Boo wouldn’t join me for a swim this morning, and I have to admit, I’ve been pretty slack on the whole getting out of bed and into the water routine if I’m going alone. Unless I wake up in some glorious sunshine the odds are pretty slim that I’m going to choose a dip over a nice hot shower. I know, my priorities are screwy, but that’s life.
This moring was one of those tasty fresh-smelly jump-out-of-bed-with-a-smile days that just make you want to race to the beach. The tide was pretty far out this morning, so I was forced to swim on the other side of the sandbar – something I’m not altogether comfortable with, and I’m not sure why. Sharks can cross the sandbar just fine if they have a mind to, I witnessed one do it only about 5 months ago. Great big thing it was too. Anyway, I’m out swimming past the sandbar and to make it worse I’m all alone out in the water – not a person for miles and miles. I guess 9:30 is a little late in the morning for the retired lifesavers to be out for a swim. It makes me a lot more comfortable when they are splashing about too. Not because I think a shark will go for them first, oh no, any one of those retirees could outswim me in no time. I guess I just like the safety in numbers idea.
I’m breast-stroking along, thinking reassuring thoughts about sharks all liking to sleep late; and enjoying the beautiful sunshine, the clear blue water and the white ripply sand beneath. There’s a funny click click noise not to far from me, out a bit deeper in the water. I just keep swimming. Then I see a flash of brown out in the water. A diving bird perhaps? I pay closer attention. A fin. A dolphin! A school of dolphins! Mum’s an babys and beautiful sleek black dads a few breast-strokes away. Click-click.
It’s an amazing thing, I would have thought that suddenly finding myself in plenty of company would make me nervous, but all the shark anxiety just melted away and I found myself laughing. Everytime I laughed I was greeted with click-clicks. One of the dolphins went past blowing jets of spray out of his… nostril? It was fun, three big spurts and lots of click-click-click. After a few moments the children out on the jetty must have spotted the dolphins too, I could hear them squeaking. Such a delightful happy start to the day.
The last time that happened to me I was a little girl, and grandma had us out of the water before she realised that they weren’t sharks. I was too apprehensive to go back in the water that time. Maybe next time I’ll have enough gumption to go out and swim with them, I’m sure I was invited.