Course-week with a Sternschnuppen family
by firmm Team
Text: Katharina Heyer,Fotos: Bernard Kläy
For many years already the Stiftung Kinderhilfe Sternschnuppe (a Swiss children’s aid foundation with the name “shooting star”) from Zurich or the Fondation Etoile filante from Lausanne enable families with children that suffer from a disability or illness to visit us. Those foundations are fulfilling the dreams of the children. If they wish to see whales and dolphins in the wild, then the children, together with their families can participate in a one week course with us, which is always a very nice task for us.
Not too long ago Matteo with his sister Anais and his mother and father, were here in Tarifa for a course-week with firmm. The weather forecast did look quite difficult for this week, but none the less it became an almost spectacular week. Matteo was wishing for dolphins. On the first trip we saw a lot of pilot whales but no bottlenose dolphins or smaller ones. On the next day we saw 2 huge fin whales and we were able to follow them for a long time. For us always sensational, but when you are wishing for dolphins, not quite the right thing yet. Then finally trips with pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins followed and Matteos wish came true.
On the last day Matteo was on the boat for 3 trips and the sea was rather calm. And then it happened: We already saw from far away jumping dolphins. Matteo and his family were sitting on the left side of the boat. The jumping group kept approaching us and 3-4 dolphins performed huge jumps exactly where Matteo was seated! His father Bernard was able to take beautiful pictures, since he was sitting next to Matteo.
It seems as if the dolphins can feel where they are needed the most! And all of us get a gift.
