My Final (Sea) Glimpse From The Scottish Dolphin Centre
As many of the recent blog posts from the Scottish Dolphin Centre can attest, we really can’t believe that autumn and the end of the season is upon us. Before myself and fellow education volunteer Laura say our farewells, we do still have some fun and games planned for the centre’s October Wildlife Warriors club. Getting ready for the winter is the overarching theme of our activities whether that be stocking up on food or making the move to warmer climes and lots in between. With a session each Wednesday of the ‘tattie holidays’ (a school holiday here in Scotland), there will be lots for our intrepid warriors to see and do.
As well as the kids club, we’re expecting the Scottish Dolphin Centre to be busy with lots of other visitors too. Spey Bay is a brilliant place to watch bottlenose dolphins from land and I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to watch these amazing creatures wild and free. As a Guide & Education volunteer I am especially happy when I get to share these experiences with others, joining with them in the excitement of seeing something that can be so special and meaningful. A few times this year I’ve spent time with people that have been visiting Spey Bay over a number of years and have not yet spotted the dolphins. On these occasions I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed for some activity and, more often than not, the dolphins have been most obliging, often in spectacular fashion. Then I get to see the beaming smiles of these most persevering of visitors and it makes my day, just as much as the dolphins have made theirs!
Whether you’ve seen cetaceans for the first time or the fiftieth, I don’t think you’ll ever need to worry about being bored by them. Dynamic and social or timid and solitary, each encounter of them is guaranteed to be special. But for glimpses of them at the surface, much of their life takes place below the waves leaving us wondering what fascinating ones they must lead. These wild creatures captivate us with their charm so shouldn’t we return the favour and thank them by creating a world where they can live safe and free.
