Dancing Dolphin Journal

There is a very interesting article in the latest People magazine of July 24 titled "The Boy Who Sees With Sound". His name is Ben Underwood, and his story is not only amazing– it’s very touching and prophetic. I feel we will be hearing more about children like Ben in the future! His ability to use echolocation is going to ignite and inspire others, and who knows…there may be others like Ben that have yet to be discovered.

Ben is blind, and he uses echolocation to get around in his world like the dolphins do in water. Here are a few quotes about his ability from the article: "His skills are rare," says Dan Kish, a blind psychologist and leading teacher of echomobility among the blind. "Ben pushes the limits of human perception."

Ben does all the things normal kids do, and he says, "Being blind is not that different from not being blind." He taught himself echolocation at age 3.

Recently Ben visited San Diego’s Sea World Adventure Park to swim with the dolphins. He spent 45 minutes with a bottlenose dolphin called Sandy "touching her teeth and stroking her dorsal fin." He also studied how the dolphins use echolocation. "He’s got a gift with dolphins; he’s truly unique," says McMains, the supervisor of Sea World’s dolphin program.  

When I read this article, I became excited about the possibility of Ben (and others with his gift) unlocking the code of communication between our two species and paving the way to initiate the dolphin-human dialogue.   

"Man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much — the wheel, New York, wars and so on — while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man — for precisely the same reason." -Douglas Noel Adams, author of "Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy                   

Recently I was invited to attend a showing of a breathtaking new film titled "The Gathering…Return of the Whale Dreamers". Directed by Kim Kindersley and featuring dolphins, whales and a selection of indigenous tribes from around the world, this documentary makes a powerful, touching statement to what is happening to our kindred, the dolphins and whales.

You can procure a copy and/or make a donation at either of these two websites: www.whaledreamers.com or www.heartmagic.net

The Canadian director Jonathon Kay is also working on a dolphin film that I look forward to viewing. It is titled, "Na Nai’a: The Dolphins". You can check out his promo and progress here: www.dolphinmovie.com  

I would like to see more spiritual cetacean films in theaters, on television and in DVD format because I believe these films are very healing and trigger remembrance. The dolphins and whales want us to "remember" as I stated in my 1993 book "Dolphin Tribe…Remembering the Human-Dolphin Connection". These films artfully nudge our soul memories and revitalize our activism to protect our oceans and these magnificent angels of the sea. With the mounting evidence of the degradation and pollution of our oceans and the continued slaughter  and mistreatment of the whales and dolphins, we need these films to be seen by as many as possible so solutions can be created…SOON!!

On June 16th Bush designated the Northwestern Hawaii Islands the United States 75th National Monument…making this area the world’s biggest ocean preserve and this law the single largest act of ocean conservation in history. Now if the harmfull-to-marine-life "sonar" could  be locked out, that would be REALLY something!

On a happier note, I received mail from my colleague Dr. Horace Dobbs who is the longtime Honorary Director of International Dolphin Watch notifying me that all of their future correspondence will be conducted via home based computers as of December 2006. Their new website is already up and running: www.dolphinfriend.com, and donations for their wonderful projects would be greatly appreciated.

International Dolphin Watch is an English nonprofit organization which has been around since 1978 with conservation, research, recreation, education, strandings, and healings projects PLUS dolphin books and goodies in their online Dolphin Shop.  Dr. Dobbs has written four dolphin books for children– the Dilo Collection which are beautifully illustrated, charming and educational.

The project that fascinates me is their Dilo Dome. This is (quoting from their brochure) "a lightweight, igloo shaped  structure of translucent, turquoise plastic with inflatable ribs, approximately 2 metres in diameter. Mobile children can enter via a short tunnel, or a loose flap that also acts as an escape hatch. The dome, which has an open base, can easily be lifted on and off children confined to bed, or placed over children with limited mobility on the ground. Panels in the dome are decorated with colouful images of Dilo the dolphin, and/or pictures on adhesive backings that can be changed at will. These are illuminated from outside by natural or artificial light-like stained glass windows. This gives children inside the Dome the sensation they are with Dilo. The Dilo Dome can be filled with sea and dolphin sounds from external speakers, or from internal battery powered tape/CD players." Doesn’t this sound like a wonderful invention and learning/healing tool for children?It’s still in prototype form, and I’m positive they could use donations for this worthy project.

"The Dilo Dome is a continuation of Operation Sunflower, a long term research project into the healing power of dolphins commenced by IDW in 1986." For more information, contact them at www.idw.org and ask for Jackie Connell, the person heading up the project.

Today is an important day for this is World Ocean Day. Most of you are aware that our beautiful ocean is in the midst of a huge crisis with multiple issues threatening it and the many species that make the ocean their home. Sonar, fishing methods, whaling and slaughtering of dolphins, contamination from many sources, overfishing and krill disappearing are some of the major threats that are needed to make a quick turn-around if we are to continue to turn to the ocean for quality food and healthy dolphin and whale familes. Today is a day to celebrate the ocean. Take a break from what you’re doing and send the ocean some love and gratitude today through prayer, meditation or whatever means you employ.

If you feel charitable, a wonderful organization to donate to is Oceana at www.oceana.org. Their motto is Protecting The World’s Oceans.

I have been intrigued with the news story about the new tribe forming on a Fijian Isle. Since authoring the nonfiction book "Dolphin Tribe" in 1993, I have noticed that the word "tribe" has become increasingly popular as I foresaw it would. Thus, this big news story is fascinating to me as I watch history unfold.

For those that might have missed this current news story, let me give you a head’s up: two twenty-something British entrepreneurs decided to cash in on the Survivor television phenomena. They envisioned a 5,000 member online "global tribe" inhabiting and interacting on an idyllic Fijian island. So what did they do? They advertised, of course! They asked for three different membership levels, priced at $220,$440 and $660 a year for those who would want to take up part time residence on this island. The fee would entitle the members to spend one, two or three weeks annually on the island with 100 others at a time. For those that aren’t physically present and are just playing online, they will participate while away from the island as the "headquarters" with voting rights.

The two visionaries, Ben Keene and Mark James, signed a three year lease on a 200-acre Fijian Island called Vorovoro and launched their website: tribewanted.com They have already covered the lease price with the membership fees, and people are clamoring to get in on the action. The tribe is open to anyone 18 and older, and there will be a range of different ages in the tribal mix. Yes, a documentary is in the works called Tribal TV, natch! Stay tuned to watch the action and read more about this tribal experiment. I know I will be!