Wednesday 29 July 2020

IN THE WILD - 100 word story

Okay, this week's Friday Fictioneers photo prompt triggered a memory, so here is a true story instead of a fictional one.


PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays


IN THE WILD

If you see wild dolphins when scuba diving, you have to look interesting enough to trigger their curiosity. Turn somersaults, bounce around, make noise.
We slipped into the balmy water and descended into the channel where dolphins were said to visit.
Nothing.
Instead we found explosions of tiny orange and purple Anthias dipping and flitting around the corals.
Heads down examining our find, I glanced around.
Dolphins! Right behind us!
I somersaulted. I bounced. I squeaked. I squealed. I screamed. I wiggled my outstretched fingers.
The dolphins looked at the noisy, bubbling, madly gesticulating creature, shrugged and swam away.




Hope you enjoyed this story and I look forward to your comments. 


If you wish to read more Friday Fictioneers stories, you can find them listed HERE


If you'd like to join in the challenge, you'll find all the information posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 


- her blog is listed on 'My Blog List' on the right hand side of this page.


On a final note - I always attempt to visit the blogs of everyone who comments on mine. If I haven't commented on yours it's either because I haven't been redirected to your blog when I've clicked on your name or because you have a wordpress account that requires me to sign into wordpress first. 
Please check and amend your settings. Thanks.














44 comments:

  1. That made me smile. I think the advice about hitting sharks on the nose is equally dubious

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    1. He he - I've seen sharks on dozens of occasions when diving and, believe me, they never come close enough to test that theory.

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  2. I think the dolphins have been watching too much TV. Hence, now they're bored easily :D

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    1. Sometimes they choose to interact, sometimes they don't. (Bit like cats.) :)

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  3. Dear Susan,

    As a swimmer, my favorite thing is flip-turning to change directions. I've never been scuba diving but did get a chance to somersault while snorkeling. Perhaps the screaming was a bit much for the dolphins. ;) Delightful piece.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. I'll never know, Rochelle. But the advice is to make as much noise and movement as possible to get them to interact. I've seen videos on how it works - but obviously they're wild animals and it's not a given. :)

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  4. I wouldn't take it personally, they were probably fed up of all the tourists! Good fun.

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    1. If there's one thing I've learnt about wild animals, it's that they are unpredictable. :)

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  5. Good grief, Susan, I would have swum away too!

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    1. No, no! The more noise and movement you make, the more chance you have of persuading them to stay and play! :)

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  6. An amusing tale, all the more so as it actually happened.

    Here's mine!

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  7. This made me smile. I am not sure what I'd do if I saw dolphins. I'd probably just stare.

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    1. They are truly fabulous to watch underwater, Gabriella.

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  8. That sounds like you were given the old dolphin brush-off. They're good at that.

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  9. And I can only imagine the texts these dolphins sent about the 'curious affliction of humans' ... ;)

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    1. He he - they'd have a tale to tell, wouldn't they?

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    2. Sounds like a tip sheet written by someone who wants to keep dolphins as far away from people as possible. Good story, Susan.

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    3. The dolphins sort of reminded me of cats. They have a way of dismissing humans. Fun story, bet the dolphins surfaced and laughed.

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    4. Oops - not sure what happened with the replies!

      Tannille, yes I thought 'cats' too! :)

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  10. perhaps if you bait them with food they'll say 'hi' before swimming away. :)

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    1. He he - it would probably work, but it's not the done thing to feed wild animals. :)

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  11. Replies
    1. Well, it was certainly fabulous to see them before they swam off. :)

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  12. That’s hilarious! They probably thought you were nuts...hahhaaaa. I would have done the same thing...I would have wiggled and moved about.

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    1. Thanks, Birgit. It was all pretty crazy. Someone on the boat showed us a video of divers doing daft things and the dolphins interacting with them, so I know it can work.

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  13. I love seeing the dolphins from the shore...I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to meet them in person...what a fun tale to tell.

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    1. Oh, but they are wonderful to see up close, Doodle. :)

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  14. Oops. My mistake. It was a shark. Good tale told here. :-)

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    1. He he - I've dived with sharks on many occasions. Sadly they've had such bad press, but are in fact thrilling - and not scary - to see on a dive.

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  15. I think all the noise may have scared the dolphins. lol
    Cute take on the prompt. I don't scuba dive but have seen dolphons swimming
    on while on my friends boat. We have lots of them in the waters of Florida. Friendly and playful.
    Be Safe ... Isadora ��

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    1. Dolphins are wonderful to watch, aren't they? Thanks for commenting, Isadora.

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  16. It takes a lot to impress today's discerning dolphin :-)

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  17. Wise creatures, maybe a friend request on facebook would have worked better.
    But jokes aside, wow, that must have been a great experience.

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    1. Thanks, it certainly was a wonderful experience.

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  18. I hope you had your dolphin experience another day?

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    1. I've seen dolphins above and below the water on quite a few occasions, but sadly, whilst they've been happy to play and ride the bow wave of boats I've been on, they've never wanted to play with me personally. :)

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  19. Okay, that made me laugh out loud! I could picture it so well. good job.

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    1. Thanks, Eugenia - appreciate the feedback. :)

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Many thanks for commenting. I appreciate your feedback.