Dolphins... A Reason To Believe E-Book

Luca Giovagnoli

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 279

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

A sudden and unexpected phone call changes the life of the protagonist, bringing him back to his great passion: the study of dolphins and their language. The opportunity to take part in a scientific expedition creates food for thought with regards to the unknown and the fragility of human life. After a long journey and a series of very special encounters, he arrives at the mecca: Bimini. It is here that, along with a group of researchers from around the world, he begins his research on the interpretation of the language of dolphins. Many days of diving on a fabulous sea and a constant relationship with the dolphins punctuate the march of time. The beautiful Caribbean island is the setting where a series of events occur and where we meet very special characters. Two days before the end of the expedition, something unexpected and very significant happens. It becomes clear to all members of the expedition just how strong the bond between man and dolphin can be. Based on a true story, this book deals with the issue of the protection of the seas and all creatures therein, particularly dolphins. The story provides different interpretations of the relationship between humans and dolphins, showing that is a profound and a mutual one.

Leseprobe

"The meaning of life cannot be expressed in mere words. These emotions are similar to the way we feel when we are very close to someone, or the way we feel when we see something beautiful within nature, such as a tree in bloom. It is the way we feel when we are in communion with ourselves and with nature. The meaning of life is an experience, not just a concept and it cannot be stopped within time."

Sergio Bambarén

from the book “Crystal River”

(Il fiume di Cristallo)

Forward by Massimo Azzali, Eng.

An unexpected phone call and an invitation from a nearly forgotten Texan colleague surprises our main character, a veterinarian and writer. He receives the call while he is at his clinic, situated in a quiet town on the Adriatic coast, in Portonovo, at the end of a hot day, having just completed a challenging operation on Maggie, a small mixed-breed dog. This invitation propels him on a scientific expedition, starting with a flight that lasts over 30 hours. Filled with exciting, educational and strange adventures in the unimaginable universe of dolphins and other aquatic creatures in the ancient and little-known town of Bimini, in the fabulous islands of the Bahamas. During the trip to Bimini, we meet a candid Venezuelan brother, John, who, just like Jovanotti, dreams of a religion that would combine the works and philosophies of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Che Guevara. We will also meet Nasiko, a cultured Japanese zoologist and oceanographer, who discusses the latest archaeological discoveries of the mysterious Bimini Wall, probable vestiges of ancient Atlantis. He speaks of the famous Bermuda Triangle and describes, without holding back any details, the chilly truths behind the dolphin massacres perpetrated by fishermen every year in several areas of the Japanese prefectures of Wakayama Taiji, Iki, Futo, Ito and Izu to market their meat. Of course using a dolphin as meat to prepare a plate of bacon is possible, but quite repugnant. Finally, on the last leg of the trip between New York and Fort Lauderdale, the author has curious encounters with two Italian-Americans who feel, before having even exchanged their first word, a mysterious connection with the Italian origins that unites them to the author.

The protagonists of the scientific expedition in the Bimini seas are the dolphins. Luca Giovagnoli, in his delicate and careful writing style, describes these with great scientific rigor and passion, enticing the reader through exciting pages, at times philosophical, at times dramatic, in the depths of a world made up of sounds and mental processes, largely unknown or rather known only to specialists. The first feelings experienced by Luca while swimming with a dolphin with a severed dorsal fin is an aesthetic pleasure. (It was beautiful; it seemed to fly in the water ...). However it is easy from the pleasures of the senses to go up to those of intellect. A meeting of the minds, or thoughts, between human and dolphin is described in detail and with great emotion by marine biologist Simone. She is the only woman on the research team and she has the amazing ability to summon the dolphins using telepathic thoughts. There is great pleasure in recognizing that, despite the fact that the mental paths of men and dolphins remain different (it is not yet understood how a dolphin perceives us with his sonar, much less trying to understand how they think) there are, without a doubt, moments of great communication between both species, which ultimately help us to break away from some of our tiresome anthropocentric assumptions. In fact, all animals communicate with us through non-verbal communication. However, dolphins, one of the most fascinating life forms that has ever lived on earth, has always exercised an irresistible attraction on humans. Dolphins show a form of mysterious intelligence, they carry a "quid" within themselves, perceived by anyone who interacts with them, which has stimulated the creativity of poets, writers, painters and scientists. In the absence of contact with extraterrestrial beings, the dolphin is, among all other animals, our favorite interlocutor. To the point, an Oppiano verse comes to mind (Halieutica, II Century A.C.):

No being more divine that the dolphin was ever created. They existed long before men and lived a long time in the cities with mortals, but because of the spell of Dionysus they traded land for sea and took on the form of fish.

In fact, there are many reflections and questions concerning dolphins, which are treated and discussed in various parts of the book. Among the most interesting of these there is the moral question. Particularly, Luca Giovagnoli considers it complete madness and a demonstration of how petty our perception of reality is when dolphins are held captive for the entertainment of men and enroll them by force as soldiers in wars among men (as well as the killing of the whales to sell their flesh, as described by Nasiko). It should be noted that man has never applied this minimal moral code (to not kill, to not enslave) even towards himself, inventing myriad ways to kill other men, enslave whole nations and destroy entire civilizations.

Therefore, taking into account Giovagnoli’s considerations, one might argue: why should man have moral scruples against other non-human species and why towards dolphins in particular? Actually, man's disregard towards other species discredits humanity even more than the folly of war and slavery. The atrocities that mankind has committed from its earliest times are even more immoral and despicable when they involve peaceful species, such as dolphins, which have always proven to be man’s friend, going so far as to save him from shark attacks and shipwrecks, as evidenced by witnesses’ testimonies from the most ancient accounts to those of today. In this respect, the recounting of the story about the colorful yet at time fatally poisonous jellyfish surrounding the vessel, preventing the members of the research team to dive into the water and swim with the dolphins is emblematic. To help them, a group of dolphins break the siege and happily welcome their human friends in the water. The subsequent encounters of the scientific team such as the one where a deadly barracuda, swimming near the mysterious Bimini Wall, bites Ronn’s leg. Or the encounter with the huge silhouette of a bull shark in Sapona shipwreck near the island of Cat Cay, underlines the distance between animals belonging to the most elementary natural kingdoms and dolphins, social animals, who prefer to stay in man’s presence rather than with any other animal. Among the many aquatic animals, they choose the company of man, a land animal.

In addition to them bringing an aesthetic of beauty and intellectual pleasure to man, there is another form of attraction that dolphins exert on humans; that of the heart. There is a very strong emotional relationship, mysterious and mutual, which is masterfully described in the pages devoted to the rescue of a beached dolphin named Jeff. Here we have a dolphin, following its animal instincts, similar to the rhythms of nature, who seems to abandon himself to his oncoming death, while a small group of men, struggling desperately and with hearth, but also with wits and all the technology available, to fight a nearly impossible battle against the laws of nature to save Jeff from dying. Eventually, the men’s efforts prove to be successful and the dolphin, cloaked in a primordial innocence, perhaps oblivious to the commotion he caused, slowly swims away, carrying with him the compassionate gaze of his saviors. All together as one, dolphin and men, in the sea breeze. Throughout the story there is a mysterious correspondence between man and dolphin, aided by the sea itself. With the exclusion, however, of those seemingly more evolved species; the elegant tourists who arrive from Florida to Bimini on large cruise ships and seem to care only about the "resorts" and hotels and, looking only to relax under the tropical sun.

In saving Jeff, Luca Giovagnoli relives the most dramatic period of his life, when he was sick with cancer and was himself in need of dolphins. Throughout these pages, some of the most beautiful and touching parts of the book, the dual nature of the dolphin’s soul become obvious; it is intertwined with both the human soul and with that of the cosmos. Therefore the dolphin’s cosmic soul helps us humans to renew our own bonds with the universe, which we had gradually lost, giving us back strength, confidence and hope. Re-reading the book with this interpretative key, the reader gratefully comes to understanding from the delicate way, like a dolphin jump, with which Luca Giovagnoli represents both people and animals and describes the nature, how inextricably his soul is now intertwined with that of dolphins.

Here, I am reminded of the writings of Plutarch (The intelligence of animals):

Dolphins, above all other beings, naturally understand what the most important philosophers have been seeking: a disinterested friendship. Although the dolphin has no need to have a relationship with man, he has nonetheless been his great friend and has often helped him.

Massimo Azzali

Electronic and acoustic engineer - C.N.R Ancona - Italy

Special Thanks

The art of writing books, despite the long hours spent alone in front of the blank pages, is a collaborative process. It is a mental process that follows a precise path between the sharp rocks of life. I would like to thank all those who, directly or indirectly, contributed to the realization of this book.

In particular, I wish to extend a deep and heartfelt thanks to my mentor and friend, Engineer Massimo Azzali, and to all my friends at C.N.R. (National Council of Research) - I.R.Pe.M. Ancona, who helped me carry out various scientific research projects throughout my career. Thanks to all the Commanders and the Officers at the Ex Soc. Adriatica di Navigazione - Venice: Giancarlo Giangiacomi, Gianni Egidi, Silvano Scavella, Fabio Saccutta, Roberta Coppa, Gianvito Padovano Di Leva, Salvatore Di Fazio; to the late Stefano Antinori and Emilio Telara who, for many years, recorded cetacean sightings in the Adriatic sea, allowing me to generate a number of scientific research papers. Special thanks to my father, Carlo, who has always been a teacher to me, not only at sea but also in life. Thanks to all the Scientific Team who supported me in Bimini. A special thanks (also on behalf of all the dolphins in the world!) to a friend, an example of professionalism and dedication to the cause of environmental protection and the protection of dolphins in seas all around the world, Ric O'Barry and the amazing team at the Ric O'Barry Dolphin Project. A huge thank you to those who have corrected, verified and checked what I have written.

Thanks to the professionalism and competence of the editors for the English part, Dr. Sara Eve Leblond and Massiel Baldomero-Aurelio.

And let’s not forget: Ashley B. Saunders, Maria Grazia Gini, Williams Posanzini, Gloria Clifford, Ilona Sandrey, Lucia Zanchetta, Claudia and Thomas Burghardt.

And a special thanks goes to my fantastic friends: Ecaterina Leonte, Psychologist and Soul Photographer, and Sergio Bambaren, International Best-Selling Author, who is now part of my life. You and I will forever be united by the search for a better world and the realization of that dream. True friends, united by so many common and deep interests.

And, last but not least, a big thank you to all the free and captive dolphins who share this planet with us, especially a small dolphin who decided to swim with me, every day, in the immense sea of life.

“Time dissipates superfluous

and preserves the essential.”

Alejandro Jodorowsky

A mio padre,

unico vero grande maestro e amico.

SUMMARY

Chap.1 In clinic

Chap.2 The call

Chap.3 Portonovo

Chap.4 The journey

Chap.5 Nasiko

Chap.6 Bimini Wall

Chap.7 My start

Chap.8 The meeting

Chap.9 The research

Chap.10 From New York to Fort Lauderdale

Chap.11 Arrive in Bimini

Chap.12 Big Game Club

Chap.13 The beginning of work

Chap.14 The first week

Chap.15 Jellyfishes and knowledge

Chap.16 Bimini and barracuda

Chap.17 A world of sounds

Chap.18 Cat Cay

Chap.19 Reflexions

Chap.20 Jeff

Chap.21 The therapy and treatment

Chap.22 Unconventional comunication

Introduction

The sun came up and the sea was choppy. Sprays of salty sea slapped the prow on the starboard side. Low, dark clouds contrasted with the clean sky. A blue bursting marked the road; an imaginary road to Europe that seemed to open up in front of us. The turquoise and emerald waters were moving in every direction, waves precise as flints came straight onto the boat. The cliff and the lighthouse were increasingly distant. We were ten miles far from North Bimini. The radio crackled into a tired and incomprehensible American. We were all waiting for something. The rhythm of the sea was getting stronger. The pitching was increasingly marked. It was hard to stand. Suddenly the captain shouted: "Dolphins to the left..!!!" All of a sudden they made their way to the left side. A group of three stenella crossed our course. They quickly came towards the boat and stood for a moment, looking at us. Then, in a flash, they disappeared as they had arrived. Only one of the three slowed down, came back, emerging up to its ventral fins, and watched Simone, the German biologist.

There was a knowing look among them. Simone, with tears in her eyes, smiled:

"They will come back", she said. "…They will come back!" The dolphin swung around and resumed his run towards the other two. We looked straight at each other in puzzled disbelief. We did not realize anything.

The boat continued to pitch. The excitement about having seen this small group of dolphins was palpable, but we were ready for the work ahead of us.

A group of Canadian researchers spoke into the radio with the US Coast Guard saying they had an engine problem, but they were too far away from us. I paused a moment to think about what happiness really meant. I realized that happiness is being conscious of a moment; the realization that the moment that you are living is like being part of it as a whole.

Happiness is remaining suspended like a tired old kite, held back only by the worn strings of time, trying to interpret a moment in existence. Seeing those three dolphins had totally changed my mood and perception of those moments. The power of dolphins is to put us in touch with the deepest part of our soul and our being a sentient animal. They hold within themselves the mystery of a special life; a breath of wind pushes them on the waves of life, they manage to stay afloat in the stormy sea, and rejoice in the peace of a quiet bay. They are really unique creatures. I was quickly brought back to reality when a wave, stronger than the last, showered me in a sudden bath. It was amusing to see the games that the water played on the polished wooden surface near the bulkhead. The salt in the air...

There was such a feeling of excitement on board. We were all waiting when Simone, standing up quickly as if driven by a mysterious force, walked on the bow:

"They're coming back”, she said in a low voice. "I'm sure", she added.

She was standing, balancing herself to the anchor line, regardless of the spray and waves. She was completely wet.

Soon, an entire pod of dolphins (Stenella atlantica) would surround the boat. There were fourteen elements; the whole group of females, including the young ones. We remained stone-faced and all at once we looked at Simone. She had been used to studying dolphins in the Bahamas and we realized that she was perfectly able to communicate with them telepathically. She was able to "feel" their presence. We were amazed, fascinated and incredulous; which is not an easy thing for a group of scientists. With great faith, we accepted this, not even imagining what we would come to understand in the following days. The captain stopped the boat and turned off the engines.

"Are you all ready?" He asked.

"Yessss...!", we all answered in unison.

"So ...Jump in the water... and enjoy!!” He added, bringing a small bottle of water to his mouth.

Within a very short interval, there was in an incredible hubbub of flippers, masks, air tanks and BCD (vest tilting), we were all in the water. The water was very warm and blue. The Sargasso gave the water a strange appearance, almost like a changing mat, on which fluttered fragments of life. Pieces of floating algae and thoughts were pushed by baffling currents. Hydrophones, recorders and cameras were ready to immortalize unique moments.

Chapter 1

AT THE CLINIC

It had begun to rain recently. The smell of the wet road and fallen leaves from the trees grew stronger. After days of torrid sun and sweltering heat, the first summer storm manifested itself with great intensity. Large and heavy droplets created small craters in the dust of the road. I was finishing cleaning up the operating room, after a pyometra surgery. Maggie's eyes, a half-breed about six years old, seemed to have a human aspect. The surgery had gone well and, as she slowly awoke from the anesthesia, she had both a funny and tender appearance. Her bright eyes were narrowed into tiny cracks and her nose was held higher than usual, as if to make sure she could breathe. The smell of ether, dry and painful, was still spreading in the operating room. Small, jerky movements presaged her total return to the real world. Maggie looked at me, as if to express thankfullness. Her pupils were becoming less dilated. I stroke her head. Her front paws shaved in half gave her a human aspect. That gaze, so intense and full of gratitude, impressed me. I marveled once again as to the fact that our four-legged friends were superior to us. Gratitude doesn’t belong to us but belongs to animals and they always know how to be grateful and, above all, to make us feel it. Maybe gratitude is nothing but a rope bridge upon the precipice of life; only when we have finished crossing the bridge do true miracles begin to occur. This little salt-and-pepper-haired dog had been treated very badly, left out in the frozen polar winter and the scorching heat of summer without food or water, and had almost died because of the carelessness of an unworthy and uncaring owner. It was little Peter, a seven year-old boy who lived in the house opposite the one where Maggie’s owners lived, who realized that his little friend was ill and called his mom for help. Peter's mom, worried, had sought the owner, who had been untraceable for several days. In a rush of pity and sheer irrationality, she had scaled the cottage garden walls and, having fully realized what condition the dog was in, she had picked her up and brought her to the clinic. It was a closed pyometra, not easy to interpret. It is just an insidious disease. Pyometra is an accumulation of pus in the uterus. In the case of closed pyometra the cervix closes itself and all the pus remains inside and the symptoms are more severe and violent, as the bacterial toxins cause septicemia and may cause concomitant renal insufficiency and, in very serious cases, also a DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation). The surgical emergency solution avoids the worst.

Maggie was waking up from the anesthesia. She looked more alert and had increasingly more coordinated movements. She tried to get up, but fell back on the cot. Soon, Peter’s mom would come to pick her up and Maggie would be back at home with her owners. “Safe”. I knew perfectly well how her living conditions would be; she would be right back where she started, with no possibility of eventually being integrated in the family and, definitely, without affection. I asked myself several times what drove a dog to give affection to humans even when they don’t show any sensitivity to it. I stopped to ponder why this behavior was so absurd to some people. No dog has ever asked to be picked up from the street or fed. No animal has ever demanded anything. Within this profession, we often we realize how bad and superficial human beings are, never hesitating to subordinate other creatures for their own interests. The doorbell rang and I opened the door. The woman came in quickly. She was an elegant and well-dressed woman, very pleasant in appearance.

"How's Maggie?", she asked, skipping the pleasantries.

"Well, ma'am! She’s all right!” I said.

"Thank goodness ...." She sighed happily.

The woman shook my hand and asked me what would have to be done, as she had to report back to the owner.

"Thank you, doctor!" She added after having carefully listened to all the usual recommendations.

"See you in ten days for the check-up and the eventual removal of the stitches ...." I added.

"Certainly", she said firmly. "If the owners don’t come, I will take her back", she concluded. I was alone in the clinic. I was finishing cleaning and arranging the surgical room. The employees had already left for the day. The radio played 80’s music. Tomorrow would be another day; the usual routine. The phone rang and I answered wearily.

Chapter 2

THE CALL

Was another patient coming? Was there still more work to be done? After that kind of a pyometra surgery, I needed to rest and calm down. As I picked up the phone, I hoped that there were no more work commitments. Meanwhile, the rain had stopped. I opened the front door and the water was still running down the road, taking on the appearance of a small stream, bringing with it leaves, paper, pieces of discarded plastic and other such general incivilities. On the end of the line, an English voice asked me how I was and what I was up to. I was taken by surprise. It was my friend Ronn, calling from the USA, directly from Texas. I was surprised and confused at the same time. We had met many years before, at a conference on cetaceans in Aberdeen, Scotland, and we had continued to collaborate for various scientific papers about the bioacoustics of dolphins. We talked about this and that, and how things were going. He asked me if I was still interested in dolphins and their language. I replied that I was always very interested and I was planning to go spend some time abroad to do some scientific work, but still hadn’t decided. He stopped me immediately. "I have something for you!" He said in perfect slang. "You won’t believe it..." He said. “But what we are organizing here is research on the sounds emitted by dolphins that live freely in the ocean. Do you know where the Bahamas are?" He asked sarcastically. With an immense effort in geography, I said, "I think I do… if they haven’t moved!" He laughed out loud.

Ronn had the ability to communicate and involve everyone in his projects: researchers and students, enthusiasts and academics. His empathy knew no bounds. If he had not become a biologist, he would have made a great preacher or a high-ranking politician. In the past, he had organized conferences and study sessions on the field, concerning the sea and its inhabitants. Now, thanks to his position at the university, he had managed to involve several private investors to pursue his research activities. With other American and Canadian colleagues, he had also formed a scientific society, dedicated to this activity.

"We are organizing a stint in Bimini to carry out sound samples into the sea on the indigenous groups of Spinner Dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins. Would you participate? ....... Don’t tell me no." He added before I could reply.

"Give me a few days... I have to think about it." I said to Ronn. "I'll let you know as soon as possible." I concluded.

"Remember that if you accept, you must formalize the membership in at most three days." He added in a pragmatic way.

"I have asked you to participate by virtue of our friendship, do not disappoint me." Ronn said, laughing.

"Ok, I'll do my best... Ciao, see you soon." I concluded. I closed the conversation with a lump in my throat. I had excpected everything but not to hear from Ronn... and after such a long time. The last work together as we had done six years before and had been quite successful. We had worked together on the interpretation of the language of bottlenose dolphins. A hard and exhausting job that had consisted in great patience and the reconstructing of entire messages from a computer. A job more adapted to sound engineers than veterinarians... a hydrophone and a computer instead of a scalpel.

It was late. I decided to close the clinic.

The past and the present fused together in a kaleidoscope of emotions, a chill pervaded my back. Once again, I was being proposed a truly unique opportunity. Should I accept it or not? A deep turbine of feelings was spinning inside of me. Sometimes we should learn to decide quickly in the face of what life promises us. Should we become gamblers? Should we take the risk? We have nothing. We are nothing. We come to the world bare, and naked we leave. We don’t have anything to lose. The only thing that matters is time, or rather, how we decide to use it. We have to decide quickly; life is short and the choices we make, the real ones, require courage. I was coming out of a long period in which life had done anything but smile at me; I had gone through a difficult separation and the result was my inability to have a peaceful relationship with my children. Days flow into days, without the possibility of change on the horizon.

This proposal represented the return to a glorious past for me. The return to my true passion.

The road was almost dry again, a timid ray of sun foretold the sunset. The blues and pale pinks of the sky came forecefully out from the white clouds that framed the landscape.

A low, dark pall, of thick clouds still hung over the harbor. The Sea, as green as oil, was streaked with white crests that flowed along the coast as to gather the same spot over the horizon. I started the engine on my motorbike and headed home, running along the white line of the road that I knew by heart. There were very few cars. My thoughts flowed, following the curves, confused by the warm humidity of rebellious air mixed in with the smell of lavender and wet earth. At the final junction of Portonovo road. Instinctively I headed towards the beach.

The sea was waiting for me.

Chapter 3

PORTONOVO

All the major decisions in my life I got them in front of the sea in the Bay of Portonovo, a truly magical place, full of meaning. The afternoon rain had alienated many of the vacationers. The umbrellas were closed, a small harbinger of autumn, mixed with the summer heat of late July. Everything was quieter. I needed to think and decide what I should do. I began to stroll lazily along the pier. My gaze beheld the same wonder as usual: I was looking out at Paradise, my Paradise. The sun was dropping on the bay. Lazy and tired seagulls drew confusing parables and the smell of the sea grew more and more intense. The sun was setting, dragging with it the colors of the day’s end, mixing its red tones with a thousand shades of life. The light of the sunset reflected on the sea, painting a long bright red trail. The waves slowly crashing on the beach in a continuous and relentless motion soaking the shore with their lightweight white foam. There, in the distance, as far as the eye could see, the sea and sky merged, creating a unique background. The sun stained both the sky and the clouds with various shades of pink, red, yellow, and orange and it all seemed a perfect picture; such as what one would find in an old picture book; to the right stood the Monte Conero profile.

The smell of restaurants mingled with summer fragrances and the voices of the few bathers mingled with the usually silly summer music. The sea was a choppy and held in its tired arms some pleasure boats moored in the harbor, facing the bay. The sound of my footsteps on the smooth stones reminded me of the sequence of a familiar sound, as if I already perfectly knew the lyrics of that song. Steps and thoughts echoed inside my soul. I made my way onto the pier, as if it were my home. I knew each millimeter of the cold cement arm, gently placed in the middle of the bay, by heart. The rusty iron lapped its edges, marked by the backlash of the waves, here and there cropped up from concrete stones and deep cracks like wrinkles of an old sailor. The Garbino (Italian wind coming in from the south) had stopped blowing for a while and the scorching heat of July was still the master, despite the rain in the afternoon. A misty light made the feathering, especially in the distance a sort of hermetic mysticism surrounding the entire scene. I turned my gaze towards the rest of the bay and, for a while, I contemplated the Monte Conero. Its dark color contrasted sharply with the light green sea. I felt like I belonged to that land more than ever before. I wanted to stay there alone, if only for a moment. An intense and profound joy, made up of small things, of memories and scents of summers and fleeting loves, motorcycle racing and long night baths, mingled with my anxieties and fears, not for the journey as such, but rather for the fact that I was being called back into the game, after such a long time. I was being offered a very important collaboration, and despite my experience, this was a unique opportunity. It was not a challenge, but an awareness of my own limits and an evaluation of those limits and capabilities. I knew the Bahamas very well as I had been there several times, not as a tourist, but as a researcher. During my time there, I learned many techniques and acquired specific knowledge for my line of work. Bioacoustics and the language of dolphins had always attracted and intrigued me. Trying to understand the meaning behing their "language" had always been my primary interest, perhaps because these wonderful creatures, just like us, have always represented the highest possible level of interaction with the human species. I therefore started my career, trying to understand their bioacoustics: despite my great passion for dolphins, I had never accepted the idea of being a veterinarian for a public entertainment facility, dolphinariums or other such establishments. I have never supported the idea of becoming an accomplice to the organizations that have so little concern for the protection and welfare of dolphins. So I decided to carry out my veterinary profession by trying to help, where possible, projects for the re-introduction of dolphins in the wild. For me, this was the right choice.

I was in a magical place, where I had spent my youth, and which gave me a boost of energy and optimism. For me, this was the sacred place par excellence: it was here, in front of this sea that, years ago, I decided to fight and not die. It was because of the sea and the presence of the dolphins that had I had found the strength and courage to keep on living. Even the water seemed to have a unique and crystal clear appearance. From the pier, I was looking at the carousel of small reef fish looking for food under the greenish plot hatched by calcareous rocks. I thought that over there, in the Bahamas, I could confirm some theories that had already been studied in the past and evaluate new hypotheses.

The language of dolphins has always been a topic of absolute scientific interest for me. Not only in a scientific way, but also in the transcendent way that followed from it; to give a plausible explanation for the way in which they communicate. The fact is that, whatever the possible interpretation that we, humans, give their language, dolphins are superior beings from various points of view and in their advanced form of communication, one can uncover many hidden secrets. I stood there for a long time until the sun disappeared behind the mountain. The silence was broken only by the happy voices of children chasing each other. I got up from the last cleat of the pier with a great sense of fulfillment; I was filled with happiness. The iridescent water filled the small cracks left on the artifact, relentless within the procession of time, creating many small, interconnected lakes. I felt complete. My rational side knew perfectly well that I had to take the job and accept Ronn’s invitation. Acceptance always brings with it a choice; acceptance is another way of letting go and preparing for the fulfillment of one’s own destiny.