AtoZ, Blog Challenge, Travel

2017 #atozchallenge [D] Dolphin Delight

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A goa girl trip was planned on the eve of my 40th bday and along with my bestie (who is also one of my closest cousin), we landed there.

One of things on our to-do list was dolphin sighting from one of the popular Goa beaches. A quick google search later, John’s Tour stood out for us as that was the most popular one and guaranteed the best sighting ever, including swimming with them.

Early morning, we were picked up from our hotel and taken to Bardez from where we got on a boat with a few other people who were as excited as we were.

An honest confession – the google reviews were so glowing, that I had donned my swimsuit underneath my clothes (despite the heat) – I had this vision of swimming alongside these glorious aquatic mammals (as the brochures had glowingly suggested that we could).

But when I saw the grey green waters, I quickly changed my mind (how sad it is that we can’t keep our coastline clean?) though couldn’t do the same with my clothes and had to literally sweat it out. (The tour staff had also looked askance when I had mentioned I want to swim in the water; seems the reviews are over done)

We were taken to the middle of the sea where we could see plenty of other boats crisscrossing the water to sight these darlings. An hour of waiting and not even a ripple – when we all turned quizzically to question our operator; the guys shrugged their shoulders claiming helplessness as the dolphins are not circus trained beasts that would come running when called.

Suddenly a shout went up and there they were! The cheeky little things with their snouts out in the air, bodies slicked wet with water and glistening where the sun shone down on them. They playfully nudged each other and shot in and out of water, synchronised gracefully.

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There was something so magical and innocent about seeing these gentle creatures frolic in the water – we were all spell-bound and couldn’t get enough of it.

Prompted by my cousin, I suddenly remembered to train my DSLR on the water and try to capture them as best as I could for they disappeared faster than the shutter could click shut. So all my shots are of a fin or a snout or the tail 🙂

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We spent a happy hour gazing at these sea creatures that strived to enthrall us with their kibitzing around. It’s as if they had sensed our earlier anguish and were making up for the disappointment  🙂

This is one of the warmest memories of this Goa trip and I got to relive some of it on a recent trip to Fort Kochi where its far easier to spot dolphins, closer to the shore.

” The happiness of the bee and the dolphin is to exist. For man it is to know that and wonder at it.”

– Jacques Yves Cousteau –


Have you ever been dolphin sighting?

What do you think of it?

Fact File:

  • Goa is one of the most popular beach destination of India on the western coastline. Its neighbours Maharashtra and is well-connected by air, rail and road.
  • Dolphin spotting is greatly advertised as a touristy thing, but one doesn’t have to go with the tour operators. Local fishermen are equally happy to take you for a small fee.
  • One needs to be very patient for the sighting as often one can go without it too.
  • I am not a fan of John’s tour and had a relook at their reviews which on a second read looked strangely suspicious.

Read about the exciting E tomorrow

For the uninitiated, AtoZ challenge is a blogging challenge wherein one has to write on every alphabet from A to Z and post on all days of April, except Sundays. Usually its better to devise a theme as it makes it easy to write the posts. Plus readers have a reason to stay hooked too.

The A to Z Challenge is created by  Arlee Bird of Tossing it Out
and co-hosted by

Alex J. Cavanaugh of Alex J. Cavanaugh

Jeremy Hawkins of Hollywood Nuts

Heather M. Gardner of  The Waiting is the Hardest Part
Zalka Csenge Virág of The Multicolored Diary

John Holton of The Sound of One Hand Typing

J Lenni Dorner of  Blog of J. Lenni Dorner

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Linking up for #wordsante with Namysaysso for every post deserves some love

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52 thoughts on “2017 #atozchallenge [D] Dolphin Delight

    1. Thanks Radhika – I saw plenty of them in Fort Kochi a while back and that also while just walking on the beach 😉

  1. As an Aquarian, the sea really calls to me. Which is why it sucks that in real life, I’ve had so few opportunities to really splash around in the water. Dolphin tho dooor ki baat Hai 🙂
    This gets added on to my bucket list.

    1. Ahh its is indeed calming to see the sea waves crashing on the shore and receeding back again. I happened to do some beach watching in Fort Kochi recently and managed to spot dolphins often enough! 🙂

  2. Oh I have had some very endearing and mystical experiences with Dolphins. They are so perceptive and born with such amazing intelligence. I was kissed by this adorable dolphin at Sentosa in Singapore and we got to pet the cute wonder too!! Will be writing another of my rendezvous with them in one of my A-Z 2017 Travel Epiphanies. In the interim I want to be able to swim alongside them o,ne day too :)))

    Natasha
    natashamusing

    Travel Epiphanies:
    Died and Went to Heaven

  3. Goa is my favourite holiday destination ever. I can never have enough. We once had a surprise sighting of dolphins near Mahabalipuram. It was an exhilarating experience!

  4. So the sight was worth the wait I’d say. Must have been so lovely to watch these adorable creatures frolicking in the waters. I have only ever spotted Dolphins in controlled environments, and it was still an endearing sight.
    Mayuri

  5. Did I just read 40th … No wayyyyyy… You look way younger than That. Lucky you, so many dolphin sightings. I couldn’t spot any when I went there. But I enjoyed looking at the water… Shimmering and beautiful.

  6. Hahahaha – tourist reviews are so annoying – I feel for you in your swimming costume in the heat. Lovely shots of the sweetie pies.
    I haven’t been specifically Dolphin viewing but I have seen the Gangetic River Dolphin cavorting in the Ganga at Varanasi.

  7. Are you kidding me?!! You’re 40?!! I still can’t believe that! I thought you were 20 something girl!!

    I’ve seen dolphins and they are such fun mammals! I saw them when we went to Mauritius! And those were really playful! So many together, synchronizing their steps as if they’re trained to do so! It was truly a delight!

    I’ve heard of tours from Goa to see Dolphins but never really believed it until I read this post!

    Cheers

  8. Dolphins are so beautiful to watch. We often get them in our harbour here in Wellington NZ. Never knew you could watch them in Goa. Glad you got to see them.

  9. In our part of Western Australia the dolphins come in very close to shore and visit with tourists all the time. You can go out in a boat or wait for feeding time and see them really close. They are amazing creatures aren’t they?
    Leanne | cresting the hill

  10. I have a particular liking towards Dolphins. A of many years back when I had visited, it was pretty clean, not many visited I guess. I went to the chilka lake in orissa too.. Just for the dolphins.
    And your tips are just perfect. Will keep in mind for the next trip. 😉

  11. Almost everyone loves dolphins. Even the deadly Killer Whale is a dolphin! If you had to give dolphins a synonym or two, it would definitely be intelligent & genial. Dolphin spotting is popular across the world and in our country too. It’s a good recreational activity. However, if we are able to combine it into an educational and informational activity for people of all strata of society, then it would help in creating awareness in terms of trying to save the dolphins. I have not yet witnessed dolphins but I would love to.

  12. We went to Goa 4 years back and people told us to go to the beach around 6 in the morning if we want to see some dolphins. I and kids didn’t wake up but my hubby went to the beach and saw dolphins. Your post reminded me of his description. 🙂

  13. I’ll be honest. Before I read your post, I had no clue that one can go dolphn watching in Goa. Goa? Really? wow!
    I know what you mean about clicking them. I spotted pink dolphins in Hong Kong and this was excatly the scene. With my phone camera, I couldn’t even get the shots you got but the memories do stay. 🙂

  14. So glad that you could finally watch the Dolphins at play after the initial disappointment with the dirty waters. So happy you had a great time on your milestone birthday. Loved your fact file and thank you for touching upon how airbrushed the online reviews usually are.

  15. Whoa….you look a lot younger than 40s! I love dolphins and have been lucky to see them here in Aus a few times. Didn’t know there was dolphin watching in Goa…last time I was in Goa, I was 19.

  16. I remember my first time trying to spot Orca whales and it was in Seattle’s Puget Sound. Man, did we wait! But it was so worth it to finally see those majestic creatures rise out of the water. Dolphins in Goa? I’ve been there but never seen this. Added to my next-time-in-Goa list

    1. Ooh that sounds awesome Shailaja. I saw them in Singapore too where we were allowed to touch them. But this was totally different and more exhilarating 😉

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