam over to each other and hugged and kissed in the water.  We laughed  and shared.  I showed her my new gift.  I had been initiated that morning.  A dolphin swam by me and had a leaf plastered to his rostrum(nose or beak) and then flipped it to his pectoral fin and then released it as he swam by me.  It floated over underwater and I grabbed it.  I was so excited to be included I showed it to Joan, who reminded me, to pass it along and to share the game.   It was to be a trip of initiation for me.  I swam back over and released the leaf, the perfect leaf back to the game, and a dolphin came by like he was scooping up a football and swam off quickly, bucking through the water.  I felt tired now and it was time to deal with my rumbling stomach....