Anyone participated in the " Dolphins in Depth" experience?
- Thread starter LJC1861
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SuiteDisney
<font color=CC66CC>Short Post Man cracks me up!<br
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- Nov 25, 2001
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It was one of the most incredible experiences I've every had. As I copied my trip report and get ready to paste it here for you I'm in tears because I know my dolphin friend has recently died. 
_______________________________
Dolphin Friends
Today is going to be a little different. We'll be splitting up today, why don't you come with me? Rachel will be spending the day at Camp Disney. She's taking two classes; Swamp Stomp, and Art Surround. First I have to help her change into a Mickey Mouse outfit. Gene has let her put on Rugrats...you know, the ones who live at Universal. I'm just not comfortable with that. The boys will drop her off at the Disney Institute and then they are spending the day golfing at Osprey Ridge. We meet back here at 5:00
Let's go down to the bus stop and catch the bus to EPCOT. Oh, it's here...and we're the only ones waiting. We get our own private ride to EPCOT. We're 45 minutes early. Have a seat here on a bench in front of Guest Relations, we'll people-watch.
It's 8:45 and there's our CM, Gina, right on time. She's taking five of us backstage for the Dolphins in Depth program. We are going to be Guest Researchers for the morning. As we walk around the back of the Living Seas, Gina explains that we'll be learning about dolphins and about the behavioral studies going on at the Living Seas. At the end of the session there will be a "hopeful" encounter. It's called "hopeful" because it's completely voluntary on the part of the dolphins. If they don't want to participate, there will be no encounter.
Come on in the back door. Boy, it sure looks different back here. First stop is the locker room. Here's your key. We don't need to take anything with us, so just leave your stuff in the locker.
There are two male dolphins, Bob, and Toby. Let's go see where they live. There are two big areas in the back where they go when they want to be alone, but they're not there now. They're out playing in the main tank, which is so big around that Spaceship Earth could sit in it. But it's not as deep as Spaceship Earth is high. The tank is 27 feet deep.
We all head out to the main exhibit area. There we meet Cathy, one of the trainers. There are cute little stuffed dolphins (they're actually puppets) sitting on a bench. We each get to use one as Cathy and Gina teach us the different parts of a dolphin and what they're called. They take as much time as we need and answer any questions.
Next we go back to the tank. We meet Dru, one of the researchers, and she explains the Keyboard Communication Project that they've been working on. The sessions that they have during the day are also completely voluntary on the dolphins' part. We're taken into a back room and given lab coats to wear. Then Gina takes us to the front of the tank where we can watch a communications session along with the other guests. But we're taken to a roped-off area in the very front, and we get to see in action what we've just been learning about from Dru and Cathy and Gina. In fact, Cathy is in the tank, working with Toby.
Our next step is to go back to the conference room and discuss what to expect in our "hopeful" encounter. Then we go back to the locker room to put on our wet suits. Cute.
Now, all of the behaviors that the dolphins are taught help them interact with humans and make it easier to care for the dolphins. For example, they are taught to open their mouth to a certain hand signal. This is so that the trainers, biologists, or veterinarians can check out their teeth and throat. Another hand signal asks the dolphin for a hard exhale through their blowhole. This is necessary in case the veterinarian ever needs to take a sample to check their lungs.
Well, the dolphins got used to doing all of the behaviors for their trainers, but they weren't used to the veterinarians and their assistants. The dolphins would feel unsafe and swim away. So even though the "hopeful" encounter is a delight to the guests, the real purpose is to get the dolphins used to being touched by strangers so that the vets and technicians can work with them.
The five of us are taken to the tank. We all step into the water and sit on a bench while we're told what to expect and what is expected of us. They split us into 2 groups and ask if we have any questions. Of course my hand shoots up in the air..."Well, I have a Toby waiting at home for me?..."
Cathy has me move over to her group. We all walk down into the water until we're about thigh deep, and the trainers call the dolphins over. Now all my attention is on Toby and I don't even notice Bob.
Toby comes right up to Cathy and she leans him on his side and holds him steady. Then we're allowed to touch his side. He's so beautiful...and powerful...and big. We're all gently rubbing his skin and talking to Cathy, but it's as if he's an object instead of a living creature. All of a sudden it's not enough for me. I have to introduce myself. I need to connect with the dolphin, not just touch an object. So I talk to him and look into his eye...
...and he looks right back. And boy, do we connect! I look into his beautiful brown eye and I can see him looking at me and I feel like he knows what I'm thinking. I'm so in love with him! I feel like he's looking into my heart...or soul...and likes what he sees. There's a great deal of wisdom and compassion in that eye. It is the most profound spiritual experience of my life.
His body starts to drift away. He arches his back, but keeps his head in the same spot as we hold each other's gaze. Cathy pulls him back into position and says, "What are you doing, Toby? You've never done that before, straighten out your body." I'm so moved that I can feel the tears welling up, and at that moment Toby fills his mouth with water and splashes it at me. Not at the other guests or Cathy, just me. It's just enough to make me laugh instead of cry. And maybe he's giggling, too.
Next (I'm first), Cathy has me walk in a little deeper and stoop down until I'm shoulder deep in the water. She brings Toby up and rests him on his side in my arms. I'm holding him up and Cathy says, "You can put your other arm around him and hug him if you want." Oh, Yes. I want. And I lay my cheek against his side. This is truly love at first sight.
The other two guests get a turn at holding Toby. We get to feel his heart beat and each one of us gets to give him a different hand signal. It's all over much too soon. It's time to say good-bye. We walk around to the other side of the tank where the exit door is. Toby swam across the tank and he's there waiting in front of the door as we leave. I look into his eye again and I really don't want to go. He holds still in the water, looking back at me, no one else, until I have to leave.
I'm so very happy, not because I made goo-goo eyes at my dolphin love, but because he made them back at me.
We're each given a t-shirt, a video of the encounter, and a booklet about the Dolphins in Depth program. We're finished and Gina takes us back to Guest Relations.
_______________________________
Dolphin Friends
Today is going to be a little different. We'll be splitting up today, why don't you come with me? Rachel will be spending the day at Camp Disney. She's taking two classes; Swamp Stomp, and Art Surround. First I have to help her change into a Mickey Mouse outfit. Gene has let her put on Rugrats...you know, the ones who live at Universal. I'm just not comfortable with that. The boys will drop her off at the Disney Institute and then they are spending the day golfing at Osprey Ridge. We meet back here at 5:00
Let's go down to the bus stop and catch the bus to EPCOT. Oh, it's here...and we're the only ones waiting. We get our own private ride to EPCOT. We're 45 minutes early. Have a seat here on a bench in front of Guest Relations, we'll people-watch.
It's 8:45 and there's our CM, Gina, right on time. She's taking five of us backstage for the Dolphins in Depth program. We are going to be Guest Researchers for the morning. As we walk around the back of the Living Seas, Gina explains that we'll be learning about dolphins and about the behavioral studies going on at the Living Seas. At the end of the session there will be a "hopeful" encounter. It's called "hopeful" because it's completely voluntary on the part of the dolphins. If they don't want to participate, there will be no encounter.
Come on in the back door. Boy, it sure looks different back here. First stop is the locker room. Here's your key. We don't need to take anything with us, so just leave your stuff in the locker.
There are two male dolphins, Bob, and Toby. Let's go see where they live. There are two big areas in the back where they go when they want to be alone, but they're not there now. They're out playing in the main tank, which is so big around that Spaceship Earth could sit in it. But it's not as deep as Spaceship Earth is high. The tank is 27 feet deep.
We all head out to the main exhibit area. There we meet Cathy, one of the trainers. There are cute little stuffed dolphins (they're actually puppets) sitting on a bench. We each get to use one as Cathy and Gina teach us the different parts of a dolphin and what they're called. They take as much time as we need and answer any questions.
Next we go back to the tank. We meet Dru, one of the researchers, and she explains the Keyboard Communication Project that they've been working on. The sessions that they have during the day are also completely voluntary on the dolphins' part. We're taken into a back room and given lab coats to wear. Then Gina takes us to the front of the tank where we can watch a communications session along with the other guests. But we're taken to a roped-off area in the very front, and we get to see in action what we've just been learning about from Dru and Cathy and Gina. In fact, Cathy is in the tank, working with Toby.
Our next step is to go back to the conference room and discuss what to expect in our "hopeful" encounter. Then we go back to the locker room to put on our wet suits. Cute.
Now, all of the behaviors that the dolphins are taught help them interact with humans and make it easier to care for the dolphins. For example, they are taught to open their mouth to a certain hand signal. This is so that the trainers, biologists, or veterinarians can check out their teeth and throat. Another hand signal asks the dolphin for a hard exhale through their blowhole. This is necessary in case the veterinarian ever needs to take a sample to check their lungs.
Well, the dolphins got used to doing all of the behaviors for their trainers, but they weren't used to the veterinarians and their assistants. The dolphins would feel unsafe and swim away. So even though the "hopeful" encounter is a delight to the guests, the real purpose is to get the dolphins used to being touched by strangers so that the vets and technicians can work with them.
The five of us are taken to the tank. We all step into the water and sit on a bench while we're told what to expect and what is expected of us. They split us into 2 groups and ask if we have any questions. Of course my hand shoots up in the air..."Well, I have a Toby waiting at home for me?..."
Cathy has me move over to her group. We all walk down into the water until we're about thigh deep, and the trainers call the dolphins over. Now all my attention is on Toby and I don't even notice Bob.
Toby comes right up to Cathy and she leans him on his side and holds him steady. Then we're allowed to touch his side. He's so beautiful...and powerful...and big. We're all gently rubbing his skin and talking to Cathy, but it's as if he's an object instead of a living creature. All of a sudden it's not enough for me. I have to introduce myself. I need to connect with the dolphin, not just touch an object. So I talk to him and look into his eye...
...and he looks right back. And boy, do we connect! I look into his beautiful brown eye and I can see him looking at me and I feel like he knows what I'm thinking. I'm so in love with him! I feel like he's looking into my heart...or soul...and likes what he sees. There's a great deal of wisdom and compassion in that eye. It is the most profound spiritual experience of my life.
His body starts to drift away. He arches his back, but keeps his head in the same spot as we hold each other's gaze. Cathy pulls him back into position and says, "What are you doing, Toby? You've never done that before, straighten out your body." I'm so moved that I can feel the tears welling up, and at that moment Toby fills his mouth with water and splashes it at me. Not at the other guests or Cathy, just me. It's just enough to make me laugh instead of cry. And maybe he's giggling, too.
Next (I'm first), Cathy has me walk in a little deeper and stoop down until I'm shoulder deep in the water. She brings Toby up and rests him on his side in my arms. I'm holding him up and Cathy says, "You can put your other arm around him and hug him if you want." Oh, Yes. I want. And I lay my cheek against his side. This is truly love at first sight.
The other two guests get a turn at holding Toby. We get to feel his heart beat and each one of us gets to give him a different hand signal. It's all over much too soon. It's time to say good-bye. We walk around to the other side of the tank where the exit door is. Toby swam across the tank and he's there waiting in front of the door as we leave. I look into his eye again and I really don't want to go. He holds still in the water, looking back at me, no one else, until I have to leave.
I'm so very happy, not because I made goo-goo eyes at my dolphin love, but because he made them back at me.
We're each given a t-shirt, a video of the encounter, and a booklet about the Dolphins in Depth program. We're finished and Gina takes us back to Guest Relations.
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