Originally posted in rec.scuba

Diving with Dolphins: play hard to get! by Jim Blair

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Just over a month ago khm@skom.se in Sweden posted a note asking about diving with dolphins in Eilat, Israel. Since I had done the dive at Dolphin Reef the previous summer and enjoyed it very much, I posted a favorable review of the experience.

I was rather surprised when several others sent negative messages describing their experiences with dolphins. How could they have had such different experiences than me? Maybe the season? I was in Israel during the summer and am told it is different during winter. Then I thought of another reason.

I did the dive with only two others--an experienced Israeli man and a laid back Australian boy. We made no attempt to chase the dolphins or try to attract them. We all realized that while intheir environment they would set the rules. I knew that dolphins are curious but avoid people they sense to be aggressive or nervous. They are more likely to be attracted to children than toadults and to passive or withdrawn adults than to active ones. (also, male dolphins prefer women to men). Besides, there is no point on trying to chase after them, because they're much too fast.

So, the three of us went about the dive just looking at the coral,fish, and ship wrecks in the area. But soon several dolphins came to us, and after some cautious circling, began some playful attempts to get our attention.

This was consistent with a story told me by a diver who had been there earlier. He was anxious to see the dolphins and chased around after them for a while untilhe gave up and was disappointed with the dive. But he had some air left and noticed an unusual shell on the bottom. As he was examining the shell he had the feeling of being watched, and peeked sideways to see dolphins on both sides looking over his shoulders at the shell he was holding.

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