Motoring with the Dolphins

(Day 3, in the evening. Isabela, Galapagos!)

We were out on one of the Zodiac boats - -smallish inflatable craft with outboard motors - - looking at many marine birds off the cliffs of Isabela Island.

Then, the ship radioed our boat's seasoned Ecuadorian skipper, Washington, reporting that a pod of dolphins were moving gleefully further out in the ocean.

Washington gunned the engine, hurtling our vessel out into the ocean and taking up chase... landing us in the middle of perhaps 40 magical creatures.

A Magical, Whimsical Troupe, Cruising the Seas
Abraham Pachikara, Copyright 2018 (Click for larger image)

Those 10 minutes seemed to stretch for a mesmerizing eternity.

They surged out of the water in pairs, trios, singles. I wished for eyes on the back of my head as the playful scene was everywhere I looked, and did not.

They were on our left, then our right. Back on our left. In front, then behind. To miss on microsecond of it in any direction was a crime.

A Precious One Minute, On Just One Side
Salvador Cazar, Copyright 2018 (Click for larger video)

To be clear, it was the dolphins’ choice, not ours. They had included us in their merry band, just cruising the oceans, like a bunch of bikers hauling ass and laughing the whole way.

As fast as it began, it ended. The dolphins vanished into the depths of the ocean, so we headed back to the ship.

A dream could not have been more remarkable...