Swimming with the Dolphins

The Nomad is a series of stories, fascinations, encounters, observations, experiences, joy of the moments by me, Ulrike Reinhard – all around my travels. Stay tuned!

Ulrike Reinhard is The Nomad 🙂

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Swimming with the Dolphins

Bucket list? Smashed.

A dream came true. I always wanted to swim with the dolphins – the slick, smiling acrobats of the deep blue. Their constant, knowing grins feels like an invitation to join their underwater rave. This week, I got my golden ticket, and I dove in. With every splash and flip, I embraced the wild, beautiful magic of the moment.

It all began in Rockingham, 50 km south of Perth in Western Australia. Our small crew – just five of us plus our guides – was buzzing with anticipation. I was caught between a fierce desire to swim with the dolphins and a deep respect (and a hint of nervousness or shall I say fear) for the unpredictable ocean. Sure, the thought of what might be lurking beneath made me pause, but the call of those playful creatures was just too powerful. The moment we spotted them, I was ready to leap into the water.

I wriggled into my wetsuit, grabbed my goggles and snorkel, and felt that buzz of anticipation. Then, as if scripted by the ocean itself, the dolphins appeared.

The boat eased to a stop, and there they were, gathering at the back like a group of teenagers inviting us to the rave. In that instant, all my doubts melted away, replaced by sheer awe and excitement. My guide turned to me and asked, “Ready to go?” Without a moment’s hesitation, we dove into the water. I clutched his belt with my right hand as we embarked on our underwater adventure, with him zipping ahead on an underwater scooter, leading the way.

And the magic began.

There were seven or eight dolphins circling around us, a lively mix of females and a couple of males. They came incredibly close – sometimes less than two meters away – hovering in the crystal-clear water as if they were sharing a secret just with me. Their eyes shone with playful curiosity, and their constant, almost mischievous smiles invited me into their underwater world. I longed to reach out and touch them, but we were gently reminded to simply enjoy the moment.

Then the magic deepened. My guide started twirling in the water, mirroring the fluid, elegant spins of the dolphins, and suddenly we were all part of a graceful dance. We rose and fell in the water like we were caught in a ballet. Breathing through my snorkel was effortless – making every movement feel like it had been repeated a thousand times before.

The dolphins welcomed me without hesitation in their space. I was completely in the present, lost in a joyous dance where nothing else existed. There was no longing or worry, only pure bliss repeating over and over. Every sense was awakened: the water caressing my skin, the shimmering play of sunlight through the waves, and the subtle murmur of the sea surrounding us. All my fears melted away, replaced by a profound inner peace and an exhilarating connection to the NOW.

I just wanted to linger in that underwater realm, to slip away from the surface and venture deeper with them. The dolphins led the way into a world beneath the waves, I felt an irresistible pull to follow their graceful path into the deep – a journey painted in shades of turquoise and indigo, where sunlight turned into a soft, shimmering glow. As if a door was wide open.

It’s almost impossible to capture in words – an incredibly intense, playful experience where all my senses were alive.

We went six times into the water, and every time, the same intoxicating experience unfolded. The gentle sway of the water was hypnotic, lulling me into a state of pure, meditative bliss. Every dive was punctuated by the graceful movements of the dolphins, as if I were floating in a bubble of serenity and wonder.

Truly a memory that will live on in my heart forever.