Joy seeker, air breather, sky leaper, gleaming white and cream,
bubble blower, wave rider, tail slapper, guiding ships at sea.
A welcome sight through weary watches on dark nights and grey days,
curious cetaceans swimming fast, chasing waves.
Thank you for swimming by, glitter in your eye,
silver missile through water.
Last week I joined a sailing delivery of a yacht with a broken engine. For three days we sailed her non-stop from the Isle of Skye to her home port in the south of Scotland. Offshore sailing is demanding and rewarding in equal measure, but this also means I haven’t had much time to write.
So in this weeks slightly delayed essay I instead want to explore photos of dolphins taken during that trip. We were lucky to encounter a large pod of common dolphins before sunset on our first day of sailing. The light was just perfect, and they stayed with us for almost an hour.
Their joy in playing and jumping and surfing down waves is always a joy to witness. With these pictures I was really intrigued by the almost impressionistic qualities of refracted light as the dolphins swam under the surface, caught in the setting sun, and as they jumped and broke the thin film of surface tension when coming up for breaths.
They almost look like stained glass or classic paintings at times. I hope you enjoy.
Stained Glass Dolphins
Hinted at, just below the surface
Breaking through for air
Effortlessly slicing through the water
Leaping in the setting sun
Always joyful and curious, trying to catch waves
It was an indescribable experience seeing these dolphins join us as we sailed. I hope these pictures bring you as much joy as they brought me.
Which shot was your favourite out of the series? I’d love to know in the comments below!
Fair winds,
Alexander
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These photos are pure joy and I absolutely love them 🙏
A joy to read, with terrific photos Alexander! My favourite being the first Stained Glass Dolphins shot. Amazing colours and the anticipation just before a dorsal or tail fin breaks the surface. Brilliant!