Two days into 2011, we trekked south to the Florida keys with Megan and her boyfriend, Andy, to get Megan settled for her month-long internship at a dolphin facility.
At her college, January is independent study time, when students design their own projects. It can be anything allied with your major and/or your passions. One year, Megan went to Ecuador to volunteer at a wildlife center in the jungle. This year, it’s dolphins in the keys, at a facility where we all swam with dolphins when Megan was much younger.
We took two cars and Rob and I were ahead of Megan and Andy. There’s an exhilarating moment in this drive when you reach the end of the Florida turnpike, the road narrows to two lanes, and suddenly you’re on U.S. 1, which extends from Key West to Maine, and a sign announces that you’re entering the Florida Keys.
It’s called the Florida Keys Scenic Highway. It’s 106.5 miles long and takes about four hours to drive from one end to the other. The Keys are an archipelago of 1,700 islands that are connected by bridges. The longest one, the 7-mile bridge in the photo, is an engineering marvel. All along this highway, the Atlantic stretches out on one side of the road, the Gulf of Mexico stretches out on the other. The shades of blue and green are pure and clear, the air smells of salt and sand and sun, the sky looms from horizon to horizon. Magnificent, huge. The beauty blows your mind and heart wide open, you kick off your shoes, lower your windows, and the breeze blows through the car. Suddenly you know that anything is possible.
Everything in the Keys is measured by the mile markers. Mile marker 127.5 marks the end of the turnpike and its junction with U.S. and the scenic highway. Mile marker zero is Key West. So when people in the keys give you directions, they do so according to these markers. Megan, for instance, will be staying with the mother of a friend, who lives just past mile marker 88. So somewhere around mile marker 99, just as we’re approaching our favorite Cuban café where we intend to stop for the best coffee in the universe, I happen to glance to my right, on the Gulf side of the highway. And there, a pod of five dolphins surface, their bodies shimmering in the cool light.
“Rob,” I squeal. “Look! Dolphins, five of them.”
“I see them, I see them,” he says, craning his neck.
There’s no place on the highway to turn off, but Rob slows down and the dolphins remain visible for a few precious moments longer.
We have both been to the keys dozens of times over the years. Neither of us has ever seen a pod of dolphins during this drive. The synchronicity of it, the fact that we were down here because of Megan’s dolphin internship, struck us as a favorable sign for her month’s stay. I later realized that the five was also significant; Megan’s full name adds up to a five.
It turns out that the facility allows family and friends to visit the facility for a meet and greet with the 13 dolphins that live there. We plan on indulging at the end of the month. But Andy dropped by and Megan took this photo during his meet and greet:
Kissed by a dolphin. Way to go, Andy!
If memory serves me correctly, didn't you mention, in the beginning of your book, that Megan's favorite number was 8? That memory was triggered when I noticed that she will be staying with the mother of a friend who lives near mile marker number 88. A good omen?
Glad to hear you're ok, Daz. Hurricane repellent: not till June 1 does that start.
Hi Trish/Rob,
Yeah,all my family are OK,but a few friends at work got flooded out.
A big storm hit parts of Brisbane last night,which hampered a few people,causing more damage to houses that weren't even in the flood.
The real scary part is that we haven't even hit our rainy season yet.
So,we're hoping that there won't be a repeat a few weeks down the track 🙁
I hope you are all well…and keep that hurricane repellent handy.-)
Hey Daz! Thanks for the link. will check it out! are thing starting to dry out down your way? Did you and your family come thru okay??
Just found this interesting dolphin story in the local news and thought reader's of this blog might be interested;
'Grieving' dolphin keeps hold of dead calf.
https://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8198864/grieving-dolphin-keeps-hold-of-dead-calf
Cheers / Darren
Dolphins seem to know when you want to see them. They just sort of magically appear. I have seen them in the distance, thought about them and all of a sudden there were a few near the ship.
Ray
WV: Veness – Dragon Age Wiki
An apprentice mage of the Circle of Magi, Veness shows an early affinity for conjuration of fire spells. She is the mother of Gleam.
😀 You betcha. 🙂
You'll see it, Nat, and we'll take you to that coffee place and to where the dolphins smootch humans!
How beautiful is that stretch of road? Definitely a must see if I ever get over there. Curious about the coffee too, sounds like another stop for me also.
The best bit for me though, was seeing lucky Andy get a Dolphin smooch. 🙂
Ahh, I was on that highway with you. I could feel the warm breezes and then dolphins, perfect.
Thankyou for sharing.
A very sweet story. Thanks for taking us there!
not on topic,, (of today) just been seeing a lot of comments about Sarah Palin in this blog over the last few days,, back about 3 months ago she B in the boys town,, same day a Micheal Moore (No in wasn't an MMA match)… all the day after someone much more well know,… Interesting week,, tryin to figure what it is their tryin to say… guess the boy needs to wake up,,, gosh darn politics,, shame man can't live by Gods law….
w.v. honestly "q uess"
The dolphins were greeting Megan – it will be our children that will change the world and how it uses/abuses the planet and it's creatures, I think. I love this independent study portion of her education.
I have the Keys on my bucket list now.
I was with you all the way, great descripive post. Must do that route one day sounds wonderful and dolphins too – perfect.
well, to add to what's already been said – beautiful!!! beautiful description of a beautiful drive to a beautiful place – and what a beautiful story!!! your descriptive words took me back to the beach house i had on the bay in delaware – love the synchronicities involved – and then, there's one of my favorite numbers – 5!
great uplifting post and what a wonderful way to begin this new week!
oh, and to be kissed by a dolphin!!! divine!
What a beautiful and refreshing story to start a new week, especially after the horrors of the weekend and the bird-fish scenarios last week! Dolphins are amazing, and that lovely drive into the Keys….breath-taking! Thank you, guys, for sharing! Hope the month ahead will bring more tales of Megan and the dolphins! WV: "linge" LINGER!! (I know there's no 'r' there, but I added it because I want to linger in this smiling space!) cj
It is always such a joy to see dolphins. A good omen indeed!
Wow! What a beautiful description of that highway, which I must now visit. And the synchronicity was amazing. Megan has some adventures ahead, that's for sure. Thank you for this uplifting post, I really really needed it.
i've just added that highway to my bucket list!