Dolphin Research Centre
So this is what the kids were waiting for…swimming with dolphins in the morning.
We were given an intro and talk and then split into groups – we were all together with a trainer and the dolphin called Tina (no idea what the trainer’s name was!!!)
The area we were doing all this looked out across the bay so it felt quite open and in the wild compared to many others that are set up and very restrictive. Again this was Tasha’s idea so that it felt more natural and less staged.
We were then in the front lagoon and the dolphin was told what to do and we’d then be able to stroke its back, have a kiss, shake hands, imitate with it (splashing, blowing raspberry, dancing, laughing) and then the dorsal pull which you swam out and it would then come alongside and pull you along, finishing on instructions such as telling it to swim on its head, whistle, do a somersault, pretend to be a shark and even an alligator.
Everyone loved it, and it was very, very good – a very memorable experience indeed. Didn’t feel rushed and had plenty of time doing it all.
We were then able to walk around the centre, it was pretty big, and see other demonstrations or trainers at work, it was very interesting and informative and 3 hours passed by really quickly.
Back to the house for some lunch and then to the pool for a couple of hours – I slept!
Back to the house again to get ready and we then drove 90 minutes to Key West – the furthest West point of the Keys and Southernmost point of the States (I think). It meant driving over the iconic 7 mile bridge which I had been looking forward to and lots of other bridges along the way, it made me feel like I was in a film. I was James Bond and had a beautiful Bond Girl by my side, that’s when Tash would nudge me to open my eyes and concentrate on the road!
We parked up in Key West and walked around, and it most definitely wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
I thought it would be a quiet backward place but it was a hustling, bustling seaside town, loads of bars and nightlife – would be a great party place. I suppose it was the Key’s equivalent of Blackpool – slightly classier I suspect but it just looked a fantastic party place.
We had a nice meal in a hidden away restaurant and then had a quick look around the harbour and then back in the car to come home in the pitch darkness.
I’ve said it lots of times before in this diary during this holiday but another fantastic day.
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