A life-changing experience!
Dolphin Retreat in Bimini
Hear about the 2008 trip and join me for this once-in-a-lifetime experience in 2009
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Over the past seven years, I have come to feel a deep connection to the dolphins. I would like to share with you my story, or should I say my adventure, with these amazing beings.

I have spent time snorkeling with the wild Spinner dolphins off the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii and one summer my family went to the Carribean and swam with tame Bottle Nose dolphins in a private bay. Each encounter left me feeling more aware, on a deeper level.

During my meditations, when I would quiet myself down, I was hearing messages about a new teaching called The Rainbow Light. Soon, I was very aware that the dolphins were sharing this with me. After several months, a teaching unfolded that I call Rainbow Star Reiki. I have been teaching Reiki for many years and found that these teachings and attunements complimented each other. I have also come to understand that this Rainbow Light is a new energy -- one that has never been here on this earth plane before. I am not the only person who is receiving this information. There are many voices for this Light; I just happen to be one of them.

click on photos to enlarge

My teachings and guided meditations have continued to unfold, and in the summer of 2003 we decided to spend the holiday vacation on the Kona coast of Hawaii. Wanting to spend time once again with the beautiful Spinner dolphins was something I wanted to do, so I knew I had to contact someone who lives there and swims with the dolphins regularly. One of my favorite websites to visit is www.joanocean.com, so I went to her site and when I was brousing around, I read that she takes families out with the wild dolphins.................bingo!!!

We met Joan Ocean at a dock outside of the harbor town of Kailua-Kona early one morning. She had hired a Captain to take us out for half a day to try to find pods of Spinner dolphins. Joan did say that we may not see any dolphins, but she knew where they frequently were know to be. I really had no expectations as to what was going to happen or even if we would see dolphins. I have to say that I knew with out a doubt that something was going to happen; I didn't know what, but I could "feel" it.

Joan was sharing much with us about her many years of research work with dolphins and we were enjoying the beautiful coastline when the captain shouted that there was a pod of dolphins ahead of us. He slowed down and Joan went to the front of the boat to get a better look. Joan said that the pod was heading down the coast and we would turn around and get ahead of them to allow us time to get our snorkel gear on. As we slowed down, Joan told us how to approach the dolphins, and said if they wanted to swim with us, they would.

When the kids saw how many dolphins there were, they were not to sure about getting in, but I was ready. I was the first one in the water and spotted the dolphins right away. . .

I started to swim in the same dirrection as the dolphins and the Spinner closest to me took a look and slowed down. They came closer to me and I was hearing their whistles all around me. I looked to my right and two dolphins were very close to me, once again slowing down. I was wondering if I would scare them away when I lifted the camera to take pictures, but as you can see, it did not bother them one bit!

More dolphins came, more to my left and even under me. I was completely surrounded by dolphins, as they brought me into their pod and slowed down so I didn't have to tire myself. The dolphins continued to come right up to me and look into my eyes, making sounds and whistles that I could feel in my physical body. I felt so honored to be snorkeling as one with these beautiful cetaceans. The trust that they had to bring me into their pod makes me very greatful when I think back to that moment.

Each dolphin was different, with markings and scars. One kept circling in front of me and then swimming under me to once again surface very close to my face. The time came when the group of around thirty that surrounded me sped up and swam off. I lifted my head to see how far I had gone from the boat and was quite surprised to see that I had snorkeled sooooo far!

As I turned to snorkel back to the boat to join Joan, my husband and two children, I was swimming through more dolphins!! They just kept coming, more and more, and even when I reached the rest of my family, there were still dolphins swimming and playing. One of the dolphins broke away from the rest of the group and swam in front of me and just kind of stayed there, looking right at me. He was the last to leave us that morning, but we did get to spend time in two other places along the coast with more dolphins.

When we returned to the boat, the captain said that he had never seen such a large pod of dolphins before. He said that the pod was a mile long and that there were at least 400 dolphins. WOW!!! Words can not express the feeling of being welcomed into a pod of wild dolphins. The photos can not capture the scope of being in the middle of a pod.

We were all changed from this experience and thank Joan and the Spinners for a wonderful time.

Deborah with Son Mark, Husband John,
Daughter Lauren (left to right) and Joan (far right)