Extract from Swim Free

‘DOLPHINS!’ Cian snatched his binoculars up, and Skylar cupped her hands over her eyes to look over the cliff edge into the sea below.

There, close to the cliff where the peaceful cove water met the choppier open ocean, was not one . . . not two . . .  but at least six, if not, seven dolphins.

‘I’ve never seen so many here before. This is brilliant!’ Cian stared wide-eyed through the binoculars as the animals moved slowly into the cove. Their arched backs rolled up above the surface as they blew tall watery breaths from their blowholes, then glided back down below. Cian could make out several tall fins and one very small one.

‘There’s a baby, a small calf, with them,’ he said, without taking his eyes away from the binoculars. ‘It looks very young.’

‘Can I see? Is Saoirse with them?’ Skylar was right beside Cian. He handed her the binoculars.

‘WOAH!’ They both shouted together as the dolphin calf leapt high up out of the water.

‘That was awesome!’ said Cian. He grabbed Skylar’s elbow. ‘Come on, let’s go down nearer the water – we can get a closer view of their markings from the rocks down there, see if we can see Saoirse’s S-marked fin.’

‘Yes great!’ Skylar handed the binoculars back to Cian and started to pick up the picnic things.

‘No. Leave them,’ said Cian. ‘We can come back later to get everything.’

The children pulled on their boots then ran back the way they had come – across the bouncy moss and down the hillside. Instead of crossing the stream they turned left, crossed over a stile and scampered down a craggy path towards some flat rocks. They were soon close to the water’s edge where the bright blue, sparkling sea water was gently licking the edge of the rocks.

‘They’re over there!’ Skylar pointed to their left – the dolphins were moving together about ten metres away from the rocks where the children stood.

‘Shh not too loud,’ said Cian. ‘We don’t want to scare them.’

From where they stood on the rocks Cian and Skylar could see the dolphins’ fins much clearer - rising and falling as they came up for air.

Cian picked up his binoculars to try to make out the detail of the markings on the fins but just as he was raising the binoculars to his eyes, he heard a piercing sound. He spun around. Skylar had a whistle in her hand and was making loud, short, sharp whistling noises. She started gesturing to the dolphins, waving her hands around.

‘What are you doing?’ Cian asked.

‘I’m calling them over,’ said Skylar. ‘This is the signal for come.’

‘The what?’ Cian started to smile. ‘These are wild dolphins, Skylar. They won’t come when you whistle for them.’

‘They will,’ said Skylar her chin stuck out. ‘Dolphins react to sound – they use echolocation y’know; hearing is one of their most powerful senses.’

‘Yeah I know that,’ said Cian. ‘But they’re still not going to come over to us because you whistle at them. They’re just trying to find food and enjoy a peaceful swim.’

But Skylar had a determined look on her face. She blew the whistle again – this time she blew the three short whistles a little louder and made a much more exaggerated hand signal. Cian glanced back at the dolphins who hadn’t paid any attention whatsoever. They just carried on gliding along the surface. He turned back to Skylar – her hand signal looked even funnier the second time round as she exaggerated it more, seeming frustrated at the lack of response. She had such a concentrated look on her face as she blew the whistle harder, that Cian couldn’t help himself: he burst out laughing.  

Skylar scowled without taking her eyes of the dolphins. She blew the whistle sequence a third time and made the hand signal again.

By then Cian was laughing hard - so much so, that he had to hold his sides. Tears of laughter were rolling down his face. He wiped his eyes, and when he looked around, he realised that Skylar had gone. He looked up behind him and saw her scampering back up the rocks towards the stile.

‘Skylar, wait! I’m sorry,’ he called up. But she didn’t turn around just kept going up the craggy path. ‘Come on, Skylar! Let’s stay and watch the dolphins. It’s a big pod.’ He turned back to the cove but the dolphins were already heading back out towards the open ocean.

Cian looked into his binoculars just as the dolphin calf gave a little leap, making a splash as it landed back in the water. He smiled.

And then they were gone - around the corner of Hush Head back out into the open ocean.

He looked behind him then. Skylar was really gone too.