Delphi's Dolphins, 23-29 August

ODIO alzarmi presto la mattina. E non sopporto il caldo intenso. Il pensiero di stare sotto il sole per ore per me è… semplicemente ‘impensabile’! Ma non appena il gommone lascia il porto e ci affacciamo nella luminosa ampiezza del mare, ogni fatica svanisce… Questo spazio cosi ‘vuoto’… e cosi pieno di possibilita! Di respirare, di pensare, di lasciar andare i pensieri che pesano, affidandoli al vento… Per poi ritrovarli trasformati e rinnovati, freschi, leggeri! Spazio e tempo per godere, semplicemente, il fatto di esserci, e di essere! Per godere il vento sulla pelle, l’odore del mare, la vista di un blu che diventa turchese, verde, grigio e luccicante come metallo, e poi ancora e ancora, senza sosta. Vorrei tuffarmi in questo blu, diventare ancora più parte del tutto! Ma non posso: abbiamo un ‘appuntamento’ coi delfini… forse… se avranno voglia di farci questo regalo. A volte succede, e al mio gruppo è capitato tre volte! E' un momento cosi particolare… impossibile da descrivere: l’emozione si mescola alla tensione e all’impegno. Dove sono? Quanti sono? Cosa fanno? Starei impalata a guardarli: sono cosi belli, cosi giocosi e aggraziati, cosi inattesi! Vorrei tuffarmi, ancora una volta, per nuotare insieme a loro. Ma siamo qui per aiutarli e proteggerli, e questo è piu importante ora. Ci vorrebbero fiumi di parole per descrivere un’esperienza come questa: una settimana che sembra un mese! La vita insieme, con le emozioni e le risate, soprattutto quando capisco ‘Roma per toma’; il prendersi cura della casa, e dei compagni di avventura; i ricercatori, appassionati e instancabili, nonostante la loro sia un’impresa ardua, nonostante abbiano ripetuto le stesse cose a decine e decine di persone diverse… Alcuni di loro hanno occhi scintillanti e sorrisi sereni, altri modi a volte un pò bruschi… Ma in TUTTI si sente battere un cuore caldo e sinceramente devoto alla nobile causa di preservare la vita sul nostro pianeta! Tutto perfetto quindi, come in un film? No, ma tutto profondamente, sorprendentemente UMANO, ed è molto piu di quanto mi potessi aspettare… GRAZIE

Elisabetta, Italy

---

Wow, this week has passed so quickly – this definitely reflects how much of a good time I’ve had! Its difficult to come up with something original after 17 pages worth of entries have summed up every aspect of the experience so well, so I apologise if this entry is somewhat repetitive! I’m really grateful to Tethys Research Institute for providing me with this opportunity to participate in the dolphin research here in Galaxidi. To have had such intimate encounters with these majestic creatures has been simply awesome but to have actively worked with the team here really has added an extra dimension to the experince. My thanks go to Joan and Aina in particular for sharing their knowledge of cetaceans and providing insight into the related environmental issues that these animals are facing; I will return home with a greater sense of responsibilty where the environment is concerned and will make every effort to share my experiences with friends and family, thereby passing on the knowledge and increasing public awareness in the hope that people will think twice about the impact their activity maybe having on the envirnoment. Efxaristo polí!

Anthony, UK

---

I can’t stress enough how grateful to the Tethys Research institute I am for welcoming us into the dolphin research effort here in Galaxidi. The idea of seeing dolphins is great but the opportunity to be of some practical use to the resurchers is far better. Joan and Aina have been amazing, not only on the boat but creating a warm, friendly and above all funny enviroment, filled with jokes, teasing and eating as much as horses! All of us can say we enjoyed a holiday while we learn about marine mammels and enviromental concerns. I will make every effort to share my experiences with family, friends and the students I teach! Overall the perfect fusion of fun sun and science!

Paul, UK

Death by PowerPoint

A blog reader commented on our previous post "Talking Science" and suggested to also view the following video on how to make and not make PowerPoint presentations:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFfFQ9XU7Jw

Worth the 5 mins!

GB

Four bottles from France

Chateau Billeron Bouquey, Domain du Grollet, Pineau des Charentes, VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac Reserve… the elegant names of four bottles received today by the Tethys staff in Galaxidi.

The exclusive gift was a wonderful idea by our French volunteer Gaelle, who participated in the 14th Ionian Dolphin Project team.

This post is our simple way of expressing our gratitude. A really special ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ (*) to you, Gaelle. We will think about you while enjoying these nectars!

Silvia and Joan

---
(*) Thank you very much, in Greek

Talking science

The video linked below provides some insight into how to make and not make a scientific presentation. Viewing may turn out useful to young researchers, as well as to the occasional seniors who still manage to bore their audience to death.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmAUad9U8-8

It must be noted that the video itself could probably be a lot shorter...

GB

Three interesting marine mammal workshops

I post here the announcements of three interesting workshops on marine mammal research techniques.

GB
---

"Ecological Modeling For Marine Mammalogists"

October 11, 2009
Québec City, Canada
Québec City Convention Center, Room 2000A
Registration Fee: $30 US (register here)

"Ecological Modeling for Marine Mammalogists" is a one-day workshop that will be held prior to the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Québec City, Canada. The workshop follows on the very successful 2005 workshop "Application of GIS and Spatial-Temporal Modeling for Marine Mammal Science and Management," and will represent the fifth Biennial workshop devoted to modeling. There is tremendous interest in applying statistical modeling techniques to the quantitative assessment of marine mammal distribution and habitat use, and our workshop seeks to explore both traditional and the latest methodologies. Our goal is to bring together practitioners that can share their experience with various approaches to ecological modeling by addressing topics ranging from collecting data, selecting the appropriate model, evaluating the model's results, and applying those results in a management scenario. The workshop format will consist of formal presentations followed by extended discussions during which particular methodologies can be fully explored by all participants. In addition to an overview of modeling techniques, we will have sessions focused on the analysis of movement data (primarily from satellite tracking data) and on the analysis of presence-only occurrence data (primarily from passive acoustic monitoring applications, but also from non-standardized sighting data such as whale watching and historic whaling records). In 2005, we introduced the Project Forum wherein students and less experienced researchers presented their projects and discussed the statistical challenges they are facing with an expert panel. We will bring this useful forum back in 2009 as a poster session to encourage increased interaction among the workshop participants.

CALL FOR PROJECT FORUM POSTERS
We are accepting abstracts (max 300 words) for posters outlining research that addresses applications of statistical tools and modeling approaches for marine mammals. We are particularly interested in poster presentations by students seeking input and discussion on statistical methodology. These posters will be used in a session, as described above, where other researchers, including the workshop organizers, can supply feedback or advice. We also welcome posters that discuss innovative tool and/or model development. Please send abstracts by Sept. 14 to Ellen Hines at ehines@sfsu.edu

Workshop organizing committee:
Mark Baumgartner
Ed Gregr
Ellen Hines
Kristin Kaschner
Kristin Laidre
Daniel Palacios
Kathy Vigness Raposa

---

"Learning to effectively and efficiently use DARWIN"

The DARWIN Research Group at Eckerd College announces a workshop/tutorial “Learning to effectively and efficiently use DARWIN,” to be held Saturday, October 10, prior to the 18th Biennial Conference on Marine Mammals, in Quebec City, QC, Canada. Workshop participants will learn to install and use DARWIN, a freely available photo-identification software package, to create a catalog of dorsal fins images and then compare images of newly sighted individuals against the catalog. We will also introduce the use of various software features that facilitate the sharing of data between or within research groups and enable the output of sighting data for input to other software packages. As a part of this workshop, copies of the current DARWIN software will be distributed and installed on the laptop computer of each participant. The hands-on workshop will provide step-by-step instruction on the most important features of the software, and pointing out various tips and tricks to get the best performance from it. There will be time at the end of the workshop when participants can experiment with what they have learned and have an opportunity to have questions answered, as they arise. We anticipate that this workshop will be useful to researchers interested in training others or in using the software themselves to facilitate the photo-identification process.

More information about the software

Register for the workshop

The cost of the workshop is $30 (USD).

Please feel free to email questions to darwin@eckerd.edu

Kelly Debure and John Stewman

---

The Mammal Research Institute of the University of Pretoria will be hosting a workshop on mark-recapture techniques to be run by Dr Trent McDonald of WEST Inc.

Dr McDonald is a leading researcher, author and practitioner of mark-recapture theory applied to populations of wild animals.

WORKSHOP STRUCTURE:
1. Day 1 morning: Lectures on Closed population models
2. Day 1 afternoon: Hands on exercises and consultations
3. Day 2 morning: Lectures on Open population models
4. Day 2 afternoon: Hands on exercises and consultations
5. Day 3 all day: Applications and consultations

DATE: 16-18th Feb 2010

WORKSHOP COST: R1000
Includes: Morning and afternoon coffee breaks, light lunches, venue hire, computer availability (if needed). Costs go towards covering Dr McDonald's travel costs from the USA.

EXTRAS:
1) We highly recommend purchasing a copy of: "Handbook of capture-recapture analysis" Steven Amstrup, Trent McDonald and Bryan Manly (Eds)

Dr McDonald will make available copies at the authors discount price of US$50 (which is considerably cheaper than the book is available directly in SA). These must be ordered in advance, when signing up for the workshop.

2) Analysis using R software and Dr. McDonald's MRA package will be emphasized during the workshop. Equivalent analyzes in MARK software will be illustrated. Microsoft Excel will be used occasionally to illuminate calculations. Dr. McDonald is proficient at MARK and will consult with participants on use of MARK as needed.

3) The final day will consist of short presentations and group discussion of participants projects, followed by one-on-one collaboration with Dr. McDonald. As such, participants are encouraged to email abstracts of their projects to Dr. McDonald prior to the workshop, and to bring their data sets ready to analyze.

HOW DO I APPLY?
If you would like to apply for this workshop, please cut out the following text, fill in as appropriate and email to: mark.recapture.workshop@gmail.com
Please send one email for each person who wishes to attend

Attendance must be confirmed by the 15th November and paid for by the 1st Dec 2009. Places are limited.

Name:
Institution:
Contact phone number:
I would like to order a copy of the "Handbook of Capture-Recapture Analysis" - YES / NO

Simon Elwen and Nico de Bruyn
Post Doctoral Fellows
Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria

Darwin, dolphin photo-identification software

Darwin is a software system which allows marine scientists to maintain information for the study of various behavioral and ecological patterns of common bottlenose dolphins. It might alo prove useful for other species having similarly shaped distinctive dorsal fins.

http://darwin.eckerd.edu/

The software provides a graphical user interface to access a collection of digital dorsal fin images along with textual information which describes individual animals as well as relevant sighting data. Users may query the system with the name of a specific individual or the entire collection may be sorted and viewed based upon sighting location, sighting date, or damage category. Alternatively, the researcher may query a database of previously identified dolphin dorsal fin images with an image of an unidentified dolphin's fin. Darwin responds with a rank ordered list of database fin images that most closely resemble the query image.

Darwin is also available on GoogleCode.

Delphi's Dolphins, 16-22 August

2 semaines merveilleuses avec les dauphins que rever de mieux ? Ces gardiens des Ames des mers et des oceans nous enseignent la sagesse, l’amour et la paix sans aucune colere envers l’humain qui pourtant souvent estime etre la seule intelligence sur cette planete ecole qu’est notre terre GAIA! Heureusement le travail des chercheurs a travers le monde commence a ouvrir les yeux et meme les coeurs des hommes... Aussi je ne peux que rendre grace et remercier cette merveilleuse equipe d’Aina, Silvia et Joan pour leurs travaux et leurs recherches quotidiens dans la protection des dauphins en mer ionnienne.

Catherine, France

---

Learned a lot of new things. Got a lot of questions answered. Many other still remain unanswered. Had a great week. Aina and Joan thank you very much for everything.

Yvette, Greece/Bulgaria

Interactive humpback whale song

This is a commercial company but they made quite an impressive interactive animation featuring a singing humpback whale.

Possibly worth viewing, also to notice how web interactivity is progressively taking place.

http://www.optuswhalesong.com.au/

GB

Dolphins of Greece, 11-19 August

Dolphins of Greece, an evocative term for a fantastic expedition. Patient, friendly, good humoured, and infectiously enthusiastic about their work Marina and Zsuzsanna are great people and great teachers. Posi the dog was great as well, although now he’s behaving better he’s starting to get boring. The volunteers on this team were also great, we got on well and worked together easily and efficiently. My thanks therefore to Jen, Rick, and Christoph, as well as Marina and Zsuzsanna for a wonderful time. The work and experiences themselves were amazing. I’ll never forget the large group of juvenile dolphins showing stereotypical teenage behaviour (shoving, pushing, playing and flirting with each other), the two dead sea turtles we found, or the worry on our final boat trip that we wouldn’t see any dolphins. I wish I was able to stay and carry on working on this project, preferably with this team, but I have to return to the UK. So it’s with fond memories and sadness that I say farewell to Vonitsa and my first Earthwatch experience. I’ll definitely be trying to get on others, possibly this one again, and also to support Tethys.

James, U.K.

---

As the expedition drew nearer, we tried to keep our expectations as reasonable as possible. So many people had told us of the beauty of Greece and of the incredible food for years leading up to our flight to Athens and bus ride to Vonitsa. Now as we wrap up our Earthwatch expedition I can safely say that all of our expectations were met and exceeded. Greece delivered the as-promised amazing food, the sights, the generous locals, the heat and the dolphins. But the importance of all of those things pale in comparison to the people we worked with on this expedition. Our volunteer-mates were hard-working yet fun. We immediately connected with both James and Christoph and together we created a memorable expedition. Our leaders, Susie and Marina, were incredibly professional and yet casual at the same time. They made sure that the work got done but also passed along the awe of seeing the dolphins (and jellyfish and turtles, albeit mostly dead ones). As teachers ourselves, we know that many behind-the-scenes details need to get done to make any learning experience happen. Susie and Marina undoubtedly worked very hard to provide the best possible experience for us. Their dedication and hard work led to great days on the sea and wonderful learning opportunities on land. Their love of the animals and of their work was infectious. And, of course, their sense of humor brought smiles everyday. They are scientists, for sure, and we are not, but they made us feel like a vital part of a team doing important research. On one of the first days we were lucky enough to spot 4 dolphins in Kalamos after many prior trips (before we arrived) turned up none. But even before that turn of good luck, we noted what an amazing thing Earthwatch is able to do. Our van was like a little United Nations with American, Austrian, Brit, Hungarian, and Italian practicing bits of Greek sharing our own cultural quirks. We traded pieces of our own lives back home to make for an enriching experience. We have become more aware consumers of fish and more appreciative of the work that scientists do. We will bring home a new-found respect for the sea and for the people that tend it. Most importantly we will return home having made 4 great friends and so many memories we will never forget. The expedition far exceeded our expectations because of the wonderful people we were able to share it with. Thanks for everything! Efharisto para poli!

Rick and Jen, USA

Delphi's Dolphins 14, 9-15 August

UNFORGETTABLE. Thank you Tethys Team, thank you dolphins… And I’ll never say again: ‘‘le thon… c’est bon!’’

Alice, France

---

How lucky I was when I clicked on a website which led me to Tethys' dolphin conservation project in Galaxidi. I was just expecting a 7-day break in Greece to discover dolphins in their environment… I got this and so much more. Let’s start by the beginning: the nice little city of Galaxidi and the confortable on-the-top-of-the-hill house managed by a warm and welcoming team. Then, daily sessions to learn about dolphins, overfishing, global impact of our contemporary way of living on Earth resources. Thanks to these talks and to the documentaries we watched, you do not remain a simple volunteer fond of wild cetaceans, you have the chance to reconsider your own role as a citizen in this world. This aspect of the stay was unexpected and, in my view, essential and so well presented and conducted by Joan and Silvia. Bravo and thank you for your commitment to my conciousness raising. Let’s move on to the boat settings to observe dolphins and other creatures. There is no words to express the feelings you have when you are in a boat surrounded by hundreds of dolphins playing together, bowriding… I just wish that anyone could have this chance once in a lifetime, together with passionate team members who respect the animals. It was just unforgettable and spectacular. At the same time, with the Tethys team, the chance is not only to watch and admire dolphins but to help counting them, recording their different behaviours, localising the groups and then cropping the pictures, matching the dorsal fins etc. It is worth to take part in this aspect of the daily work as it is just indispensable to better know dolphins and carry on protecting them. This week was also the demonstration that you can deal with serious issues and topics with pleasure, humour, lots of laughs and bottles of wine! I have very much appreciated Aina’s patience (I wish you the best for your thesis), Joan’s sense of humour, knowledge and dedication (I wish you good luck for your PhD and the best for your life… and don’t forget to buy sunglasses!) and Silvia’s pedagogic talents and warm presence (I hope to meet you in France in the future). Thanks again to the three of you for making this week so unique, and to the Tethys’ Board to keep this programme sustainable. A bientot! C’etait formidable!

Gaelle, France

---

‘Nous avons tous la tete dans le caniveau mais certains d’entre nous savent regarder les etoiles’ --Oscar Wilde

Here, in Galaxidi, to see stars just look at dolphin’s eyes. I saw them… so thanks a lot for this to you Aina, Silvia, Joan (sweety so tired grizzly ☺). Thanks for your kindness and your patience!

Odile, France

How to write a scientific paper

Students often find it difficult to metabolise the rules behind scientific writing. They may confuse Methods with Results, or describe their study area in the Discussion section -- something that may horrify the expert reader.

The reason why many students have such problem is probably simple: nobody ever taught them how to do it right.

Then just consider a D.I.Y. approach: it may do miracles here. A simple Google search may come to your rescue. Digit something like "how to write a scientific paper" and see what pops up.

I just tried it and the following site appeared on the top of the list:

http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWsections.html

I haven't explored any further, but this first hit seems to be good enough for most problems faced by students when the time comes to write their thesis, or their first scientific article.

Happy reading, and then happy writing!

Giovanni Bearzi

How wrong can our perceptions be?

Apparently, very very wrong.

We just don't see reality as it is, as any Buddhist or other meditator would tell.

We make it up all the time.

A funny example, which admittedly has little to do with Buddhism and much to do with Gestalt, is the famous figure enclosed here (click on it to expand).

Are squares A and B of the same colour? Of course not: one is white and the other is grey. Well, one is dark grey and the other is light grey. In any case, it can't be the same colour. No way.

Until you have a better look, process the image with PhotoShop, or visit the web site below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same_color_illusion

Don't trust your illusions!

GB

Dolphins of Greece, 1-9 August

The Earthwatch experience in Vonitsa was everything I had hoped it would be and much more. Not only did we get a good insight into the daily work of a marine researcher. We also got the privilege to be touched by the passion of Susie and Marina – two of the true heroes in Tethys; one of the organizations that stand between us and the total collapse of sea life as we have known it from the birth of mankind until today. I think I speak for all the team members (in what I would absolutely call a stellar team) when I say that we will all return to our home countries filled with inspiration to make a difference in the fight for our oceans. That was the serious part. On top of that, I have had an absolutely wonderful time here. With warm, generous and fun people, both the team members and of course our hosts: diligent, helpful and sweet Susie and energetic, bubbly, Berlusconi-bashing Marina. Add to that the stunning Greek landscape, wholesome delicious food and the one around which everything revolves: Posi the dog. I could not possibly have spent a better 9 days!

Jonas, Sweden

---

The summerheat of Greece seems to have melted the normally cold hart of this Scandinavian. I am feeling quite emotional about having to leave Vonitsa and getting on the plane home tomorrow. My expectations for this expedition were met and surpassed. Learning about the research was interesting and a great eye opener. Spotting dolphins was exiting, but the interaction with my fellow team mates and the researchers was without a doubt the best part. I have gained great respect for all the hard work and dedication required to give us -amateurs- a short glipse of the work of a marine biologist. Thank you so much! Finally, I would like to give HUGE thanks to Marina and Zsuzsanna for taking such good care of us. Marina, you showed so much knowledge, energy and passion that I almost want to become a marine biologist myself. Susie, although you can be a bit bossy at times, I am just lost for words to describe how much I appreciate the effort you have put into guiding us through the expedition. It wouldn′t have been the same without you.

Christian, Sweden

Delphi's Dolphins 13, 2-8 August

I have always wanted to observe dolphins in the wild, and this summer 2009 it finally came true thanks to Tethys! When we first spotted the dolphins and came close to them, I was hypnotysed and could not take my eyes off them! When the dolphin looks in your eyes, the heart stops and there is nothing else. It’s you and the dolphin. Nothing else matters. It took me a while to switch my attention to my assigned task with the equipment! I want to thank the organisers of this program for the great idea of involving volunteers into research work and bringing up that idea to life! The experience of all living in the same house, cooking together, doing house work and spending time on the boat makes one feel part of a family. At the end of the week, I have a different perspective of looking at the dolphins and life in general and made new friends!

Julia, Russia

---

"Girls you are so lucky! You saw all three species of dolphins in just two days!" - the researchers told us. Yes, we saw bottlenose, common and striped dolphins in our first two days out to sea, but that’s not what made us so lucky… The Tethys Research Institute’s volunteer program was definitely an experience we’ll all remember. From cooking and cleaning, to identifying dolphins by matching dorsal fins, we did it together - and shared a bond that only getting on a little inflatable boat at 8 AM could create. Out at sea, I think every one of us discovered a little portion of their identity. Yet at the same time, our relationships with fellow volunteers, the researchers, the dolphins, and nature as a whole grew as well. Every day, we learned a little more about the program, the dolphins, each other, and ourselves. By the end of the week, we were a family. We all came from different countries and had different backgrounds and unique life stories, but when the dolphins zig-zagged playfully at the bow of the boat, we all embarked on one unanimous emotional adventure. Sure, we appreciate seeing all three dolphin species in the first two days we went out to sea. But I want to thank Tethys for letting us become part of the little family they have here at Galaxidi, and transforming what could have been just a regular volunteer project into something much more. I think what made us truly lucky was that we were able to be part of such a special project - one that turned the house we stayed in into a home.

Jacqueline, USA

---

The project brings home the aspects of nature not normally advertised in public society today. Here at the project, we have learnt so much more than we ever imagined about the nature of the sea and the damage humans are doing to it. However, learning in such a beautiful landscape and in such fantastic company we saw only what we had dreamt about. The intelligence and gentle behaviour portrayed by the dolphins was breathtaking, they were so sociable with each other and acted so perfectly as a team, it moved us deep inside. We were so lucky to see all three types of dolphins - bottlenose, common and striped. And also a sea turtle! Each animal filled us with amazement and left us quite emotional especially knowing the background of the troubles faced by all sea creatures. The team in Galaxidi was an inspiration since the beginning. Their care and hard work towards us and the dolphins was outstanding and we felt honoured to be with them. The researchers seemed to be so compassionate and there was something quite special about their love, dedication and interest for cetaceans. We have the same interestes as the researchers, which helped to create a strong sense of family among our group.

Nadine, Germany, and Grace, U.K.

Delphi's Dolphins 12, 26 July - 1 August

A memorable and wonderful week.
Day 1: Rough sea, just trying to stay aboard and exercising back muscles. All very impressed by Silvia’s skills at driving the inflatable. Hot sweaty night.
Day 2: Calmer sea, but still bumpy. Caught sight of something like a dorsal fin, adrenalin rush, and yes it was a dolphin! but no! A plastic one. We tried to reanimate it, but there was nothing to do anymore. Continued the search for real ones. Unfortunately no more dolphins that day, either plastic or alive. Consoled ourself with sweet pastries and cookies from the Itea bakery.
Day 3: Hopeful for our lucky day, and now Nadine had arrived to complete the team. The sea was pretty calm (state 1) in the bay but then varied from state 1 to 6. Sightings: dead juvenile sea turtle (or part of it), and two brown reddish jellyfish. No dolphins though, but we ended our morning with a fresh dip in the sea during which Silvia showed us a beautiful red starfish. That night a dressed-up dinner at a delightful family restaurant.
Day 4: Bad weather, still no dolphins.
It was time to take control of events… FORGET ABOUT SCIENCE AND START PRAYING. The intrepid team devised a multi-pronged attack. Greek Orthodox Church (light candelizzas). Consult the Delphi Oracle (with an offering of a dead tuna jawbone discovered on a beach). Psycho-social group therapy session (Dolphin Celebration Ritual: purchase of stone dolphin totem, further use of totem as ‘talking stick’). New Age: dolphin totem ritual at breakfast (candlelight & totem-at-table). Yoga: practice of newly created ‘dolphin salutation’ by all, including those who don’t do yoga). Superstition: Aina’s pants inside out (and who knows what else was done privately?). GUESS WHAT, IT WORKED!
Last Day: Thanks to Aina’s sharp eyes, we discovered a school of 26 striped dolphins by 9.45am: mothers with newborns, juveniles, complete with leaps & bounds, Curley (an old favorite but this time swimming with a calf) and a new favorite with asthma, who gave little rasping breaths on surfacing.
We want to thank the wonderful team of Silvia, Aina and Giovanni for: their incredible competence, patience, intelligence, stimulating and interesting lectures, charm, humour, waking us up, consideration, boat driving skills, memorable discussions, depressing films, great organization, hard work, focused passion and inspiration.
There is a saying: quando una pianta cade fa rumore, una foresta che cresce non fa rumore ma è molto più forte (a falling tree makes a big noise, but a forest that grows in silence has more power). We are positive that your effort will have the same result. Thank you!

D-edicated
O-rganized
L-ovely
P-eople
H-elp
I-ndangered (endangered)
N-ature

Roberta & Christian, Italy
Felicity, UK/USA
Petra, The Netherlands