So close, yet so far away!

Deutsche

On Sunday, I saw on Chris Redhead´s blog that Moko was at the wharf.   We live just 5 min away from there;  so  I packed my digital reflex camera, something to drink and went off so that I hopefully could see moko a bit closer this time. I parked my scooter further down at the information center – but, no moko at all.  But then the screaming of kids, `Moko, come here, come here´ showed me the way.  And indeed after  a few hundred metres I spotted him,  swimming very close to the bank.

He played as openly as  on many other occasions with a stolen boogieboard.  The bank is very shallow in that area, and so it happened that maybe 30 people, short and tall, were standing in the water, certainly also hoping that Moko would touch their legs.  And here I was with my expensive camera,  not daring to head too deep into the water, because again I had way too many accessories which must not get wet,  but I also didn’t want to leave them on the bank......

Now I was finally as close to Moko as a flap of a fin but yet couldn’t get a clear shot, as he was still too far away for that.

I admit that when it comes to dolphins I am a bit childish, which is probably because of the good old Flipper times, when the clever dolphin swam through our TV and I envied Sandy and Buck for their lucky childhoods.   But for now, my envy would have to wait….because in the afternoon we had invited Alice’s parents for blueberry flan and coffee.  So there was nothing left to do but go home….

After we had eaten the cake (which was well appreciated – so thanks for the recipe, Sabine) we decided to give Moko another chance and so all four of us went off to the place where I had spotted him in the morning. This time I was most perfectly prepared, only the necessary stuff, a bikini under my shorts; reflex camera, mobile phone and wallet left at home but bringing a water proofed camera. Ready for anything – I thought, at least…

As Moko obviously had moved on we tried our luck further down towards  The Heads. And yes, he actually was there – but unfortunately on the other side of the river – too far away for my little camera and the current was too strong for crossing the river. And there I stood with my waterproofed camera and the right gear, but without the necessary courage to jump into the outgoing tide. And so there was nothing left for me to do than watch from a distance how 10 people were playing really nicely with Moko and I not only envying Sandy and Buck but also these people….