Hypocrite alert! I have said in the past that i cannot condone the captivity of marine mammals and would never pay to enter such a place. For today i changed my mind (temporarily)!

'Marineland' was right opposite my hostel so i couldn't resist at least a look. It is research facility primarily and the animals are very well looked after, their welfare and stimulation being the primary motivations. However which ever way you look at it, it's still wrong to keep these animals caged. But i felt i would go and meet them and give them some love - and at least try to offer some variety to their captive exsistence. As it turns out they admit people in in the morning before they open to meet the dolphins for a special behind the scenes look. That had my name all over it.

I was very excited to be going to meet and touch these creatures and when i arrived and found out they were two girls aged 35 and 37, it seemed right. And guess what? The 37 year old was called Kelly! Outrageous! AND the only other people on the tour were a honeymooning couple called Mr and Mrs Kelly!! Fate? I think so.

We met the dolphins (Common) by the edge of the pool and they came right up expecting their brekkie. I touched Kelly's rostrum (beak) and fed her a bucket of fish piece by piece. On the second to last piece you have to say "last piece Kel". Then on the last piece say "finished Kel" and hold your hands up so she knows its all gone. She swam off straight away and went to ring her bell - her favourite toy. It was just magical to be in such close contact - even if it was just cupboard love!

We had a tour of the rest of the place - seals and penguins - then i went back and took some pics and movies of the dolphs. It was annoying though because when you're at one end they stay at the other and then when i moved to where they were, they went to the other end! The owner said they do it on purpose - it certainly seemed that way! Then as i turned to leave, Kelly came to the edge of the pool and swept a huge plume of water over the edge of the pool, soaking me! It turns out they do this on purpose too. I pretended to leave, shouting BYE and turning my back and she did it again! Little scoundrels!

I was on such a high and then on leaving realised that for the un-princely sum of $50 i could swim with them! This is my chance i thought and booked up. On returning at 11.30 for the swim, i was told that no-one else was booked in and i would have the pool and the dolphins to myself! Wow. Wetsuit on and a briefing and i was in. This is it!

The girls circled me a lot and didn't get to close. Kelly just going and ringing her bell and didn't seem at all interested in me or the ball i kept throwing at her. The supervisor Tim told me to swim right up to her to "see what she" would do. Mmm. Sounds a bit vague and scarey but what the hell. She just kept swimming away but i seemed to get closer and closer each time. Then she started swimming towards me, eyeing me and clicking at me - sizing me up no doubt. Suddenly she swam right up to and past me flicking her head towards me, mouth open! Tim was laughing and going "wohoo! cool!" but i was just sh*tting myself!

Over the next few minutes, she swam right towards me again and i had to open my legs for her to go through. Then finally as i was about to leave, she swam fully up against me splashing and flicking her tail. It was frightening and exhilirating. Tim said he'd never seen her get that close to anyone she didn't know. WOW! What an experience.

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