We fell asleep to the sound of ocean waves crashing softly on the shore. The lullaby of Porpoise Bay.
When we wake, the sun has already risen but not by much. It isn’t harsh yet. The air is chilly, the breeze gentle. We wander out to the beach in front of our small motel, togs sinking into the sand slightly. The waves are like a bolt of shimmering cloth unfurling, white and noisy.
Then we see them.
First a dorsal fin shaped comically like the ear of Mickey Mouse. Then their short bodies come to view, stocky rather than sleek. Black markings on their faces.
These are Hector’s dolphins, the smallest marine dolphins in the world. This is their home, the shallow coastal waters of Porpoise Bay and Curio Bay. They dive and plunge, unafraid. They enjoy human company. Friendly fins.
Hector, of course, is the name of the greatest warrior of Troy. The peace-loving hero who tragically died at the hands of Achilles. It is a noble name, and these dolphins are noble, beautiful creatures.
We look out at the sea for longer than we realise, soothed by the sound of the sea, enthralled by the fins that weave in and out of the waves.