June 13, 1997 – I met people from the first dolphin trip at the hotel. They are glowing, dreamy eyed and can hardly talk about their experience. I wonder if I will be like that too…I hope so! Tonight we had our orientation meeting around the pool at the hotel. As I looked around at the faces of my fellow dolphin seekers, I saw many people that I recognized! I asked at least five people if I had met them at one of Penelope’s workshops, and they said no. I realized that my deja vu experiences were continuing…and getting stronger!

I sat around our hotel room with my roommate, Kim, and we each picked a Medicine Woman card. Here’s mine:

Apprentice of Pipes – Channeling the Light. “Open to the messages within. Pause and reflect and renew my journey. I will inspire others by being who I am and channel my light to them. I will be working with a true master who will help me deliver my message to the world. I am a student filled with grace.”

I am ready! Bring on the master(s)!!

June 14, 1997 – We got on the boat at 7:30 am. Since I am in a weird time dimension, I’m not sure how long it was, but it seems like10 minutes after we lost sight of land, a very large pod of bottlenose dolphins were all around our boat. Penelope read to us the transmission she got from them. They circled us three times and “brought us into their circle.” I felt safe and protected from this giant dolphin hug. What a great start!

After a calm ride through the Gulf Stream, we went through customs at West End, Grand Bahama, which took about 1/2 hour. We went for about a 30 minute ride and then anchored the boat. It was time for our first swim in the warm turquoise waters of the Bahamas. What an incredible experience! I saw the most beautiful fish, some like I used to have in a fish tank several years ago. I’ll never have one again knowing where they are taken from! Lots of bright purple coral and sea grass. The water feels like a warm bath where I could stay forever!

At our meeting after lunch we all chose new names for the trip since we are going on a spiritual adventure and are becoming new people. I kept Sierra, but added “Lady of the Dolphins”. Penelope is “Peace”, Alex is “El”, Laura is “Alehia”, Kim is Anghk, etc. I think my favorite name is “Shimmer Coo” which a lady named Deanna chose. I really like everyone I have met and can already tell that there will be lasting friendships after the trip is over.

Medicine Woman Card for today: Nine of Arrows – Overcome Doubt and Fear: “The mental concepts, the attitudes, the beliefs I hold, I cherish for what they have allowed me to do. But I also see that they are simply ways of perceiving reality and not reality itself. The only reality is ultimate harmony, and troubles are simply trips the mind is taking. As I stumble on the path, I put myself down and pick myself up by the way I value each step. I am way above the rules, though not above using them. I am deeply respectful of all that is; I laugh at all that isn’t. I do not need to see all the answers and have all solutions before I act. Just point my heart toward good. It may seem as though I am shooting in the dark, but go ahead. Use the skills I have been working to develop. This is their supreme test.”

I then closed my eyes and got this message from the dolphins:

Come enter our world of
Crystal Blue waters
and pastel corals
But come with a pure heart
and ready for fun
Let us show you the way –
our way of life
And when you leave
You will take us with you
in your heart
and we will never leave you.

I sent telepathic messages to Peter and Annette back at home tonight. I mostly sent them the blue of the water. It will be interesting to see if they receive a color!

June 15, 1997 – I didn’t sleep last night. I tried and tried and finally went outside. It was incredible! Straight above the sky was clear and I could see stars, but all around me was lightning. So much energy everywhere, no wonder I couldn’t sleep. I tried again to go to bed and put my meditation tape in my Walkman. I usually am asleep within 10 minutes, but last night I finally heard the whole tape! I came back outside and just enjoyed it because I was not tired. Today I feel just great, I am definitely running on dolphin energy!

Two dolphins appeared today but they left right away. Peace said that they wanted us to leave, that we were not in the right spot. They are waiting for us elsewhere. We cruised around the ocean looking for dolphins, but didn’t see any, so we stopped and just went snorkeling around. We danced to Ho’s drumming tonight, it was great!

Medicine Woman Card: Four of Bowls – Materialization of Love. “To my mind, as I am at rest, comes wonderful thoughts of things I shall like to create for others to show my love for them. In my mind when I am at peace, Creator tells me of what it is I have to share. It is through my own talents and abilities, through my own use of these in time, that I create those gifts I imagined. Now I give form to the love I feel for another. Now I create my gift in a material way, expressing those intangible feelings that draw me to my people.”

June 16, 1997 – Still haven’t really slept, maybe 2 hours last night. This morning as I was getting ready to go swimming, I sat down next to Peace. I could feel her reading me and she told me that it was a time of high vision for me and that I should be drawing to get it out. I told her that I was keeping a journal and she said that was good. I didn’t know that Peace was so afraid of the water, but coming on this trip was a major step for her. She used to be photosensitive to the sun and couldn’t take the heat. I guess El has been asking her to go for quite a while and she never wanted to go before. But the fire has totally changed her body’s way of reacting to things, it’s really quite incredible. She was very sick for two weeks before the trip and wasn’t even sure she was going to make it, but she said the dolphins gave her energy on the day before the trip.

Still no dolphins today. I feel like they are waiting for something…but what? Peace says that they are preparing us for a special encounter. She told us to be aware of the other beings, the spirits, devas and angels that are all around us.

Medicine Woman Card: Eight of Bowls – Journey of Love: “With the foundation of love that we have built together, we know we can now accept a caring role in the lives of others. Great Spirit, guide us on our way to the fulfillment of our spiritual vessels. We no longer have need of mere pleasures for self alone, but seek to find pleasure as we give love, healing, and service to those who most need our care. Let us know where to serve. We are ready.”

The strangest thing happened tonight. I was finally tired and went to the cabin to sleep before my roommate, Kim. I slept on the bottom bunk and the door was right next to me. For some reason, out of a dead sleep, I reached over and opened the door for her as she walked up to it from outside. She laughed because she thought I was getting up again, but then she realized how bewildered I was. I have no idea why I opened the door for her, and I just went right back to sleep.

June 17, 1997 – This morning I woke up and wrote the following prayer in my journal:

Dear God, Angels and Guides,
I am here in the Bahamas to learn whatever lessons you want me to learn and get whatever messages you want me to get. I am open to receive. Please let me swim with dolphins today. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

After coming in from swimming this morning, I heard that Jay, one of our passengers was having heart trouble and that we needed to take him back to Grand Bahama and get him to the hospital. We held a meeting and sent him healing energy as the boat started up and took us back to port. We all felt so bad for Jay and his wife Vicki, and also were sorry that we had to go back. Stewart, our captain, told us that it might be possible to go through customs now instead of on Thursday, which would mean we wouldn’t lose any time. We got to the port and a taxi took Jay and Vicki to the nearest hospital. Since we were going through customs, we had to stay about 2 hours, so we walked to a little beach where the water was so warm and clear. I noticed that Peace was very comfortable here, probably because it was so shallow and close to shore. Each time I saw her in the water, she looked more and more relaxed and confident.

We got back on the boat and as soon as I boarded, I could feel that the energy had totally changed, a big weight had been lifted. This is what the dolphins had been waiting for! I KNEW that we would soon encounter dolphins. About half an hour out of Grand Bahama, I got chills up and down my body and I knew they were near. We started to drum and flute and otherwise call out to them and then suddenly, DOLPHINS!!!
Since I was usually the first person in the water to go snorkeling, Kaz, the divemaster on the boat, let me be one of the first two people to jump in. I dove in just as a female dolphin passed by. For about ten seconds, we swam next to each other in unison. I felt my heart about to explode and I had to remind myself to keep breathing!

All of a sudden there were 16 dolphins dancing and twirling all around us. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There was even a baby dolphin with them! They stayed with us for several minutes but then started swimming out further and only a couple people from our group could keep up with them. Then they were gone.

When I got back to the boat, I sat down on the bench and cried tears of pure joy and happiness. I felt so released, like I had come home. Words cannot communicate exactly how I felt in that moment, but I will never forget it!

After everyone was out of the water, Peace told us that there were dolphins in this group that had never swam with humans before and that they were just as excited as we were. She said that just as we were meeting to discuss what had happened and what to do and not do next time, they were doing the same thing! Stewart told us that it was the most dolphins he had swam with at one time in more than a year.

I decided that the next time I see the dolphins, I’m not going to bring my camera because I found myself spending so much time trying to take pictures instead of just being with them in the moment.

It is storming tonight, quite an appropriate end to an incredible day!

Not too amazingly, I chose the Totem of the Bowls – Dolphins, the Swimmers today.“Straightforward I travel, speaking the truth as I know it. I am here not only to console, but to give to others the tools with which they might lift themselves up. I will offer the ideas that free the mind and body and the heart from pain. My life will be lived as an example of harmony and balance among the creatures of the Earth. Always, I will seek to live in higher consciousness, the awareness of your presence in all that is. I will act as a warrior on the path of peace. My soul shall be impeccable.

Learn from the swimmers. Consider the dolphins, the whales, their patient and persistent love. Go to the ocean or a stream. Float on a still pond. Imagine yourself floating in Great Mother’s arms, surrounded by liquid love in the sea of life.

Empty your mind, Let the glistening fish colors, the soft shell shades, the gleaming, subtle rock forms pervade your consciousness. Listen to the sound of the water, water creature. Be cleansed. Dissolve all obstacles. Absolve all friendships of any need for guilt. Let go. Feel your body weightless. Glide. Dive deeper into the pool of love. Watch the sun sparkle on the water until the scene becomes another enchanted world. Play with the waves. See the correlation of all things with your life. Be a fish. Become at home in the water element. Become at home in the easy push and pull of the waves of love. Learn to live as if life were a stream constantly nourishing. Be content in the here and now.”

June 18, 1997 – Another beautiful sunrise. I am glad I’m an early riser and get to see Sister Sun wake up. Usually there are just a few other people out there with me. Zephyr Spirit, Dottie, Ro, and Tom are usually around to see it.

We swam with dolphins again in the morning. They didn’t stay long and I got the feeling I should get out. As I was standing on the deck, I looked on the other side of the boat and there were five dolphins. I jumped in and swam with them as the rest of the group came over to where we were. The dolphins raced to the front of the boat and did a dance around the anchor. After they left, several of us felt drawn to the anchor rope and held on to it. The dolphins had energized it! Later Angkh and a few other people said they saw the rope and anchor glowing with a blue light.

About 4:00 pm I was laying on the deck in the sun and felt a strong call to get into the water. I got in and swam around and when I looked up, I saw that Peace, El, Yalo and Aleih had all gotten in too. “Dolphins are coming,” I thought. But this was to be a test for me. The dolphins told me that I needed to trust, and know that they were there without seeing their bodies. I was told to just relax in the water, close my eyes, and receive the dolphin energy. I felt them as strongly as if they were swimming next to me! Later when I talked with Peace, she said that she too was called out into the water at that time and had felt the dolphin energy.

After dinner Peace sat down in front of the group and told us about her childhood, her fears and how the fire had changed so many things in her life. (Penelope’s home in Point Reyes, California was burnt to the ground in the fire of October 3, 1995) She really opened up to us and it was very touching. After her talk, Ho played the drums while Peace did what I can only describe as a “spirit dance.” She danced with her body and her soul. It was quite hypnotic! Peace is a different person than the one I used to know. She is fun to be around and totally open!! I’m really glad I am getting to know her better, as this was one of the things I was hoping would come out of this trip.

Thank you dolphins, for all you have given us.

Medicine Woman Card: 17 The Grandfathers – Ascension, “A light shines forth like a star from the heavens, revealing the wisdom of the ancient ones. I rest on the sturdy foundation of knowledge that comes from a past wholly lived, and I feel supported.

The Card Speaks: We are a new hope within you. The old patterns of interference have been broken; you have reached a new level of communication with the ancestral energy of Self. As a result, you can now experience renewed health and vitality. Through meditation, you have found your roots, your source of cosmic nourishment.

We are the Grandfathers. We have walked on the ground upon which you now walk. You are beginning to realize the meaning of our lives and are able to continue in our footsteps. We will begin to teach you of your spiritual heritage, for you carry within you a particular way of walking on the sacred path.

It is your destiny to carry on from where we have led you. You drink from the waters of Earth and now from those of the heavens as well. You are able to take our highest vision and bring it into reality. You, who have a foot in both worlds, are the only one able to lift the consciousness of the human beings once again to a level of hope. It is you who can build anew. It is you who can walk in beauty within the created world.

Explore now the beauty of your bare soul, this soul you have found in your spiritual search. Take time now to concentrate on the relationship of yourself and nature, yourself and God, the Great Spirit Within All. We will help you. We will offer what we have learned, that you might learn from our experiences. Speak with us and we will answer.”

June 19,1997 – I woke up early as usual, and went outside to see the sunrise. I was joined by Tom, Zephyr Spirit and a few others. The sunrise was amazing as usual, I felt so content and blissed out!! And then all of a sudden Tom pointed and said “Dolphins!”. Sure enough, there were several dolphins right next to the boat. In fact, there were dolphins all around the boat, circling us. My first reaction was to jump in, but it was still dawn and I got a message from the dolphins to let them “supercharge” the water before we got in. We watched in amazement as the dolphin circle went out further and further from the boat until we could see dolphins all around us on the horizon. They did a supercharging ritual as they hunted for their morning meal, jumping out of the water to excite us and play with each other. As I watched the dolphins dance in a circle around us in the turquoise waters with the sun rising behind them, I got the following message:

Circle Circle Circle
Circle of Life
Circle of Love
Circle of One
We embrace you, human fish
Our spirits are wild and free
And so joyous, like you
We circle you now….
And forever

My whole body and soul was signing with joy as we watched this go on for at least 45 minutes until the dolphins slowly started to come back in closer. That’s when one of the crew yelled “Dolphins!” and I knew it was time to get in with them.

I ran downstairs and got my gear on and jumped in. As I dove down, two dolphins came straight at me and then around me as they looked me in the eye. And then they were gone! The water was totally charged and I didn’t want to get out of it, ever. I found myself wishing I could grow a tail and become a mermaid so I would never have to leave!

The boat went cruising again and we saw more dolphins. We jumped in, but they didn’t want to stay, so we got back on board and when we found them again, we went to the front of the boat and watched them ride the bow of the ship as we moved. It was great to see that. The dolphins are so joyful and just wanna have fun!

As if the day wasn’t already perfect enough, the Bottom Time II offers a “Resort Course” in SCUBA diving, which means you take a short class and then can take a dive with the instructor. We went to a place called “Sugar Wreck” and I went SCUBA diving for the first time in my life. To be able to breath underwater is so freeing, you feel like you are a citizen of another planet! I saw incredible coral and fish in the wreck. There were sharks, barracudas and I even saw a turtle. I am now hooked on diving and will get certified over the summer.

After dinner we did a beautiful meditation focusing on the newly created vortex Aleih had told us about. El then asked us all to write a message, not to anyone in particular, but to the group, on a piece of paper. We then placed each message in a basket. The basket was then passed around and you were to randomly take one of the messages out and read it. When I opened the message I had chosen, I had another strong deja vu. I had seen and read these words before, in that exact writing. The note said:

Thank you for being you and for the role you’ve played for me on this trip. May your life be full of love, joy and happiness. Much love always!

When I read my message to the group, I mentioned that I had seen it before in a dream. As we left the dining hall, Sapphire (Georgia) stopped me and told me that she had misunderstood what El had said and thought we were supposed to write a note to a specific person. She had written the message that I had picked for me and was hoping that I would get it, which I did. I was so amazed I couldn’t say anything else to her at the time.

We put on some music and danced up on the second deck (we did “the seaweed” and “the algae”, but don’t try this at home!) We were having a great time when someone suggested going night swimming. It was our last night in these beautiful waters and quite warm, so a bunch of us decided to go in … naked! It was so much fun and even the new Esther Williams, also known as Peace, got in with us. We had a total blast! We laughed and giggled and it felt exhilarating! We were not surprised at all when Celia called out from the second deck that she was pretty sure she had seen a dolphin jump out of the water in the distance. We were totally caught up in dolphin silliness and they wanted to be around to witness the silly frenzy they had created in us.

Medicine Woman Card: Two of Stones – Reflecting on Potential Use of Resources, “The fertile ground of nature surrounds me now, waiting with her gifts for me to notice. The Great Spirit within stands ready in my soul to activate whatever abilities I choose. Which will it be? What can I offer to the world that will bring my earthly reward and soothe my soul? I reflect now on myself and where I am. What can I do for this land around me? What can I do for my people? As I activate myself in a chosen direction, the road to prosperity is cleared.”
June 20, 1997 – Our last day on the beautiful boat. I don’t want to go! This morning I saw Sapphire sitting by herself and I asked her about the note she had written to me. She said that like me, she is from Atlantis and that we have had a competition thing going on between us for several lifetimes. As we talked more we realized how much we had in common and knew that we would become good friends (again). So many connections on this trip…so many people I have known before, I feel like I’m in the twilight zone. I’m in the dolphin zone!!

We all reluctantly left the dock and went back to our hotel. It is so strange to walk on land, I feel like I’m still moving back and forth. We had a closing meeting at the hotel and shared how we were feeling. Stewart came in as we finished a meditation. We had forgotten some camera equipment on the boat. Everyone was really happy to see him, I think he enchanted the whole boat!

After everyone chose a dolphin necklace that El offered as a gift, Shimmer Coo asked Peace if she would answer a couple of questions that people back home had wanted answered. Luckily, Raj taped this session and I have transcribed it below.
Do dolphins ever get cold? And what do they do if they get cold?
“I hear laughter on the first question. Of course we get cold. We know how to generate the heat within our bodies, it’s taught to us at a very young age. We work on generating the heat from the inside outward all the way to the ends of our bodies. The only time that coldness sets in within our ocean domain is when we are dying and then we let the heat go out the top of our bodies and we leave.”
What information can the dolphins give us about what we can do to assist the ecosystem?
“Oh wow, these are the ones that came to us, the group that we got to swim with. And it’s the baby that is here, and the baby is considered a master who has come in, and is a master dolphin who is also a whale, who also carries the whale energy. And this is why this baby was allowed to swim free and actually move away from it’s mother for a short time in order to grasp the whole human pod as assembled. And then I get a clear picture of me still in the boat, and he said “we didn’t miss the one above who is connected with me.” This baby is a master being. I see him through this white light all around the baby in a circle in the water.

“All you have to do all around is to let that sweetness, that light, that nourishment of your soul, (that milk that you see is the white light from the soul, that feeds the soul,) is to send that light out wherever you go. You can, by your very nature, just as I do, just as all the dolphin brothers and sisters do, be in the water and clear it, and clear it of all things by the same method that I am showing you. By clearing it in the same method which is sending out the milk of the soul. And when you send out the milk of the soul, it nourishes all souls. All energies align around it in a pure light. If you send this out enough times and with enough people, what happens is that the consciousness of people who are unconscious, who are ignorant of their connection to others, changes. They go into that same trance that you felt, and what happens to them is that their love is realigned so that they cannot put anything out but the milk of pure love.

Do not underestimate your own ability to put out that spiritual force. All of you have been charged in the waters of love. I was brought here by my dolphin and whale brothers; the entire pod actually was there to hold me in space so that I could send this all all to you. Now feel the energy that comes from your own body no matter what infirmities or what impurities, you feel you have. Feel the milk of pure sweetness and love radiating in the vortex all around you. Now as you feel that energy, you will feel yourself dwelling in the ocean of pure love. The ocean of pure love is that which surrounds us at all times and connects us to all life. You will see in that ocean there is everything that is on this planet and in other realms. There are impurities, there is beauty, there is love. Send that milk that sustains your soul out into that ocean and as you increase that in magnitude and quantity, the entire quality of the ocean changes. Both the physical ocean that you see with your body’s eyes, and the ocean of pure love that sustains us and in which we all dwell. This is the secret. All the technological wonders of this world are pale in comparison. This encompasses all those technological details that humans love to wear as part of their minds.

I charge all of you now in this room, and all of you who have gone on these trips, and especially this group which I was sent to be with, I charge you now with the service, with the solution of sending out the milk of pure love and soul into the ocean. I promise you will see, all things will grow. The whales, as you have said, will return, the dolphins will multiply in number. The ocean will be sweet to all those who drink it, and the earth itself will be mature and expand in this new richness from the bottom of the ocean all the way to the tallest mountain. Never forget these words. It is not these words that I charge you with, I charge you with entering pure love. That is each of your mission, and it is why I came here to this place and why we now go forth into the world. You have all been touched and changed. You will never be the same. We love you. We are with you. You are the same as us. We are you. You. You.”

As Peace was transmitting this message from the baby master dolphin, I had chills from my head to my toes. I saw dolphins swirling all around the room in a circle and then all around my bed at home. I felt as if I was in a twirling mass of love…and dolphins! Right after this and for the next few days, I kept getting visions, but they would come to me in an unusual way. I would feel like I had my snorkeling mask on and it was full of water and I couldn’t see. Then, the water would drain out and everything would be clear and I’d see dolphins, my house, places and people I didn’t know, people I had met, and other unusual sights.

I remembered that in the many hours I had spent in the water during our trip, I had sent love out into the ocean. I would start with my hands on my heart and concentrate on sending love. I would then push my hands and arms out and around my body in a circle to send love waves through the ocean world. At the time, I wasn’t sure why I was doing this, but now I knew why!

Everyone hugged good-bye. I will miss these beautiful people so much…but I know I will see many of them again.

Angkh has asked me if I want to stay with her here in Florida. She is going to rent a car and go to the Florida Keys. I called home and everything is okay. Cecil said the animals are fine and he’s enjoying being there. Luckily I had the foresight to know that I would not be ready to go right back to work after a trip such as this, and I have the following week off work. I have the money (sort of)…..I’m staying!!!

How strange it is for me not to want to go home. I am such a homebody, always so content and happy in my little cabin on the creek in the redwoods…and the animals! I’ve hardly thought about them except when I’ve checked in with them a few times. What is happening??? I’m not ready to go home!

I am in such an altered state tonight, I don’t feel like picking a card!!

June 21, 1997, Summer Solstice – My first thought when I woke up was “The boat must be docked, it isn’t rocking”, and then I realized I was in a hotel room. Damn!

I wrote a letter to Sapphire last night and was glad to run into her in the lobby so I could give it to her.

Angkh and I rented a car and we were off for the Keys! We found a great vegetarian restaurant for dinner and stopped here and there to look at beautiful sites. We ended up staying at an amazing campground on Fiesta Key. It is right on the ocean, has a fresh water pool and lots going on. We went to town but it was getting near sunset and since it was Summer Solstice, I HAD to watch the sun set on the ocean. We went down some residential street until we found ocean access. As I watched the sun touch the water, I looked over at the dock and saw a young girl, about 10 or 11 years old doing a “spirit dance” on the end of the dock to the sunset. She even did a swim move! She was a free spirit dancing to her heart’s content. I wanted to go hug her, but by the time I got close, she was gone.

I couldn’t sleep again tonight. I went swimming and did somersaults and dolphin moves in the pool. Feels great to be in the water, I just can’t get enough! I walked the large campground four times, sat on the wall looking out into the ocean for about an hour and then sat down to write in my journal. I decided it was time to ask the dolphins the life questions I had come with on this trip. Sharon Callahan, my animal communicator/psychic, had told me that many pieces of the puzzle would be put together for me on this trip. She also had told me that the dolphins wanted me to go with questions, but major life questions…and the dolphins would answer them. I had written them on the first pages of my journal before I left and got the following messages tonight:
1. What is my life path?
You have come so far already, thank you for taking the lessons you have been given with a sense of humor (for the most part) and especially for keeping the faith. Going on this trip was the start of the next road on your life path…that is why everything fell into place, you were guided and protected so that you would be here at this time, on this trip. You are going to introduce many, many people to our world and we needed you to experience it now. The time is right. You are where you should be, follow your intuition and your heart…we will guide you.

2. Where do I go from here?
Plan spiritual dolphin trips with the facilitators you are thinking about and that will come to you. We’ll take care of the rest. Start writing your book.

3. How can I do the most good for this world and best serve God?
Do the web site you have been thinking about. Tell others about the Universal Laws you have learned and how you have used them for the highest good for all. Tell them of the miracles you have seen. Write the book you have been thinking about and taking notes for. We have been sending you ideas, be sure to write them down.

4. Is there a spiritual significance to the blonde streak in my hair?
I hear laughter as I ask this question. “We know you were embarrassed to ask this question because you felt it was vain, but we are glad you asked. Yes, you are spotted, like the spotted dolphin, marked to remind you who you are so even when you go through dark times, somewhere inside you, when you look in the mirror, you will remember the path you have chosen for this lifetime. We need you to carry out our work and we couldn’t let you stray too far as you learned your life lessons. Your unique blonde streak is a kiss from Spirit.”
I don’t trust these answers too much because I feel they are dolphin slanted. However, they came through pretty clear. I am still too high from the trip, and have “dolphin brain”, I’m going to have to check it out with Sharon when I get home. Could it really be that I am meant to take others on dolphin swims? Could that be my life path? Could life possibly be that grand? As I looked out onto the beautiful Atlantic Ocean, I decided that, yes, life can and will be everything I want it to be!

June 22, 1997 – Angkh and I stopped at the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. When we walked out to where the tour starts, there was a dolphin swimming along the line of people. I watched as she looked each and every person in the eye as she slowly swam by, sometimes stopping and staring. I sent her the white light of love from my soul and to all the dolphins at the Center. I connected with her and she told me, “While no dolphins should be kept captive, we understand that a center such as this can save our lives because it helps people to become aware. We long for the day when such a center is not needed, and it is coming. I look each person in the eye and into their souls and search for the good in them and bring it out so they will learn to love all that is. I make a connection with people so that they will respect and protect my kind and the ocean. I love the children, they give us all hope for our future. I love meeting them! We here know where you have been and thank you for bringing that energy and message here to us. Have fun!”

I later found out that Marina is pregnant. The tour started and the dolphins in this pen performed various “tricks.” What I liked is that two of the dolphins had babies with them and the staff did not ask them to perform or even interact with us, but they did anyway! They work with autistic and otherwise handicapped children here and I feel that the dolphins really enjoy that work. After swimming with dolphins in the wild, I am the last person to want to see them in a place such as this, but if they have to be held captive, I think Dolphin Research Center is an okay place.

We walked around to various “pens” where different dolphins were kept together for different reasons. These dolphins were not asked to perform, but did anyway and the tour guide could not stop laughing. I was standing in front of two volunteers and I heard them commenting how silly and playful the dolphins were being today and how great it was. Angkh and I sent love to all the dolphins and we received a lot back! After the tour was over, the guide said that she had been giving these tours for 1 and 1/2 years and this was the best tour she had ever given! Angkh and I knew why, they had put on a special show for us!

We stayed on Sugarloaf Key, too many mosquitoes here!

June 23, 1997 – Key West. Tonight we went on a snorkeling/sunset cruise on a catamaran. The snorkeling was incredible, we went to a reef where there were tons of beautiful fish. On the way back, as we watched the sunset, a twister touched down to the ocean next to the sun on the horizon. That was awesome!

We set up camp at a campground right in town and hit the night life of Key West. It was pretty hopping for a Tuesday night, lots of good music.

June 24, 1997 – We went out on a sailboat called “The Danger” today for a three hour tour (seriously). First we stopped at an uninhabitable key and got their Globo Surf board and paddled right through the middle! We saw lots of nurse sharks and other fish. We got caught in a storm, I thought it was great! We went to another wreck to snorkel, it was okay, not the best place I’ve been.

On the way to find a place to stay for the night, we stopped at Big Pine Key to see the dwarf deer that live there. The brochures all say to go at dawn or dusk, the deer sleep during the day, so I was a little annoyed (and very tired) when Angkh said she wanted to pull off and try to see deer. She turned onto an unpaved road and I took a deep breath to relax. Just a little way down the road Angkh said, “I smell sweetgrass burning” and so did I. We drove a little further…and found a fire! We backed out and went back to where we had seen the Ranger Station. I ran to the door but it was locked, so I pounded on it. A ranger finally came and I told him where the fire was. Anghk and I drove back so as to direct people where to go. The ranger came racing by on his radio, soon a fire truck and police were there. The police asked us if we had seen anyone, that they think it is young kids. We hadn’t. The ranger thanked us for finding the fire and reporting it.

I learned a good lesson because if I had had my way, we never would have gone down that street and maybe a lot more deer habitat would have been burned. Oh yes, I am humbled!

We then stopped at Hawk’s Cay Resort because there was a sign that said “dolphin facility” on the road. What we found there I hope I never have to see again. These are dolphins that are not happy at all. They hardly move. They told me that they constantly leave their bodies and go to other dimensions, because that is the only way they can stay living. Their bodies are empty shells, they said, and it looked like it too! “We are here for profit and greed. The one who takes care of us, she truly loves us, but it is not enough.” I just wanted to get out of there and so did they!

Since I have to be at the airport by 1:00 tomorrow, we drove out of the Keys and stayed at a motel. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I didn’t come prepared to camp and I was ready for a real pillow!!!

June 25, 1997 – It was sad to leave the dolphins , the Bahamas and Anghk behind but I was ready to go home now. As I was walking off the plane, talking about dolphins to someone, a lady turned around and I saw the dreamy dolphin look in her eyes. She smiled and showed me her dolphin necklace, similar to mine. We started comparing jewelry and we had several similar dolphin pieces! She had just gotten back from a four day trip off of Key West. She said that the pod of dolphins that came everyday was very familiar with the captain and the boat, they had been working together for 10 years. At first I was so bummed, because if I had known about this place while I was on Key West, I would have gone, but then I realized that this was just another sign that I was meant to go back again.

Seeing the redwoods again made me happy, but getting home was so strange. I still felt disconnected from my animals. When I drove up, the dogs, cats, birds, etc. all wanted my attention at the same time and my ex-boyfriend was waiting on my doorstep. I felt like I was going to overload and explode! I asked the animals (including my ex) to please lay back for a while and let me get used to being home again. Luckily, they all understood and gave me my space.

When I checked the mail, there was a letter from Sapphire on beautiful dolphin stationary. It was so great to have that connection to the trip so soon after getting home.

Jacques Cousteau died today. How strange that he left this world on the day I got back from learning about his world.

When I got into bed, I remembered the dolphins I had seen swirling above it during the transmission from the baby dolphin. Just then, Kisa, my beautiful black cat, looked up and all around my bed and told me that she saw them too! Yeah, the dolphins are here!
June 27, 1997 – I got the pictures back from the trip. I have some incredible shots of dolphins! As I was putting the photos into an album and totally re-living the trip in dolphin dream state, Penelope called. She said that more dolphin trips are being planned!

July 1, 1997 – I finally talked to Sharon Callahan today for our “dolphin debriefing”. I told her all about the trip and the answers the dolphins had given me to my life questions. She got in touch with the dolphins and told me that I was right on with all the answers, except that I missed some things. I am meant to do dolphin trips and that is one of my next steps, but not to limit myself to that. “Yes, the dolphin swims are a good direction, but the real goal is union with God and to help people experience that through animals. You are headed in the right direction, but keep reminding yourself that it is only a step. Anything that you can imagine, it’s not the total picture…it’s bigger and better than that!” The dolphins also told me not to forget to bring it all back to myself. Not to forget that by expanding my own spiritual development, I am helping others.

“The book seems to be a dominating thing. You will open up a huge number of people to other realms that might have never gotten this information elsewhere.” She said that I was totally correct with the information I got about my blonde streak. Cool!

I told her that I didn’t feel as connected with my own animals since I got back. “You probably never will. Something has been freed in you that needed to be freed. While it may be a little hard on them at first, they understand the shift in you and would never hold you back from your life path. While you will always need to come back to the redwoods to ground yourself, I see you doing a lot of traveling and your life will be totally different.”

Wow, that’s a lot to think about. I remember Marilyn, another spiritual advisor of mine, told me a few months ago that I would soon meet a man, give up my animals and go traveling with him. At the time, I thought she was totally off, but now, while I don’t think I could ever give up all my animals, I feel an opening that wasn’t there before. I never wanted to travel, and now I do! But where’s the man??!?

When I said “Before I die, I will swim with dolphins,” I didn’t know how true that statement would prove to be. A big part of me did die somewhere out there in the Bahamas, but something else has been born and I can’t wait to live it out! The dolphins have given me so much; body, soul, mind and spirit. I know I will be back soon to see them in their beautiful home and I hope some of you will be with me!

READ PART II – Touched by Dolphins