Swimming With Dolphins

by Judith Galblum Pex

and wonder through my swimming with dolphins.

My town, Eilat, the southernmost city in Israel, is located on the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba and is one of Israel’s premier tourist spots. We’re not famous for Biblical sites but rather for the clear blue sea, coral reefs, desert surroundings, as well as the many hotels, shops, and restaurants. We do, however, find mentions of Eilat in the Bible because Moses passed through here twice during the children of Israel’s forty-year desert wanderings, and Solomon maintained a fleet of ships in Eilat. The Byzantines, Nabateans, Romans, and other peoples also had settlements on these shores.

Each of Eilat’s beaches has a different character, but Katza beach is one of our favorites because, though it has no greenery, chairs, snack bar, or stunning coral reefs, we occasionally see fins of dolphins in the distance or if we’re lucky, one swims near us when it leaves the Reef.

The Dolphin Reef, located next to Katza beach and one of Eilat’s popular attractions, was established to allow visitors to meet and observe dolphins in their natural habitat. It has no outer net, unlike other dolphin parks in the world. The dolphins are free to swim into the open sea, returning to the Reef purely because they enjoy interacting with the trainers and tourists and are fed there.

Laid out with lush vegetation, beach chairs, shade, and a restaurant, guests can observe dolphins jumping and swimming. And, for a higher fee than they’ve already paid to enter the site, can snorkel or dive with the dolphins.

seven years ago from the U.S. and Holland and enjoy swimming nearly every day of the year. Each time we arrive at the beach, John tosses his shirt and towel on the pebbles, dons his mask and snorkel, and dives into the water. I always take longer, savoring the views of the rugged Mountains of Edom opposite us and the still, turquoise waters of the Red Sea.

“Hey,” John says. “Jump in fast. The dolphins don’t wait.”

“Wait,” I say. “How do they know when we’re coming? I may see them and not you.”

Some people claim they know the dolphins’ schedule but I haven’t found any patterns in their appearances.

When John has a grin on his face as he emerges from the sea, I can tell he’s seen dolphins. No matter how many times I’ve swum with them, I’m always startled when a dolphin appears. As I swim in the direction of the Reef, focusing on my breathing and on executing smooth freestyle strokes, suddenly from behind me, a large gray shape will stream by.

They’re often so close, I can look them in the eye, and they seem to be gazing at me. I could touch them but know it’s not allowed; all contact is meant to be from the dolphin’s initiative.

When I see their forms disappearing in the watery haze ahead of me, I begin to follow them, swimming with all my strength, while knowing my efforts are useless. The dolphins are in their element and my movements a clumsily flailing. I love seeing them flip over on their backs to reveal their white bellies. Like a dance or a game, they seem to be enjoying themselves.

There are times when we see dolphins every day and then weeks can go by with no signs at all. We may glimpse only one or see a few together. Similarly, there are times they stay around longer while other times they zoom by. The days we don’t meet dolphins just make me presume that when we do, they’ve sought us out, making our encounters more special. They’re known as sociable creatures, and I can sense their curiosity. Observing their playfulness as they leap out of the water and smiles when they come up for air. It all reminds me of qualities I want to cultivate more in myself.

Researching on the internet I learned that dolphins, one of the most intelligent mammals, use the clicks we hear when we’re swimming, together with whistles, as their mode of communicating with each other, and each individual has a unique “signature voice.” Just as astounding, through their echolocation – emitting sounds and listening to the echoes that return – dolphins are said to be able to detect the fetus in the womb of a pregnant woman.

One afternoon after a long swim without seeing dolphins, I came out of the sea and began drying myself off when I saw a fin break through the water’s surface in the distance. Without a second thought, I put on my mask and snorkel, jumped in again, and began stroking quickly in the direction the fin had appeared. I soon found myself with a dolphin swimming in circles around and under me. Mesmerized by its underwater acrobatics, I slowed down my speed, nearly coming to a halt, with neither of us in a hurry to be anyplace else.

As I enjoyed those magical moments, time stopped until my feet and hands became numb from the cold. Reluctantly heading back to shore, I suddenly felt a sharp bump on my forehead and found myself lifted into the air, startled but not hurt.

John met me with a towel. “I saw what happened,” he said. “You shrieked and were tossed two meters in the air.”

“I didn’t know I shrieked,” I said, “and doubt it was two meters, but that’s the first time I’ve ever had a head bash from a dolphin. He must not have wanted me to go.”

I love the thrill of jumping in the water not knowing how many dolphins I’ll see and the awe these beautiful creatures bring into my life, realizing this is a privilege few people experience. I love introducing friends and family to our dolphin friends and seeing their expressions as their heads pop out of the water after an encounter.

Whenever we drive by Katza beach, I gaze over the calm sea knowing that dolphins are swimming somewhere below the surface, and I remember the lessons they teach me about playfulness, curiosity, savoring the moment, and the joy of being alive.

Based on an essay in the book “The Animals in our Lives – Stories of Companionship and Awe”

Judith Galblum Pex was born in the United States but has been living in Eilat, Israel with her husband, John, since 1976 where they manage the Shelter Hostel, a guest house for travelers from all over the world. Judith has written four books, Walk the Land –A Journey on Foot through Israel, A People Tall and Smooth –Stories of Escape from Sudan to Israel, Come, Stay, Celebrate: The Story of the Shelter Hostel in Eilat, Israel, and To Belong: A Novel.