As much as I cherish photos from Bonaire that did turn out the way I expected, there are some that simply serve as great memories. Recently reading Richard Wong’s post on the Pictures you don’t take brought to mind this particular experience. except I did take one picture. The picture is forgettable, perhaps not even necessary, but the events that unfolded will be cherished as one of the more memorable dives I have had.
This particular site was one of the most northern dive sites on Bonaire, one that requires you to drive through Washington-Slagbaai National Park. In our prior trips to Bonaire, we have never dove the sites in the park, and were determined to change that this time. Forget about paved roads, RV’s, and touron traffic jams here, and you better have a high clearance 4WD vehicle. It requires navigating what some might loosely call roads with many pits, boulders, and steep grades, surrounded by thorny brush and cacti on both sides. When we arrived at the first site, it was in an isolated cove with fairly heavy surge. A dive boat was moored off in the distance.
Passing dolphin pod
While we were evaluating whether we wanted to enter from shore here, or move on – we suddenly saw dolphins approach the dive boat. A dolphin sighting meant the surge was suddenly classified as a MINOR obstacle. 🙂 However, by the time we geared up and were ready to enter, the boat started to leave, and the dolphins along with it. Such is life. With a sigh of disappointment, we entered anyway.
If there is one significant Achilles heel of underwater photography (particularly with SLRs), it is deciding which lens you are going to be shooting with since you obviously cannot change them underwater. Murphy’s Law of Underwater Photography states that “no matter what lens you select, there will be subjects that require the other lens.” Of course I was outfitted for macro for this dive having shot wide for the past 2 days.
Throughout this dive I was always looking back into the blue water with hopes the dolphins might return. About half way through, I caught a glimpse of something rather large approaching from a distance. Sure enough, it was not just “some” dolphins, but a whole pod of 15 of them. My immediate reaction was to try to flag others in my group of their approach. I turned around and no one was looking. Everyone was staring down at the reef. I turned back around and the dolphins were coming closer, in fact, right towards me. I looked towards the divers again and a few started to take notice after I shot lightning bolts out of my eyes at them.
As I remembered what my camera setup was, I blurted out an f-bomb underwater – which pretty much sounds like it does above water. Regardless, I was holding my position waiting for their approach which was getting much faster. There was a dolphin on the side of the group who made direct eye contact with me. As the dolphin approached within about 10 feet, it gave me a simple head nod as if to say “Good Day …shame you left your wide angle at the hotel.” No, seriously, I did get the nod, just maybe the thoughts of the dolphin were different. 🙂 The photo is simply a last second grab shot as they were passing because I was enjoying the eye contact and interaction too much in their approach.
It is rare enough just to dive with dolphins, but to also dive with them in a place mostly known for just small fish and critters, and have some interaction, made it a rarer moment. The picture I will only keep for posterity, but the memory will cherished always.
Hey Mark,
Just got home from scube diving in Bonaire last night. Drove the park the day before-my teeth are still rattling. Words cannot describe that road. I over-heard someone talking about your dolphin adventure on the plane and am glad to find it this am. I didn’t see dolphins this trip so love hearing about your interaction. And I think the picture is great. Here’s to many more…
Jude
Hey Jude (hmmm, that has a familiar sound to it, but I am sure you have never heard that before. 😉 )
Thanks for stopping by. I can relate completely do your teeth rattling comment. It is quite a road isn’t it? Very hard to describe accurately and only through experiencing it do you really understand. Needless to say, the dolphins were the great reward for enduring the road to get there. Hope you had a great trip.
What a great story. Makes you wonder, would any photo have lived up to what you experienced in that magical moment of connecting with the dolphin? It seems clear that this is something you will carry around inside you for a long time to come—a lovely gift from Bonnaire. Then there is the photo as a special bonus. Furthermore, you have managed to generously share the magic so that it rubs off on the reader. Too bad that in Hawaii they just got that F-bomb. 😉
Ha, yeah, I think those Hawaiians have sensitive ears… I’ll have to go there an apologize someday.
I doubt any photo really could have portrayed that connection Anita, so your question is quite appropriate here. Would I have liked to come away with a better shot? Sure. But the experience was powerful enough to make the photo just a minor disappointment.
Thank you for your thoughts Anita!
Oh, that experience is just incredible! Now I’m really jealous of you! 😉
Mark, what a fantastic story. I’ll bet the F-bomb could be heard on shore. LOL. A perfect photo to go with the story.
on shore? probably in Hawaii! 😉
Wonderful story and would have kept me reading regardless if any image accompanied it. And, as a nature photographer, you are aware the goal really is to be there and experience all that nature has to share with us. If an image is brought home then we share it with others. I’m glad you had this unforgettable experience.
agreed, thanks Monte!
The photograph is unusual in that most dolphin photographs are in color. It is definitely not a bad image at all, especially in BW, though I’m sure it pales compared to the experience you have related here in an interesting way.
Hi David, thank you for your remarks. I placed in BW because I thought it emphasized their form a bit better than just having the photo all blue with low contrast. My last attempt to salvage it. 🙂
sounds like a great experience – am totally jealous! 😉
Thanks much Suzy.
What a great story Mark!
Thanks Howard.
Mark, I enjoyed the story almost as much as I would have enjoyed a perfect photo. It was a moment you’ll never forget…a real keeper. This photo was just a bonus and certainly not a bad one at that. Nice post.
Thanks a lot Earl. We win some, we lose some, but I have a hard time thinking anything about this as a loss. 🙂
I actually really like the photograph. Especially just that slight hint of bubbles. Enviable experience!
Thank you Roberta!
Extremely cool! To experience the untamed oceans along with those whom make it their home is truly how remarkable memories are made. It made me excited just reading it Mark! Though you may think the photograph may not be necessary I’m glad you included it, it does add to the experience you’ve shared.
Thanks Brad. I hope I relayed some of the excitement accurately.
Kind of afraid of it, but that story makes me want to learn to dive! And thanks for all of your Michigan posts, I just moved back to the mitten after about 9 years and I’m always looking for new places to explore near the thumb and Lake St. Clair.
Nicole, Thank you for the comment.
I have heard that from many people. It isn’t so scary once you try and get comfortable with it. My wife was afraid to swim underwater completely when she started, now she is a fish.
There is plenty to see around here, it is a nice state.
Hi Mark, great post here! I am glad you could take this kind of souvenir from Bonaire… PS: you’re a lucky man, I never swom with dolphins in three years living on the island, but i keep waiting!
Hi Marco, thanks for the comment. Yes, I feel extremely lucky just to get even this. Even if I didn’t come away with a photo, it would have been just as awesome. The photo just helps fill blog empty space. 🙂 This was at Playa Funchi, so maybe you will see them there again someday?