As an adventurous spirit and a writer always in search of a story I've learned not to ignore this intuition as it has given me some of the most unforgettable moments of my life.

I awoke feeling a need for such an adventure having been ridicuiosly blue about an upcoming birthday. The birthday was inevitable, all I needed was an attitude adjustment...I needed something to shift my perception, something extraordinary.

For years I've been a devoted fan of dolphins, reading and collecting all things dolphin. Now I lived by the Laguna Madre Bay and I hadn't even gone out on the water to see them! That was it, I would go and see the dolphins and see what they thought of life and the day.

For weeks I had been reading articles and been inspired by the work of Fin2Feather guides Scarlet & George Colley. These dedicated naturalists have guided ecotours for crews from NBC, BBC, FOX and PBS who were also impressed with their special relationship and work with the dolphins of the Laguna Madre. It was their dedication to true ecotourism ideals and of course their obvious love and passion for the dolphins that prompted me to pick up the phone one Saturday morning.

We discussed going the next day but something inside me kept shouting..."Go today, Go Now!" Always listen to those voices. Fortunately Scarlet and George are so in tune with this intuition of "Go,Now" it is second nature to them. In fact if you really want to experience the dolphins it is best to work with Scarlet & George and go when they feel it's best to go, the beach isn't going to go away and shopping in Mexico can always wait for another day! Your efforts will be rewarded.

So it was decided we would meet them at the dock in an hour! My excitement and joy were almost uncontainable. Clearly my mental state was already making a shift at the mere idea of this adventure.

The air was moist and cool, the sky was grey and at a great distance you could see the sea fog rolling in, the bay was flat and still like glass reflecting a calm and serene world. Some might have called it a dreary day, but it was a perfect day. We had no idea how perfect a day it would be until we got out onto the water.

We were greeted at the dock by Scarlet & Ceta & Angel...the dolphin dogs. The dogs are amazing as they usually are the first to spot the dolphins and clearly love them as much as any human. They also create and instant bond with my 9 year old son Kyle. George came aboard shortly and within minutes we were all at ease set to begin our adventure. The ease with which Scarlett and George make their guests aboard feel comfortable is so genuine. They are truly among those few who love what they do and bring you so quickly to love what they do as well.

We spent time looking through their book which documents some 7 plus years of dolphin research, which contains great fin shots and each dolphins bio. It is a little like reading a playbill before the play is about to begin. You're just not sure which cast of characters will show up for the play, or in this case to play!

Fortunately Scarlet and George know them all. Which was clearly evident when not to far into the bay, Crackerjack shows up and Scarlet is exhuberant over this sighting. This dolphin has not been seen in over a year and a half and it feels like a family reunion on both our guides part as well as Crackerjack's. He swims around and under the boat as if to say "Look at me...I'm back!"

I'm already awestruck by this event when numbers of dolphins begin to show up 6 or 7 at a time. Moms with new babies are particularly endearing as they obviously trust us enough to come close. To this point we have only seen fins and bodies underwater but at this close perspective it is exciting. George begins to take us further into the bay and Scarlet begins calling out to the dolphins. A definite type of cooing of words and tonal pitch the the dolphins clearly recognize. I soon feel comfortable enough to call out to them as well...mimicking Scarlet's tone as best as I can. The dolphins respond by swimming right up to the boat and finally bring their heads out of the water to look at us. Talk about a million dollar smile...a face that literally launched a thousand ships! I will forever have those faces and smiles embedded in my memory and it will always bring me joy.

Scarlet decides to take the wheel for awhile and begins to move the boat in a circle about medium speed causing a small wake at the back of the boat, I continue to call to the dolphins. This is a familiar game to the dolphins and they are used to playing with Ceta, Angel, Scarlet and George! They like the wake and the bubbles and they begin to really play in the water and dance with us. Suddenly two dolphins jump out of the water...and then another...we are clapping and screaming with glee which you can tell pleases the dolphins. We head under the bridge and a group of five or six dolphins surprise us with a chorus line type move even Scarlet and George have never seen before in their years of research. Fortunately Scarlet got it on tape.

Things seem to calm down as the dolphins are apparently eating and we catch our breath from this spectacular display of playfulness and true joy. I tell Scarlet I feel exhilarated and exhausted at the same tiem, an afterglow of ecstasy!

Realizing that these dolphins are wild and free creatures who choose to interact with us is such a dreamy experience. Fin2Feather is a true ecotour operation who believes noninterference with nature is the only way to be a part of nature. These dolphins are not fed, touched or interferred with in anyway, yet they seek out our company, how lucky we are!

Playtime is over and we reluctantly head back to land in a dreamlike state. Having left my blues out on the water, I'm going back to land with a new perspective on life and hoping I've given as much to the dolphins as they have given to me, but I doubt it! If you are looking for an adventure to set your spirit free, I couldn't think of a better way to do it. Nature has a way of bringing out the best in us all and getting the best guides to experience it is essential. Fin2Feathers Tours is a company with heart and a great experience in nature for all who go on tour with their company. As for me, I've found a home away from home, out on the water with the dolpins of the Laguna Madre!