El Andalous - Dolphins

Dolphins in Sahl Hasheesh!

Public beaches are still closed and our resort management company has forbidden use of the beaches in Sahl Hasheesh. However, one beach claims that it is private and thus not under the regulations. Therefore, they allow swimming (but not use of sunbeds etc).

I’d heard that dolphins had come into Sahl Hasheesh bay. This happens occasionally, but not every year. I’ve only seen them once, and it was some years ago, just before I had to go back to my flat for  work, so it was very frustrating to leave as the dolphins were there (and probably annoying for my team as I spent a bit of the call enthusing how I’d just seen dolphins!).

Anyway, I decided I would try swimming in the sea for a change (I’m still a bit nervous as to whether it really is allowed, so I do it only very occasionally). I’d almost forgotten about the dolphins as my mind had wandered on to thinking how much harder it was to swim in the sea after a long break and how I wasn’t used to doing distance swimming. And then a dolphin swam right underneath me!

If I hadn’t heard that dolphins were around, I’d have been scared. They move so fast that you don’t have time to see exactly what it is. Anyway, one of them swam round me for a little while. It took me a few seconds to remember to get my camera out (which I have shoved down my swimsuit).

The dolphins lost interest in me once I pointed my camera at them (which I regret a little – maybe I should have focused on playing with them). Nevertheless, they stayed very close to me and continued to play, and even shot over towards me once or twice.

There were two of them; traditionally it’s been a mother and her calf, so I assume it was the same two that have visited before.

As they drifted away from me, I tried to swim after them, but they were hard to spot. Shortly after I saw a frenzy of birds circling and diving, and fish leaping out of the water in all directions. I assume the dolphins had gone over there to feed and the birds were coming in to join the feast. It’s not uncommon to see the fish shimmering as they jump out of the sea and the birds coming in for the kill, but it’s not usual for it to be dolphins underneath.

I haven’t seen the dolphins again since. Maybe one day! But I was glad I took the chance and went out into the sea that afternoon. It was such a huge privilege to have shared the sea with them and I didn’t even have to pay an entry fee. It was just one hundred percent natural.

If COVID-19 can just go away and Oceanman (an open water swimming competition) can take place at the end of October as planned, I’d love for the dolphins to come over and greet the swimmers. It would just show how fantastic Sahl Hasheesh can be!