| The following adventure took place in Florida in 1995, | | | | slowly made our way through Turkey Creek |
| although the memory of it has lasted quite vividly in my | | | | Sanctuary, straining our eyes, making sure no |
| mind and in my heart. | | | | manatees were out and about. Finally we reached the |
| It was a dark and stormy night. No, really it was! It was | | | | breakwaters to the Indian River Lagoon and realized |
| also a night filled with apprehension, doubt, joy, | | | | we had to be just crazy to be going out on a boat in |
| excitement, fear, and a good healthy dose of pride. | | | | the wee hours of the morning in stormy weather with |
| It was also my 52nd birthday, and one that I shall never | | | | crashing waves, knowing we would be tossed about. |
| forget. No gift, no matter how expensive or unique | | | | And tossed about we were! I am not particularly |
| could compare with the gift I received on this birthday: | | | | known for my bravery, but my eagerness and my |
| being a participant in the team helping to bring Bogie | | | | strong desire to be a part of this team effort |
| and Bacall, two Bottlenose Dolphins, back home to their | | | | overshadowed my fear. |
| original pod in the Indian River Lagoon, in Palm Bay, | | | | As the boat tossed about, rolling from side to side, and |
| Florida. | | | | then crashing down bow to stern, the lightning let me |
| Bogie and Bacall had been captured many years | | | | see the magnitude of the waves. I swear they were |
| before, and as so often befalls our trusting animal | | | | 50 feet tall. At least in my frightened mind, they were. |
| counterparts, they were sent to one of those | | | | All I know is that they were BIG! |
| road-side aquariums that seem to dot the landscape | | | | Suddenly the bow light went out. I would run to the |
| of Florida, and where they were to spend the rest of | | | | front of the boat, beat on the light, waves crashing |
| their lives performing for people, instead of frolicking | | | | over the bow, spilling salt water in my face, and then I'd |
| and reveling in their freedom. | | | | run back to the shelter of our hard top. Then it would |
| After many years of trying to free them, the Dolphin | | | | happen all over again. |
| Alliance finally succeeded in getting permission to return | | | | Then the unthinkable happened. The engine quit. Here |
| them to their home. | | | | we were, in the middle of the river, in the middle of the |
| My husband and I were unaware of the dolphins' plight | | | | night, not to mention in the middle of a nightmare, with |
| until we read that the alliance needed volunteers to | | | | people anxiously awaiting our arrival with two big |
| bring these lovable creatures back to their natural | | | | dolphins in their charge. |
| environment. We didn't know what we could do to | | | | Once again, determination and the skill of my husband |
| help. We just knew that we wanted to do whatever | | | | got us up and running. He found the problem; some |
| we could. | | | | water in the engine. Gee, what a surprise. |
| As luck would have it, we had exactly what the | | | | Then, as suddenly as the storm came upon us, it |
| alliance needed: a 24 foot pontoon boat which was | | | | disappeared, the waters calmed down, and we were |
| needed to transport Bogie and Bacall to a large | | | | on our way. Now I can hear the theme song from |
| containment pen in the Indian River Lagoon where | | | | "200l A Space Odyssey" playing in my head. We're |
| Bogie and Bacall would be kept until they could be | | | | almost there. We're going to make it. We did! |
| retrained to fish for their own food. Then they would | | | | Bogie arrived first between 3 and 4 a.m. The decision |
| be released to join their original pod. This was the plan. | | | | was made to now wait until daybreak to release her. |
| Many, many people were involved in this humanitarian | | | | Bacall followed later. |
| undertaking and it was a thrill to be a part of it, no | | | | My husband, and my son, along with many wonderful |
| matter how peripherally. The volunteers did all the hard | | | | volunteers gently placed Bogie onto the stretcher and |
| work, constructing the pen, arranging for the dolphins' | | | | then onto our boat for the short ride to the |
| release, transporting them from south Florida to Palm | | | | containment pen. Then the process was repeated with |
| Bay, Florida. | | | | Bacall joining Bogie in the pen. |
| On the appointed day of their release, the Dolphin | | | | Bogie and Bacall spent weeks, if not months, being |
| Alliance people were on the phone with us throughout | | | | retrained in fishing techniques, and being visited by |
| the day. | | | | members of their pod who would swim up to the |
| The call for us to depart in our boat came at 9:30 p.m., | | | | containment pen as if welcoming back their old friends. |
| just as my head had hit the pillow. Well, there would be | | | | I wish the story ended here, with the much anticipated |
| no sleep now. Bogie, the first dolphin, was not due to | | | | release of these two special dolphins, but it doesn't. |
| arrive until 3 a.m., but the alliance people wanted our | | | | Some misguided person or persons most likely, thinking |
| boat there by 2 a.m. in case they arrived early. | | | | they were doing the right thing, at least I hope their |
| The excitement coursing through my body was almost | | | | intentions were honorable and not malicious, slipped into |
| more than I could bear. Here was our chance to do | | | | the pen at night and cut it so that Bogie and Bacall |
| something worthwhile, to make a difference, to help in | | | | could escape. |
| letting Bogie and Bacall experience freedom once | | | | Escape they did and we can only hope that they |
| again. | | | | were fully trained and ready to be on their own again. |
| Earlier I had been trying to read, to relax, while waiting | | | | No dolphin carcasses were spotted in the waters and |
| for the phone call, but every word on the page | | | | a few of the volunteers even spotted Bogie and |
| seemed to say Bogie and Bacall. I had tried to watch | | | | Bacall swimming in the lagoon, identifying them by their |
| TV but realized that I was looking at the screen and | | | | distinctive fin markings. |
| seeing nothing. My head was filled with two frolicking | | | | So we can hope that this story did indeed have the |
| dolphins! | | | | fairy tale ending that we all hoped, and worked so |
| But wait, what was that rumbling noise that was slowly | | | | hard for. I'm reminded of a line from a Jimmy Buffet |
| permeating my conscious thought? Well, of course, I | | | | song..."Come along let's have some fun, the hard work |
| suddenly recognize that sound...it's thunder! That light | | | | has been done." Indeed it was hard work and |
| that I thought I saw flashing? Yes, lightning. We were | | | | perseverance that made this rescue possible and we |
| going to be out on our boat at 1 a.m. in the middle of a | | | | feel confident that Bogie and Bacall went on to have |
| Florida lightning storm. | | | | many years of fun and most importantly of all, |
| We arrived at the marina, got our boat underway and | | | | freedom! |
| set forth to take part in this thrill of a lifetime. We | | | | |