Dolphins at play

Today it is 3,650 days since I first posted a photo on Blipfoto. Much has happened in those ten years; some very good, some not quite so good, and some distinctly not good. 

But today has been a good day. Young L was born three days short of thirteen years ago. To celebrate his impending birthday we all went on the whale and dolphin safari out onto the Hauraki Gulf. After a few false starts, the skipper of the boat saw a large number of gannets. They are often called dolphin birds, he told us, because they hunt the same fish the dolphins eat. 

Sure enough, we saw a large pod of dolphins. The boat crew told us that it was a very big pod, probably more than 200, and also that the large number of babies and juveniles suggested that it was a ‘nursery pod’.

The gannets were plentiful as were two other species of bird. One a shearwater, and the other I need to identify. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

Afterwards, and following a rest in the hotel room where S and I are spending tonight to avoid the rigours of keeping the apartment right for open homes, we went to a Wynyard Quarter restaurant for dinner. 

Just back at the hotel room and have posted a dolphin photo. 

Ten years is a long time to be doing the same thing. I have persisted because the discipline of a daily photo suits my personality, and because of the support of so many over those ten years. As midnight approaches, I am too tired to write more, so I will let today’s photo stand as an example of how my photography has improved. I dedicate the joyfulness of the dolphins to those with whom I have communicated and who write so supportively.