Randy ensures a good start for Morganonline

In our quest to find Randy the dolphin we came across a number of bizarre stories. One of these that we read in the press is that he had been to Weymouth in England. There, according to the report, he was hit by a speedboat and was never seen again.

But we have good news. This special dolphin, that gave the first stimulus to Morganonline, is still alive!

After a few weeks of looking for him, and with the help of many people here and at the Océanopolis  we were able to find him. The day after our visit to the island of Sein, where he had been seen recently, we packed the dinghy and our equipment and went to the ferry harbour in Audierne with our friends Jackie and Graham. We were hoping that, just like the day before, the ferry would be followed by a dolphin. And we hoped that that dolphin would be Randy.

First we prepared everything. We agreed who would do the filming above and under the water, who would steer the dinghy, and who would take the photographs. Then we stood waiting for the ferry. The tension rose when we finally saw it making its way to the harbour. Was there a dolphin following it or not? It was just too far to see, and the dark form next to the ferry could easily be a wave. I was so afraid to be disappointed again, like yesterday, that I hardly dared hope that a dolphin would be swimming behind the boat.

Without a doubt, it really is Randy

The ferry slowly approached the harbour and, yes, just like yesterday, there was a dolphin accompanying it! And this time, against all expectations, it swam right into the harbour. I immediately jumped into the dinghy with Jackie so that I could see him more closely. One glimpse of his unique dorsal fin was enough. It really was the well known Randy, whom I had first met in the Netherlands. Without a doubt. As if it was just yesterday when I brought him to sea, he came straight to the dighy to check us out. It was wonderful to see my old friend again after five years. And alive too!

We spent a couple of hours watching and playing with Randy. Time after time he came to our boat. Just when we thought that he had had enough of us he came back. His friendly and sociable behaviour meant that we could shoot good images of him both under and above water. We filmed and played with him until it was too dark to see him. It was as if we could have stayed with each other the whole night.

For Morganonline there could have been no better start. At the beginning of our first year we meet the dolphin who had paved the way for a journey about protecting the ocean. And there was another thought going through my mind. Randy, who lives in the hearts of so many people in Europe, had found a place to live which France may designate with the international status of Marine Protected Area. An area where people and animals have found their homes and live together in harmony and respect.

After this experience, which was for me very emotional, we are even more determined to continue our search for initiatives that ensure an ocean in balance.