Dolphin Research Center, Marathon, FL / Delfiinien tutkimuskeskus, Marathon, FL

Ensimmainen paiva meni siis ihan taysin rannalla aarteita etsiessa ja hiekalla leikkiessa seka uidessa. Seuraavana paivana lahdimme kavimme katselemassa delfiineita. Sikalaisessa delfiinien tutkimuskeskuksessa oli pelastettuja (esim hain hyokkayksesta haavoittuneita) tai sinne syntyneita delfiineja. Naimme pienen leikkituokion, jossa delfiineja aktivoitiin erilaisin "leluin" (amerikkalainen jalkapallo, veden pinnalla tikun paassa heiluteltava huivi, hola hoops, veden pinnalla liikuteltava muovinen mela jne). Osa delfiineista oli selkeasti enemman kiinnostuineita leluista kuin toiset. Siella oli myos yksi aiti ja poikanen. He nakyvat yhdessa kuvassa vierekkain.
Mielenkiitoisinta oli ehka seurata BBC:n kuvausryhman tyota. Heidan ansiostaan naimme upeita hyppyja ja muita temppuja. Siella siis kuvattiin BBC:n tuottamaan ohjelmaa. Emme tieda viela mita. Asiaa hieman helpottaa se etta tunnistin yhden henkilon kuvausryhmasta. Kun mieheni katseli delfiineja tyttojen kanssa, mina katselin kuvausryhmaa ja huomasin heidan takanaan miehen joka otti kuvia. Kovin oli tutun nakoinen. Ja sitten valahti: han oli professori Brian Cox, tunnettu fyysikko, joka on viimeaikoina tehnyt useampia televisiosarjoja BBC:n kanssa ja oli siis kuvaamassa uusinta. Ja kun kerran tallaiseen kuuluisuuteen tuli tormattya niin pitihan sita menna juttelemaan ja pyytaa samaan kuvaa (taman mamman yksi loman kohokohdista). Taisi olla hieman hakeltynyt etta hanet tunnistettiin. Amerikassa han ei ole niin suuri nimi kuin Euroopan puolella.
Oli valtavan hienoa katsella ja seurata delfiinien ja heidan kouluttajiensa kanssakaymista. Siella paasi myos uimaan/leikkimaan delfiinien kanssa, jos vain maksoi tarpeeksi paljon. Olisin kovasti halunnut tehda sen mutta jatetaan seuraavaan kertaan niin etta pikkuneitikin paasee mukaan.
Tutkimuskeskuksen alueella oli myos sprinkleripuisto lapsille. Se taisi olla meidan neitien huippuhetkia kuten delfiinien hyppyjen ja temppujen seuraaminen.

First day was spent completely at the beach looking for treasures, playing with the sand and swimming. Next day we went to the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon. They have dolphins which have been saved (e.g. from shark attacks) or dolphins that have been born there. We saw a little play moment with several dolphins where the dolphins were activated with different kinds of toys (like american football, a scarf tied on a stick and a paddles which was floated and moved on the surface etc.). Some of the dolphins were clearly more interested in the toys than the others. We also saw a mother and a baby which you can see in one of the pictures side by side.
For us adults maybe the most interesting was to follow the BBC filming crew working. Because of them we saw some amazing jumps and leaps and other tricks. So they were filming a new program for BBC. We do know know which one yet. But we have a clue as I did recognise a member in that filming crew. When my husband was watching the dolphins with the girls I was looking how the crew was working and noticed a man who was taking pictures behind them. He looked awfully familiar to me. And then it hit me: he was professor Brian Cox, a well knows physicist who has been making several TV series with BBC. And as we had such a "celebrity" there we had to go talk to him and ask kindly for a photo (meeting him was one of the highlights of this mother's holiday). He was a bit taken aback about the fact that he was recognised. He's not such a big name in America as in Europe.
It was extremely wonderful to watch the interaction between the dolphins and their trainers. You could have also paid to get to swim/play with the dolphins. It was quite a lot of money and I decided we'll do next time when Big Miss is a bit bigger and can do it as well.
They also had a great sprinkler park for the children. I think that and seeing all the tricks the dolphins did were the highlights of this visit.