October 26/09 "Playing catch" with baby dolphins

Pushed myself out of bed....felt emotionally drained from the previous day. Heard from someone that the police were looking for me. How did they know my name? Was there independently ...not associated with any organization. The police can throw one in jail for 28 days based on suspicion alone....so it made me a little nervous; because I had crossed the barrier (trespassed) a couple times already. Although was told that it was nothing to worry about- just routine questions.

Tried to look at the video footage from my water camera - and, my memory card jammed in my computer... so much for a camera for the rest of my stay!

Later that day I went into Taiji....went up to the Look Out Point...while walking up the stairs, saw the police drive by-had to laugh to myself as I thought..there they are looking for me!:) Better the police than the Yakuza. Reached the top and took my usual path. Relieved to see the Cove was dolphin free.

Went to the Dolphin Resort aquarium across from the "dolphin base" where wild dolphins are trained to be sold to aquariums all over the world. The Dolphin Resort is a hotel where guests stay and can visit with dolphins who are confined to tiny pools. Played catch with two of the dolphins...one was too scared to play as she was new. However, because of their cramped quarters "playing catch" is all they enjoy doing in their life....so I played "catch" with the dolphins for two hours...until my arms gave out. Felt terrible about having to stop as they did not want to quit! There were two babies that came in one month ago....was told they had no mommy....translation: mothers were probably killed or perhaps being trained after being brought in from the wild and then separated from their babies. There was one male dolphin alone...was told he had been there for awhile. He had the saddest face on a dolphin I have ever seen - his "catch ball" floated around in his pool... In fact, the only thing keeping him breathing is Hannah...a dolphin he is in love with in the next pool and whom he can not take his eyes off.

A Japanese friend invited me to go dolphin and whale watching the next day....like Ric O'Barry says, we need to push Eco-Tourism! And with saying that, I must also add...being here, and experiencing on a smaller scale, the struggle, frustrations and feelings of helplessness for the dolphins....it only makes me admire and appreciate Hardy Jones and Ric O'Barry's efforts throughout the years all the more!