| Choosing a dolphin lover gift may not be as easy as it | | | | of about 6 dolphins had become familiar passers-by |
| is for a pet lover, but that is not to say it is not possible. | | | | just offshore. Very rarely they ventured into Swanage |
| In fact, you will find quite a range of dolphin related gifts | | | | Bay, but mostly they were observed sometimes off |
| around the internet, although in your local store it may | | | | Durlston. But, you needed a lot of luck and patience to |
| be hit and miss as to whether you will find anything. In | | | | see any dolphins there, even when they were known |
| my case, I received the true, ultimate dolphin lover gift, | | | | to be in the area. I had a naturalist friend who had lived |
| some years ago, but more of that later. | | | | in Swanage for 25 years, and was a frequent visitor |
| The demand for dolphin gifts, though, is undoubtedly | | | | to Durslton; he had never, ever seen a dolphin there. |
| high. On a brief and unscientific survey, dolphin lover | | | | I was a member of Dolphin Watch, spending long |
| gifts are about half as popular as cat lover gifts. If you | | | | hours on the cliff top looking out for the dolphins to |
| think about it, that is amazing. Most people will never | | | | record their movements. I had no luck ever while on |
| see a dolphin in their lives, yet we are surrounded by | | | | duty, nor had many fellow dolphin lovers on the watch. |
| cats. | | | | My luck suddenly changed, though, when I was out |
| What is it, then, that makes dolphins so appealing? I | | | | walking with my daughter one Sunday afternoon, on |
| love birds and cats especially, but dolphins I adore. | | | | the cliff tops at Durlston. It was early December, and |
| They are wonderful and appealing creatures with a | | | | winter and Christmas were in the air. |
| mystique that helps their popularity. Dolphins are the | | | | The grass slope was a little bit slippery, and I slipped |
| stuff of sailors' tales, and true stories, about dolphins | | | | over, ending up on my back. After my daughter's initial |
| and man. They have faces that are expressive in a | | | | concern subsided, we both had a good laugh, and I |
| human like way, and they seem to smile. Dolphins also | | | | hobbled over to a nearby bench to get my breath |
| seem to follow man out at sea, when men venture out | | | | back. The bench was looking out to sea. That's when |
| in their boats or into the water. | | | | something of a miracle happened; well, at least a major |
| Dolphins are also performers, not just in captivity, but in | | | | coincidence; an incredible coincidence. |
| the wild. While they do travel at high speed and jump | | | | As we sat down, I said: "Ok, we will sit here until we |
| out of the water in so doing, they do come across as | | | | see a dolphin, even though it may mean missing |
| playful, and capable of enjoying life. So, in a way they | | | | Christmas." Christmas was 3 weeks away, so it was |
| are partly human like, and therefore easy for us to | | | | a rash thing to say. We looked out to sea, and within a |
| relate to. They are also very intelligent. | | | | minute, I saw two dolphins. I was in disbelief, but I took |
| Dolphins engender excitement, and at times everyone | | | | another look; I had my glasses on so was not being |
| becomes a dolphin lover. In my country of origin, | | | | deceived. It really was dolphins. |
| England, dolphins off the coast have always been | | | | My daughter thought, assumed, and was sure, I was |
| something of a rarity; although I have read that large | | | | joking. Then she saw them also, plus a third dolphin. |
| numbers of dolphins have been seen off nearby | | | | We watched them for about 45 minutes, walking along |
| Wales recently. While I still lived in England, though, the | | | | the coast with them, and then back again. It was a |
| appearance of a few dolphins close to shore may | | | | mesmerising and unforgettable time, even though they |
| even have made the television news and front pages | | | | were so far away; those three bottle-nosed dolphins |
| of the newspapers. Now, that's something cat's cannot | | | | were, to me, the ultimate dolphin lover's Christmas gift. |
| do! | | | | A few weeks early, and free, but a wonderful gift |
| I am one of the lucky few, though. I was fortunate to | | | | nonetheless. |
| be able to live on the Dorset coastline, where a group | | | | |