So I have to admit that I didn't hold out much hope when I jumped in my kayak at Byron Bay and took to the sea. I was originally supposed to go the day before but the weather had other ideas, so I ended up surfing instead (can't complain really can you?). Once we had had the Byron Bay version of a health and safety talk and we all insisted that "we were at one with the ocean and had opened pir hearts to its beauty" we followed our 'man-bunned' instructors out in search of any sea life.
The first 20 mins or so were pretty much what I expected- just basic floating around in the ocean with our eyes peeled. And then out of the blue popped a couple of dolphins, and then a couple more and then a few babies until we were surrounded by about 20 dolphins. According to our guides, dolphins are very empathetic and can tell if you are happy to see them or not - I was in fact ecstatic. I'm surprised I didn't fall out of my boat in pure glee! The dolphins were beyond friendly and swam around us in circles, diving between our kayaks and splashing us with water.
After about 20 minutes of this they got bored and went off to hunt some fish. Interestingly when they did this their entire body language changed from cute dolphins to vicious sea monsters as they drove the fish into the reef to devour them. But I suppose circle of life and all that.
Just as we were about to head in we saw the most amazing thing I think I have ever seen - on the horizon a humpback whale jumped out of the water and back in, doing a perfect breach. They say that you never forget the first time you see a whale out at sea, and weeks later I can still see the image clearly. It was spectacular.
I'm not sure if the rest of my travels have something as cool as this in stall for me, but I guess there is only one way to find out.
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