Extracts

Extracts from "Dolphin Healing", the latest blockbuster from Dr Horace Dobbs

"In social-security speak, I would probably be described as coming from a background of extremely limited financial resources. When I was very young I illegally helped the milkman and delivered newspapers. Later I did a butcher’s delivery round, giving most of my earnings to my mother (my father had decamped — but returned later), to supplement the family budget. I bought old bikes, painted and repaired them, then sold them. I also made wooden toys in a cupboard under the stairs that another boy, Tony Barlow, now a millionaire, sold to local shops. This was to finance my addiction — cycling. My bicycle set me free. At the age often I attempted to cycle on my own from Thornton Heath in South London to Brighton on an old bike with no gears. I failed. But I successfully made the 143 km round trip from home to Palace Pier and back in one day when I was 12. My reward was a brief dip in the sea wearing a pair of red woollen swimming trunks my mother had knitted for me. When I emerged from the water the dye from the wool had turned my middle regions a bright red."

"Several days into the trip we had a marvellous encounter with a couple o dozen wild dolphins. It was late in the afternoon and as we were sitting on the back deck chatting and watching the water surface for signs of dorsal fins, we spotted the group heading towards us from the west. They were leaping out of the water as they splashed their way to the boat. We had plenty of time to get our gear on so everyone was already in the water by the time they reached us. Our hearts were beating fast as we felt the wave of approaching dolphin energy The sea was filled with sound; clicks and whistles and high-pitched squeals were ringing in our ears as sleek, grey bodies zoomed past us, under us and made a circle around our group. They swam among us, giving each person plenty of time to fully experience their presence. It was thrilling, it was exciting, it was beautiful and it was timeless. So timeless that I didn’t notice the sun going down, eventually sinking below the horizon. The sky was turning its usual shade of lavender/blue/grey and the water surface began to reflect the light instead of being clear. It was time to head back."

"Having got a record of the event from Rebecca, my scientific background kicked in. I asked Wendy to give me her personal account of what happened. This is what she wrote:

After a very long swim back to the boat, I climbed out of the ocean tired yet energised. I later closed my eyes. I saw a long corridor with doors on either side in colours of the rainbow They were all ajar, and one by one they opened wide and disappeared. I was left with a warm, open space where I could move and dance freely without anyone or anything holding me down, or back.

Whilst in the water I was totally unaware that the rest of the group had left, because the sounds in the water at first baffled me. It sounded like seaweed popping and squeaking, as it does off the shores of the British Isles. However, there wasn’t any seaweed, so I just kept my head down in the water and absorbed the wonder of the moment. I just was. Anything else happening wasn’t touching me. It was only when I intuitively lifted my head, that I realised I was quite a distance from the boat and everybody else was back on board! There was no fear, only a renewed strength, freedom and peace. So I gave a wave to the boat, put my head down and swam back!

This experience with the dolphins led me to understand that I was able to absorb from them something that enabled me to heal a part of myself. A ‘feeling’ rather than an intellectualisation! It appears to be an exchange of information that occurs when an individual is ready and open to receive. You feel, enjoy and are ‘in the moment’."

Extract from Dilo and the Witch of Black Rock
by Horace Dobbs

“We’re Free

The sun was sinking slowly towards the sea when Debra climbed down the rough steps from the lighthouse to the sea below. It was a calm, mild evening. The wind had dropped completely. The sea gently slurped against the rocks.

Debra put on her mask, fins and snorkel. She slipped into the water and swam down to the seabed. Her ears popped. Debra picked up two stones and clapped them together. Then, still holding the stones, she kicked with her fins and soared upwards. Debra surfaced well away from the cliff path. Above her she could see the lighthouse. Leaning on the wall was her twin brother, Robin. Uncle Pat was standing beside him. Debra waved to them and they both waved back.

“That twin sister of yours is just like a fish,” said Pat.

Dilo the dolphin was chasing a flat fish across the sand when he heard the sound of Debra cracking stones together. In an instant he turned. With his tail pumping up and down at full speed, he headed towards the lighthouse steps. Although he couldn’t see Debra with his eyes his sonar detected her. He recognised the picture the reflected sound created in his mind. It was his favourite human friend.

Dilo stayed submerged. skimming at full speed just above the sea bed. As he approached the cliff Dilo turned upwards. Now he could see Debra with his eyes. She was treading water. He raced towards her. A second later he burst through the surface.

Dilo’s sonar, which he called his Magic Sound, sounded like a squeak to Debra. When she heard it she knew he was on his way. Debra was so excited, she felt as if her body was full of tiny popping bubbles. Even so, she did not expect Dilo to arrive so quickly. When the dolphin rocketed out of the water bedside her she shrieked with surprise and delight.

Dilo jumping.jpg

   “Dilo!” she screamed at the top of her voice as the dolphin flew high into the air.
   Debra looked up as Dilo curved over her head. The sinking sun was gleaming on the water falling from his body. For a speck of time Dilo hung over Debra. She saw the star on his glistening dorsal fin as Dilo nosed down into the sea.
   Before Debra had recovered from the shock, Dilo turned underwater and was once again flying over her head. Looking up Debra saw the dolphin’s smooth round belly soaring above her. Debra was so excited, she felt as if she too was high in the sky with Dilo. Their two spirits were one. They were both free. Free to fly in the sky. Free to dive into the sea. Free to explore the magic depths of the ocean. When Dilo speared out of the water for the third time Debra held both arms aloft as high as she could.

“Yippee! We’re free! We’re free!” she shouted at the top of her voice.

After his third jump Dilo slowed down. He swam in a circle around Debra. Debra watched as the dolphin’s dorsal fin sliced through the surface towards her. Dilo’s invitation was obvious. Debra clasped her hands around the dolphin’s fin. She inhaled deeply as she was tugged through the water. The next instant Debra was beneath the surface. Dilo was taking her into his realm. The colours changed as she was pulled downwards into a world of luminous blue.

Fronds of kelp, growing like miniature trees from the dark rocks, swayed out of the way as they passed by. Little fishes, like silver needles, darted for cover. Her arms outstretched, her legs trailing, and her long hair billowing like the mane of a galloping horse, Debra flew through a canyon.

Suddenly it got darker. They were gliding under an overhang of rock. There were no seaweeds now. Debra was in another kingdom. Crabs lurked in crevices. A lobster waved its long feelers as Debra glided past. Sea anemones, like flowers, grew out of the rocks amidst sponges and starfish. Every surface was adorned with spirals and circles of tiny feathery petals. Debra felt as if she was in a dream, flying through a jewel box.

Dilo & Debra.jpg

Debra’s magical journey took her down to where the rocks met the sand Stretching before her, as far as she could see, was a desert. Above it the sea disappeared into a pale blue mist. Dilo turned. Rocks reappeared .She was moving up towards the light. Dilo rose quickly .Soon they were over the kelp. From underneath the sea Debra saw the sun dancing on the surface. Just when she felt she could hold her breath no longer, Debra passed out of Dilo’s world back into her own.

Debra gulped some air and released her grip. Dilo’s fin slid away from her. It dipped beneath the surface and was gone. The dolphin had left to catch his supper. Moments later Debra saw a flash as Dilo tossed a fish into the air.

Debra was filled with happiness as she swam back to the lighthouse steps. It was the first day of the holiday and she had made contact with her beloved dolphin.


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