"Sam"


Sam
"Sam"

You know, it's sort of funny how we go through life and become jaded with certain aspects of our life. Hilton Head and nature, to me, have always gone hand in hand with the deer, racoons, birds, fish, etc. They're all a very common sight on this island, and you get used to it right?

I used to think so...until one day I was shooting water-scapes from my boat when Sam appeared. "No big deal", I thought to myself...you've seen one dolphin, you've seen a million. Well, Sam proved me wrong.

It just so happens I was at anchor in the middle of Calibogue Sound waiting for the light to get right for a shot I had been looking at for a couple of weeks. This entailed about an hour and one half wait.

While sitting at the helm, and not paying any particular attention to the water, I heard what sounded like a dull bumping sound somewhere in or under the boat.

I rose from my chair to find out where the noise was coming from. That's when I saw this dolphin at the stern of the boat and he was actually trying his best to "push" my boat along with his bottlenose. Why?, and for what reason?, I'm clueless, but the entire time I was there, he was determined to show me the latest in all-natural propulsion.

Just before it was time to leave, he came around starboard to where I was sitting, and seemed to pose for this image. I tripped the shutter, fired the engines, and got underway...never to see this again.

I was taught a valuable lesson though, in that one should never take anything for granted...especially the beauty and fulfillment that life offers to each and everyone of us.

Go back