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Fins to Feather

by Scarlet Colley - January - 2003

The dolphins of South Padre Island are a lure to all who visit. The marina’s are filled with dolphin watch boats and everyone’s first question is “Will we see dolphins?”. Operating a research vessel ourselves to film and document our dolphin families in the bay, we are with them almost everyday. We assure everyone the dolphins will be there and this is their home but we never know where they will be. They are wild dolphins and have a mind of their own. They were here long before we were and anyone who has had a business on the water here on the Island for any length of time has watched a several generations of local dolphins grow up and new generations be born.

Many have the idea that our dolphins are just in the gulf but our dolphin are inshore bay dolphin. They loop around our barrier island from pass to pass along the shore and in the bay and have been taught by the learned elders where and where not to go. They love their home and have plenty of food. As fisherman fish in the bay and the gulf, we remember that the dolphins can’t go to the store and restaurant if they don’t catch any fish, they just go hungry and we all know how it feels to be hungry. But the bay is rich and clean and our dolphins are healthy and happy.

They are ever learning with their big brains as we are with our big brains. The only difference of course is that they gave up their hands long ago to be aquainians. They cannot come to land or to our world like we can go to theirs. We are earth bound and but our brain power and hands allow us to devise ways to spend time in their water world. We can now go to areas in their water world, with our technology, that even they cannot go to.

As we skim out on the bay each day , cameras ready and answering questions about the things our dolphin research has taught us about the dolphins of South Padre Island, we see the delight and joy that these fabulous humans of the sea give to everyone not only on our boat but on all the other boats too. Even on the bay fishing boats the folks put down their poles and get out their cameras and call to the dolphin as they come around. The delight that these friends of the sea give us is captivating. Our love for them as we have come to know and understand them runs deep.

In the eight years we have been on the water with them we never know where they are going to be. But the dolphins seem to sense us very strongly. They even seem to know when there are special needs. We have had them right at the Marina, where we dock our boat, waiting for us as we came out. This happened when we had a young boy on the boat from make a wish foundation that was dying of cancer. And then right there again when my brother came to see us this Dec. whom I hadn’t seen in over fifteen years. The experiences go on and on and how can we explain them? How can we understand how our dolphins seem to sense things about us? Sometimes I think they can read our thoughts. There is a bond there that we love and cherish and perhaps that is the secret.

The love and joy we feel for them, they understand that emotion and can relate to it too. The mother and child jumping for joy in this picture was just outside the marina a few weeks ago. They had led us to the marina towards the end of our trip . We had so much as they frolicked and played. The bay was flat calm which is the ultimate to be on the water. It is hard to leave them to return to the dock. Many of our trips end up longer as the camera captures the special moments with them. Folks don’t seem to mind and get caught up in the fun too. Dolphins bring joy to all ages and to be able to Dance with dolphins just once in your life is a heartwarming experience.

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