Trainer For A Day!

OK, it's official. I need to professionally pursue my lifelong dream and become a dolphin trainer! I signed up for a "dolphin trainer for a day" excursion and aside from my wedding day, it was the best day of my life! I really loved this company because it's not all about tricks the dolphins can do for the people. They really educate people about dolphins and they are taken REALLY good care of - much better than having to fear from sharks or poachers!

The excursion was all day long and it far exceeded my expectations! I started by meeting the head trainer and 5 other patrons and we were a group for the day. We all spoke English so it was nice to ask questions and get to know one another as a group. Our trainer said he liked our group immediatly because we were so attentive and interested in training. He even had lunch with us, which he said he never does. Kudos for us!

We started with learning how to medically check the dolphins each day for new injuries and how to take blood samples. He explained that it's important to reinforce not only behavioral stuff, such as tricks, but also how to cooperate with the vet. The place had 15 dolphins and I got to work with many of them both in our group and individually! I couldn't believe that for part of the day I got to be with a dolphin all by myself!

We also got to do tricks with them, such as foot pushes (where two dolphins push each of your feet and once you are going, you look like you are standing on water while coasting), dorsal fin rides, jumps, dancing, etc....

Then we went into the feeding area and learned how to prepare their food. Esentially it's packing ice into coolers with a lot of fish. This diet is used for reinforcement throughout the day so the dolphins don't over eat. We also learned how the area needs to stay clean for multiple inspections throughout the day.

As if this wasn't enough, then they really blew me away.  They told us we would be the trainers for the rest of the day for the visiting patrons. We learned all the signals, we fed the dolphins, we got to interact and swim with them and best of all, we got to see the patrons in the water react to all the dolphins tricks I signaled the dolphins to do! I was told I had a real nack for throwing fish to the dolphins at a distance. Apparently even some trainers for over two years didn't have my accuracy. I should have asked him for a recommendation letter! :) I think that's how I'll serve Matt his dinner from now on!

Then, our trainer blew us away again! He said that since our group was so great he wanted to throw in a special snuba experience. This isn't part of the excursion and we were all so grateful for this opportunity. For those that don't know, snuba is part scuba/snorkeling. You get a helmet that looks like something an astronaught may wear. Your helmet is hooked up to a breathing tube and you simple go underwater and breath normally. It's really weird! We got to see underwater interactions with dolphins and it was simply amazing. Unlike anything else! A truely amazing day!!!