Reporting from 'Dolphin Central'

Hi Everyone

“Adopt a Dolphin” has been in New Quay, Wales this month.
I spent five days meeting our interns at the SWF office, going on the Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips and talking to all the customers onboard about SWF and our adoption scheme, as well as helping with fundraising and chatting to the public on the quay. It was a manic but fabulous week, with wonderful sunny weather, calm seas and LOTS of dolphins. Just while sitting on the quay daily, a little group came to visit fairly close up delighting all the holiday makers. The little town was a buzz over dolphins. Overhearing several conversations, I gathered that many visitors had been to New Quay before and in fact visit every year to see the dolphins, but a number had just learned about them, and came purely in the hope of seeing one, or two!

Whilst out on one of the one-hour boat trips with DWBT’s, I managed to catch up with Skipper Dafydd, for a while.

Watch Adopt a Dolphin in New Quay

Meeting an adopter
Whilst conducting a talk on one of the boat trips last week, I was aware that there was one family, in particular one little boy, who seemed really interested. At the end of my talk, a little hand went up, and a shy voice asked “Have you seen Flint recently?” Well, it didn’t take me long to realise that Edward was in fact an adopter. He adopted Flint at Christmas, and his brother decided to support an orangutan charity at the same time.
It was lovely meeting and catching up with one of our supporters, and he seemed delighted with his gift, A dolphin colouring in story book (Dolphin Doodling). https://www.adoptadolphin.org.uk/product/dolphin-doodling/

I was able to talk about Flint, the various sightings we’ve had (he was last seen by us in June in northern Cardigan Bay), and why wild dolphins aren’t always 100% reliable! Incidentally, we had wonderful, close-up dolphin sightings on that boat trip, so every one on board was thrilled.

A Yummy Bake & painted faces
Our interns really ‘pushed the boat out’ whilst I was in New Quay, deciding to run a cake and biscuit bake sale and face painting stall during the NWDW event. I could barely take my eyes off them. Even when the dolphins turned up I found it hard to divert my attention away from the delicious goodies on offer!!! A total of £148.91 was raised by selling these to holiday makers passing by. Well done guys!!