Members and volunteers at Cowes Sailability Club were thrilled when a wild dolphin appeared in the water alongside their boats during a Monday afternoon cruise.
Sightings of wild dolphins in the waters off Cowes are exceptionally rare, so there was good cause for excitement when one surfaced right next to two of Cowes Sailability Club’s boats one sunny Monday afternoon in June. The dolphin played around the vessels, creating a thrilling and unforgettable experience for those on board, including eight members with a range of complex disabilities and debilitating medical conditions.
“Everyone had a huge smile on their faces, which was so lovely and fulfilling to see,” says volunteer Mia Hillier, who was accompanying members on Cowes Sailability Club’s wheelchair-accessible motor catamaran Dougal. “There was just so much happiness it was amazing!”
Volunteer Emily Thomson also observed the dolphin from Cowes Sailability Club’s safety boat Zebedee. “The club’s members always have a lovely time on the water during Monday afternoon sailing and boating sessions, but seeing a dolphin was very special,” she says. “It was the talk of the day!”
Volunteers Mia Hillier and Emily Thompson