A Dolphin's Tale

Monalisa Borkakoty tags along with Terra Conscious on a trip to track dolphins, without making it an ordeal for the wonderful sea mammals.

PICTURE this. It’s a lovely sunny breezy morning by the beach in Goa. You are seated in a shack having a hearty breakfast and possibly some coffee. You stare at the crashing waves with absolutely nothing on your mind. Out of nowhere, you spot them closer to the horizon. Your eyes don’t quite believe what you see. Then they appear again, riding the waves at speed, frolicking around chasing a boat perhaps. Dolphins. The most intelligent and arguably the most beautiful. This picture is often a reality in Goa for the few lucky folks who keep a close eye on the seas. Dolphin sightings are not uncommon but for the ones that surely want the experience, there are many operators in Goa that take you for a boat ride to the deeper seas guaranteeing value for money.

Therein lies the problem. This completely unorganised sector has flourished over the last few years in beaches such as Agonda and Palolem in the South of Goa and Morjim in the North. Considering it is a unique experience for a lot of the tourists, families flock to these boats that often disappoint the humans but disturb the peace and natural habitat of these wonderful beings that thrive in the quieter waters. Such a ‘water sport’ activity would have been better of if it was treated with the same brevity as that of a Wildlife Safari; controlled, regulated and cared for.