With just a few hours left on our boat ride, we headed south in search of dolphins, crossing our fingers we'd have slightly better viewing than the air-shy whales we were leaving.
![20180210_105242-700_7559 20180210_105242-700_7559](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/249d7fac4093c99ddc03eaac5f69f39e/20180210_105242-700_7559-900x900.jpg)
A bit of radioing around, and we splashed right into the inlet where the dolphins were playing that day.
![20180210_110524-_D5A2900 20180210_110524-_D5A2900](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/48d00d0eeec914036e733dc96dcb3ebb/20180210_110524-_D5A2900-900x900.jpg)
The pod was at least a hundred, maybe hundreds. We jumped in the water straight away, me equipped with my iPhone in a waterproof case,
![20180210_110846-700_7583 20180210_110846-700_7583](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/ab0da17d5e3521a3832b9dc477670a65/20180210_110846-700_7583-900x900.jpg)
that proved more difficult to use in the water than I'd thought. I promise, I was just trying to take photos of the dolphins, but couldn't . . .
![20180210_110947-_D5A2943 20180210_110947-_D5A2943](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/33a7c6b5a0e5d9ce1e997dfd2a2d7928/20180210_110947-_D5A2943-900x900.jpg)
see them!
![20180210_110941-_D5A2938 20180210_110941-_D5A2938](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/e4d78e631b28b05c0ebbbe3f8f0fe09c/20180210_110941-_D5A2938-900x900.jpg)
So many dolphins were visible from the surface, but pods and pods by threes and fours and eights swam by below. It was incredibly beautiful to watch their silent gentle movements in the water, to see their little babies alongside, and to gape as these spinners dove up out of the water, twirling, and danced right back into it.
![20180210_110859-_D5A2922 20180210_110859-_D5A2922](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/96fd0e8dbc9ed06415c5aa0c8ee229e6/20180210_110859-_D5A2922-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_111028-_D5A2963 20180210_111028-_D5A2963](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/26f03da3e96e89d479f090f5e8550bd4/20180210_111028-_D5A2963-900x900.jpg)
Walk took these from the boat before he got into the water, but once he got in,
![20180210_111016-_D5A2954 20180210_111016-_D5A2954](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/275c0b07fbc5c5d680a5204688db0975/20180210_111016-_D5A2954-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_110911-_D5A2929 20180210_110911-_D5A2929](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/c65685c978ffa54633caa79b26341c34/20180210_110911-_D5A2929-900x900.jpg)
I was happy to pass off the confusing technology,
![20180210_110830-700_7580 20180210_110830-700_7580](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/55e5c1b0ae4448f03a854d55ca95c8fa/20180210_110830-700_7580-900x900.jpg)
and float, watching them deep below.
![20180210_113348-DSC_2838 20180210_113348-DSC_2838](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/2d27b1bc1bb99df5d436f4e4648ff647/20180210_113348-DSC_2838-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_113340-DSC_2836 20180210_113340-DSC_2836](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/89d0939b31f212810883a1602ab427ee/20180210_113340-DSC_2836-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_113344-DSC_2837 20180210_113344-DSC_2837](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/782bea3b8345f8be9f15e3037f861bc9/20180210_113344-DSC_2837-900x900.jpg)
Huge thanks to dad/father-in-law, who took some of these with his underwater camera and shared them with us!
![20180210_113036-DSC_2827 20180210_113036-DSC_2827](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/bfbb79851fe0e881708587d69c972908/20180210_113036-DSC_2827-900x900.jpg)
It took my breath away to realize that from the surface, all the fins we saw were a small fraction of the bounty below.
![20180210_113311-DSC_2834 20180210_113311-DSC_2834](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/7138707f4014510fa968e616c7a30d58/20180210_113311-DSC_2834-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_112209-DSC_2824 20180210_112209-DSC_2824](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/eb5e400e2c4ca5ce9b3475cdd0932dc1/20180210_112209-DSC_2824-900x900.jpg)
Walk took these closer ones with my iPhone underwater; I can't believe how sharp a phone can shoot underwater still!
![20180210_111239-DSC_2818 20180210_111239-DSC_2818](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/5c71507e65baa275fc4f7470ce94896c/20180210_111239-DSC_2818-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_113153-IMG_0481 20180210_113153-IMG_0481](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/a2c44fa2f57b02d7a7a5b332a7cfd2e4/20180210_113153-IMG_0481-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_113151-IMG_0479 20180210_113151-IMG_0479](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/cf6219ef9460977a4061950620529c68/20180210_113151-IMG_0479-900x900.jpg)
They were so playful and friendly, and our captains told us sometimes would swim right next to you if you swam in the same direction.
![20180210_112949-IMG_0462 20180210_112949-IMG_0462](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/960e38dab532a29d8e3da94ab029cc0a/20180210_112949-IMG_0462-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_112922-IMG_0453 20180210_112922-IMG_0453](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/4fc00eea29d35e49eab8d5fa10a38700/20180210_112922-IMG_0453-900x900.jpg)
![20180210_113124-IMG_0477 20180210_113124-IMG_0477](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/62e9c98024757f42a0cd30579da58db2/20180210_113124-IMG_0477-900x900.jpg)
The baby dolphins swam alongside the adults, even spinning out of the water (sadly too fast for photos) and it was beyond adorable. The movements of the group were so graceful in tandem, and we could've watched all day. After about 30-45 minutes, we hopped back on the boat, chattering a little out of the warm waters.
Here is a first for the blog: a video from my phone (taken my Walker) of how it felt to swim with the dolphins. You can ses a baby right at the beginning. You can also sortof hear the clicking noises they used to communicate. Enjoy!