The Delphine “Points black”. Extracted the book: (translated of German): ” Botschaft der Delfine” of Eric Demay.

The mystery of Embiez

After an episode of my life passed to Polynesia, I found myself quickly replongée in Mediterranean cold water. It was on the island of Embiez, meadows of Toulon that it arrived to me one of the most marvellous stories with a dolphin. The history started like often, by a simple telephone call…

Friday September 29, 2000 For a few days, I had received several wire blows announcing to me the presence of dolphins in the port of an island in the French Mediterranean. Information was rather fuzzy, the newspapers of television spoke of 7 dolphins wedged in the port of the island of Embiez in the « Var ». Whereas I prepared my departure in direction of Spain in order to to meet Tursiops which visited the bathers of the Atlantique coast for several months, I had returned in contact with the oceanographical institute Paul Ricard whose buildings were even located on the island. Visibility water inside the port was very bad a priori. The only solution to recognize the sexes of each individuals was of going in water, to approach them sufficiently meadows and to hope for their collaboration in this step. If the visibility were too bad and if animals did not take part, video could contribute it to the operation; stops on image of the numerical system were in my opinion the only supports effective for this research. Of course, the capture of dolphins could facilitate all the possible studies but I did not approve this idea. The institute by the means of its scientific person in charge Patrick Lelong opened its doors to me and gave me an exceptional authorization for to go in water with the dolphins. The bathe was already prohibited with Cetacea as well as prohibition to nourish them. The first day of presence of the dolphins in the port, bathers, jet - skis, kayaks and others boats coursaient the animals in greatest confusion. Moreover, it is formally interdict to bathe in the ports of the French coasts; fortunately for the dolphins which were to already sink gently in one certain panic. Time necessary to prepare part of my material (combination, palms, box seal video, cameras, microphones and I pass from there) and here me is party for 5 hours of road with a departure of Toulouse at 1 o'clock in the morning. Saturday September 30, 2000: A boat left the “continent” to 7 a.m. and Fabrice, the welfare man of the aquarium institute accomodated me on board. It still made night and I did not know although it was my first sleepless night of the history of the dolphins of Embiez. On the boat, I hastened to question the rare assembled people on board. The dolphins were still there. Even if I remained convinced that the Cetacea did not have anything good to hope while remaining in the ports and especially meadows of the men, the fact of knowing that I could observe these famous dolphins after 5 hours of road rather testing my curiosity excited. There remained still five dolphins, “blue and white” also called Stenella, the exact scientific name being Stenella coeruleoalba. The seven Stenellas had arrived in the night from the 23 at September 24. Two had left on Thursday September 28 leaving them five others with their atypical destiny. For which reasons? A great number of questions arose and left me perplexed. The five dolphins had been identified as being adults by a specialized veterinary surgeon; it is in all case what one said to me while arriving. As of my arrival on the island, I sank continuation with the port towards the sector which the dolphins attended. The five were still there swimming coast at coast surrounded of the boats with quay. The vision appeared unreal. If it is not the first time that I saw a dolphin in the middle of a port, the thing was exceptional all the same: five dolphins sets, makes already extremely rare but in addition of blue and white. “Blue and white ones” inside a port, I thought of dreaming. With the first sight, dolphins seemed quite interdependent in their way of moving. On the other hand, a doubt came me to mind, they were not adults. These Stenellas had at sight eye to measure in the 1,50 meters. The last dolphins which I had met was those of the master key of Tiputah with Rangiroa in Polynesia they were the large ones Tursiops of more than three meters. These “blue and white” thus appeared tiny to me. I did not have any more the compass in the eye? Who had identified these dolphins like adults, this person had it at least the sufficient experiment (and competence) to advance its statements? Even if Tursiops and Stenellas in the Mediterranean are all two of the species of the family of delphinidés, some obvious differences allow very easily to distinguish them and in particular compared to their stoutness. If “blue and white ones” are far from having the same gauge as their Tursiops cousins, it proves that those of the Mediterranean revolve around the 2 meters for their adult size. These five unhappy delphinidés wedged in the port of Embiez was then very far of their adult size. But why thus these young people found themselves they thus far from their family? One waited in the roads of Toulon not far, the arrival of the new carry-plane French “the Charles of Gaulle”; the army was in full effervescence and the fighters, helicopters and high-speed motorboats of any kind had squared the sector for a few weeks. Semi-officially, of the tests of underwater military shootings had taken place last week. The noise which would run (already) on the island was that these dolphins had come to be protected in the port of fear of the underwater shootings. But then where were the mothers? At the dolphins, the concept of solidarity is well-known and the mothers never give up their small, even in the worst situations. In Indonesia, the fishermen of sharks drive out the dolphin *pour their soft food. They initially attack the young people with great blow of harpoon whereas unconscious the delphineau comes to play stem of the boat. In spite of the danger, whereas the young dolphin already died harpooned lying in water, the mother tries to remain meadows of he and undergoes in its turn the same fate as its small. Alain Garo, the Director of the hotel of the island placed at my disposal an apartment to work under the best conditions. Room with balcony with ten meters of water, I could see the dolphin of the window all in preparing my camera of diving. Alain had viewed a film which told the history of my life with Dolphy de Collioure. It had had a blow of heart and it then helped me in my work. The oceanographical institute Paul Ricard via Patrick Lelong put at my provision its infrastructure and gave me the exceptional authorization to bathe me in the port. Our goal: to discover the sexes of each individuals by helping me of the video. Moreover, the situation being more than exceptional, these images were always an invaluable good for files of the institute. An occasion rare to film Stenellas coeruleoalba under water. None of these animals supported the captivity; advisability of seeing them evolving/moving under water was a true gift. But the visibility of water in the port was very bad, 1 meter to 1,50 m with all to break! A first condition arised in my research: dolphins were to very approach meadows the objective. In spite of this last sleepless night and frugal growing at the bottom of the stomach, I hastened to equip me. The underwater camera was already operational, I had prepared it before leaving if there would have been urgency. My last “bathe”, it was in Polynesia and water was really pleasant. Blow, I had envisaged one integral combination. Contrast was total: limpid and hot water of Tahiti was quickly forgotten. Here, water was unquestionably cold, salts, without visibility with an unquestionable taste of gas oil and in the absence of coconuts I was surrounded by concrete quays. So early with my state of tire, it was not really the watery paradise. The five dolphins approached by curiosity and avoided me by the left, made half-turn and passed by again by the line. They were not close enough so that I can all have them in the field of the camera. The tight box always intrigues the dolphins, but there it was different. Stenellas slept in fact and mistrust was of setting. As with my practice, I never swam in their direction, I waited and I left them the possibility of choosing. I never imposed my choice, the relation is only better when it is them which take the initiative. As envisaged, the underwater images were poor. With the practice, I know the best attitudes to develop to interest an animal like the dolphin, to approach it. But for my first day with them, I preferred to abstain from. Moreover, the quay started to cram the curious one and if even my techniques are not classified secret signal, I always avoided spreading out this practice being able with a little incomprehension to be assimilated to a show of Marineland. Of return on the quay, I started to hear the first “false-truth” on my watery companions. Much of people preferred to invent that to appear ignorant on the thing. The Cetacea are not very known and the first gossip left like mushrooms. We miss many information, in particular on the behaviors or the communication and it is so much better. All the charm of the Cetacea is, useless there to invent. I had drunk a little the water of the port on one or two wrong movements of attempt at communication and it was not terrible! While leaving water, opinions of “land” were divided. The majority were charmed for me because to swim with a dolphin remains a dream, then think, five of a blow it was fairy-like. “Then, how was it? They played with you?” My answers were then disappointing for my detractors: “did not ouais badly, in any event, they have anything to make of my presence since they sleep ". Ca breaks a little the myth of the delphinus, but it is not because five lost dolphins turn in round in a port, that they us inevitably bring the good divine news or which they want to play. In my opinion, they were all simply exhausted and were wary of the man like morbivilivirus, celebrates it virus which decimated so many “blue and white” in the Mediterranean. If people were often admiring (and that, I still does not include/understand!), others on the other hand launched me cold glances with the eyebrows very slightly descended towards the interior. It was not jealousy, but that resembled it a little; such an amount of worse.

Sunday October 1, 2000: The day of all fears. Last Sunday, it was the madness in the water and with the sight of vidéos already turned by the inhabitants of the island, it was very disordered. Fearing the worst these days when mankind is on leave, I made place a line of floating buoy in order to to delimit the area closed with the boats and to the possible bathers “forgetting” the rules. The weather was very nice, certainly too.

The media cover had made devastations. The people arrived, with for some, a back bag filled with mask, palms, tuba for finally being made prohibit the bathe. The visibility in water was so bad that one guessed much better the animals of the quay than in water: easier to say than to to render comprehensible! The dream to swim with a dolphin is so large for much that it is often not easy to explain prohibition. Admittedly, one or two people in water did not have a priori to obstruct the dolphins. But then how to retain the hundred which trépignaient of impatience on the quay? I observed Alain Fauck, the owner of “Small Fanny”. Its boat was attacked of all shares. It looked at the impotent spectacle. Walkers without embarrassment trampled all its implements of diving spread out over the bridge. A person returned even in the cabin to take binoculars in order to better see the animals. The boat of Alain parked along the quay was the best place to observe the dolphins and it was transformed for the occasion into true floating view-point. On the other hand, the wind was weak and water magnificiently calms easily made it possible to see evolving/moving five Stenellas. I began the identification of each one then, by starting with dorsal fins. The vision of these five dolphins was unreal. They evolved/moved coast at coast, rather calmly surrounded by tens of boats with quay. Over the left, the hotel of the island dominated the scene, the sea hidden behind was not even visible. As a lady said on the quay: ” it is as in Marineland and in more it is free”! It was said here that they were wedged and that they did not find the exit, I doubted it extremely. The exit of the port was very open and according to a plunger one could see them leaving during the night. The falling evening, the responsible woman ticketting of the ferries came to see me: 1300 sold tickets whereas it should have sold some, at this period, hardly a hundred. A couple had even come especially from Paris in the plane, just to see “the dolphins of Embiez”. I discussed with another couple which had come from Perpignan, 800 km outward journey/return. This day there, I did not go to water, it was useless to give the bad example.

Monday October 2, 2000: Two dolphins remain from now on in the port and they are not most discrete. Three others left in the night and I regret a little not having made underwater images the day before. There remained the dolphin wounded on the dorsal aileron, the caudal one and at certain places meadows of the vent. I called the other “black Point” because it has a small black spot on the left side of the dorsal. They were most easily identifiable compared to the other dolphins, they remained there and I included/understood less and less! They was first of all seven dolphins, then five and maintaining two. Why, how and with a which aim? I thought that these two dolphins could just as easily to disappear dice the next night. Blow, I threaded the combination, I prepared the camera underwater and “I attacked” for several hours. Water appeared very cold to me but so much worse. The five dolphins already parties had left only very few information. It was necessary me to recognize the sexes of these two visitors or at least to make some images under navy. The “blue ones and white” in the vicinity, the occasion was too rare. Visibility in water was still rotted. More than one away meter, it was black. The only means of making valid images was to very approach them meadows. At worst of the cases, my tight video box was equipped with a microphone; I could try to record the sounds of our two companions watery. Tuesday October 3, 2000: “Black Point” and its companion whom I called from now on “white Point” remained in the basin more moved back of the port. The water surface was extremely dirty but in lower part, it was a little better. It was necessary me to recognize the sex of at least an animal. It was necessary for that to begin a kind of gestural and auditive communication in order to gain their confidence. I started to make all the noises possible in order to attract their curiosity. Since am to it kid, I can make two sounds delphiniens: the sonar (very resembling but alas absolutely ineffective!) and the cry dolphin style flipper that one can hear on television and not elsewhere! A kind of its caricatural of dolphin and which him do not resemble much: I have it to once hear or two with captive dolphins and still! “White Point” answered my sounds and an impossible conversation started then enters us two; a kind of dialogue of the deaf that I did not include/understand, but the communication was however engaged well. “White Point” emitted the same noises as mine and “obviously” in the same zone of frequency; it answered with its vent and of course, I did not include/understand large thing. It was from now on obvious what this dolphin wanted to communicate, it had something to say, but what? “Black Point” remained quiet. The two dolphins were all the time coast at coast and it was “white Point” who always took the initiative to swim in my direction. It showed meadows, very meadows even, like being made auscultate. Sometimes, it remained with less than 20 centimetres of my face, without moving during a few seconds. I was even obliged to place the camera behind me such an amount of it remained meadows. Later, it presented its belly to me but I needed a good end of time before seeing its genitals distinctly. It had forgotten a fundamental thing, I do not have a sonar, and with the little of visibility, it was too difficult for me to recognize though it is. But with perseverance I recognized two small udders which surrounded the vaginal slit, it was a female. “White Point” was an immature and very convivial female. The evening even after checking, the video confirmed my discovery. Remained “black Point”, but that appeared much more difficult. I ended all the same up filming beautiful portraits of the two companions, the day had summer constructive.

Wednesday October 4, 2000: I had not slept the last night. I wondered until now that they could be theirs night activities. In fact, at least one of the dolphins drove out in front of the harbour office opposite the entry of the port. It was difficult to recognize if both Stenellas drove out together, that went and night very quickly the visibility was poor. Acceleration to catch the prey lasted sometimes more than 100 meters and that was enough surprising. Usually, the races do not last more than 50 meters. “Blue and white ones” primarily hunters in group are they? I put the question. A hunting is organized usually where each individual takes an active part in the folding back or the seizure of the prey. Once isolated from their group, these dolphins would have they all the sorrow of the world to catch fish? This morning of middle of week, whereas I hoped more to re-examine them in the port, two cousins watery were still there. “White Point” emitted sounds more and more regularly. “Black Point” remained quiet. The two animals had two quite different behaviors but for which reasons? I learned that each dolphin has its own personality, but yes “Had black Point” decided him also to remain among us, why remained you it also distant? In any case, compared to “white Point” much less timid. The majority of people on the quay thought that “the other” dolphin of which I still did not know the sex was a male; they imagined dolphins living in couple. I was to explain to them that these animals do not have the concept life couples some like us, but that quite to the contrary, their sexual life was very agitated; this kind of comments always amuse the ones but others seem disappointed enough then: isn't the dolphin it not then like us? Here is still an example of anthropomorphism whose man is always champion. “Black Point” could be as well male as female. Since the end of the morning, both Stenellas my attempts the pseudo ones answered - communication auditive or gestural. Certain movements of palms and of hands were followed by my two “comrades”. The visitors on the quay took to me certainly for one illuminated which emitted sounds the unimportant ones that the others. Consequently occasion, I tasted again with the water of the port by swallowing some cups, to speak in water is not thing easy! At the end of the day, the setting sun gilded both ailerons bursting the surface of water; I benefitted from it to make some plans with the strong current of water with the other camera. I started to have some good stereotypes limps about it. It was can be possible to me to carry out one documentary on this strange history.

Thursday October 5, 2000: There was nothing any more but one dolphin. I then ran in all the port in order to check if “white Point” did not trail in trimmings. It was “black Point” which was thus the last of the 7 dolphins and I still did not know the nature of his sex. A girl had brought her dog to present it with the dolphin. It was a young cocker spaniel very good swimmer. A rare occasion for the dog (and me which raffole of this kind of interaction) because everyone smelled well here that the last dolphin could slip by with English from one day to another. The canine visitor had not jumped of him even in water but was fact literally balanced by its mistress with the great anger of visitors on the quay. The dolphin which the dog had seen swam in its direction; at the beginning “black” did not seem very interested but it Points ended up exerting its curiosity. Men with the disproportionate members, maintaining dogs hairy, which were these strange nonwatery creatures (I would say semi watery) alive on concrete? The dolphin was not of them to believe its eyes (or its sonar!). This said, if dog and dolphin are usually the best buddies of the world, “Points black” did not seem more excited than that.

Friday October 6, 2000: We had bet all with the biologists of the institute that the last dolphin would not be this morning there any more. Failure. I did not include/understand “black Point any more”. Why did there remain you among us? Last night, I had it seen outside the port where it most probably drove out. A new sleepless night for me charged of uncertainty. The weather started to be a little cold. The night, the port was of calms extraordinary. One heard hardly the slappings of the ropes of the sailing ships rocked by light “a Mistral”. From time to time, I heard the breath of “black Point”. For my part, tiredness started to be felt.

Saturday October 7, 2000: It was one weekend, but there were already many people on the quay. The media effect did not function any more. Certain people could have been disappointed not to be able to swim with the dolphins last weekend. The fact of seeing evolving/moving simply a dolphin in water while remaining on a boat or the quay attracted already much less followers. Why this kind of public likes to you it it dolphin? There thus was not large world and some share it is so much better, that rested me. And to date I always did not know not the sex of the last dolphin.

Sunday October 8, 2000: “Black Point” appeared well insulated. The situation started to become unhealthy. There is a little more world on the quay than yesterday but without more. Around 4 p.m., I found the body of a floating dead dolphin in another basin of the port. It was “white Point”, the same wounds on the dorsal aileron and the caudal fin. The traces around the vent were also identical. I included/understood a little better. This Delphine had thus died in the night of Thursday to last Friday. It had was necessary three days so that its body takes care of pourrissant gas and that its body goes up thus on the surface. Its death was a surprise only for us simple land and occasional spectator. The other dolphins undoubtedly knew the death come from this unhappy Delphine. “Black Point” had remained until the end to assist it to the last breath. I carried out better from now on their badly synchronized strokes of which “Points black” was obviously the driving one. There was thus assistance. I wanted to be some because I had not realized of the anguish; the realization of the images had prevented me from distinguishing any problem around the Delphine. I did not have all my concentration. Even if I certainly could not anything changed, I had not been with perfect listening, that did not resemble to me. With the first glance on the Delphine, nothing let suppose the cause of the death. After some rapids blows of wire, I ended up finding a freezer in Marseilles in a private clinic veterinary surgeon. The institute Paul Ricard did not have large a enough freezer for this kind of marine animal. They are not the every day that a dolphin comes to die in the port of Embiez! The autopsy of “white Point” became priority. The occasion was single and rare; it was absolutely necessary to know the causes of the death of the animal. But it was Sunday, it was late, and difficult to operate the body of the Delphine in the immediate future; it was necessary to freeze as soon as possible. J “embarked for the last ferry to bring the corpse in the freezer “made in Marseilles”. The adventure of Embiez was not finished. I wrapped the dolphin of plastic and pocket dustbin entrusted by the institute. Transport conveys some was made open panes because the odor was nauseous. The institute entrusted an official paper to me covering me if a possible control of gendarmerie does not complicate the things. Not easy to explain what one does with a dolphin in the trunk of his car!

Monday October 9, 2000: “White Point” was quite cold. “Black Point” worried me more and more. What was going you it to become? One speaks on L “island D “to manage antibiotics with the dolphin. Since last weekend, one knew that it was able to accept died fish, in fact of sardine. It is enough to introduce the drug into dead fish and the turn is played, practical daily in Marinelands. But of which right can one “look after” a savage animal by imposing our medicine? It proved reliable certainly (with despite everything certain awkward experiments), but must it be systematically used to look after a savage animal? An animal like the dolphin decided at a time given of its evolution to choose the life in water. I am persuaded that this species is at least as advanced as our and than its brain is much more sophisticated than one thinks. Their system of thought is certainly quite different from ours, their medicine (why not!) can be then of a design which escapes to us completely. Despite everything the scientific work, we still do not include/understand their language which is developed certainly much more than ours. The Western man chose a chemical, fast and often effective medicine. Does the dolphin wish to you it this way of life? Not sure. I decided to go to water without camera in order to return to me account by me even of the state of the “black Point”. It trembled very slightly of the dorsal aileron. The local newspaper “Var matin” had sent a journalist and a photographer. “Black Point” solitary dolphin did not interest any more the media. The death of the other Delphine became an interesting topicality again! The following night, I decided to supervise it meadows, while hoping that it leaves us for good, in direction of his group of origin. Still a sleepless night.

Tuesday October 10, 2000: There was this morning there an excellent visibility in water. There had liked all during the night, it was no wind, the water of the port was calm and one could see the bottom while leaning while remaining well with dryness on the quay. Moreover, it is better in general that the water of the ports remains turbid; the batteries, tires and other scrap remain thus camouflaged; the ports are genuine dustbins but Ca one knows it for a long time! It was the moment not to miss itself with the catch by sight under navy. Not only I was highly likely to be able to visualize the sex of the dolphin, but I could thereafter carry out rare images of blue and white dolphin of the Mediterranean and in “relative” freedom. The system of development of my box did not go any more, it was necessary me to preset the clearness of the camera, i.e. the evaluation of the distance between the subject and the objective. I hoped to make images of Stenella in broad plan, in entirety within the framework. Compared to his size, around 1.50 meters and focal distance 20 mn of the objective, I regulated the development on 1.50 meters. I threaded a neoprene waistcoat under my integral combination in order to remain at greater length in water. I charged a new numerical cassette, a battery charged with block for 6 a.m. Since yesterday evening, the dolphin was nourished. In fact frozen sardines “levelled” “black Point”. One would have believed oneself more and more in Marineland, except that here water N “is not asepticized. Besides Ca started to irritate me a little. I thought that if the dolphin accepted died fish, it is that it was not as well as possible physically and/or psychologically. Once returned in water, I did not return from there: they were not the Bahamas, but water was incredibly limpid. For the first time, I could easily see evolving/moving a “blue and white” under the surface of water. As soon as I was in water, the dolphin emerged; it inevitably started to know me and it could that it did not have anything to fear my intrigues, touch a dolphin (even Stenella) it is still not my trick! Once on two, I tried to place the camera under the belly in delphinidé but in a completely random way. From time to time, I placed myself at the bottom but there was enormous against day that I could not manage with my box. I was not still able to guess the presence of the udders or not of “our” protected. On the other hand the visibility was such as I could see the dolphin arriving by far, time for me to anticipate its movements and to place it in the best angle for the catch of sight. The morning was completed by a semi failure. Après -midday was very different. I turned over to water the still wet combination (I have horror of that!) and I realized that it was necessary to make very quickly. The visibility was already worse. Dice my arrival in L “water, the things occurred very well, the animal collaborated more and more, a bond created it was obvious. There remained without moving while remaining very meadows and thus allowed me to carry out very beautiful portraits in all serenity. I asked him to present his belly to me because I knew (we knew) that it was the moment. It did not hesitate any more and it passed well to 50 centimetres the belly in sight. I then spoke to him as with a person, and I asked him to start again his gesture but more gently. I am a true watery handicapped person (the dolphin realized there for a long time!). It turned around me and was to badly raise not question. At the end of 2 or 3 minutes there remained meadows and he presented his most intimate anatomy to me (in our eyes of human impregnated of culture judéo - Christian in any case!). I filmed, the open so large eyes which could almost touch glass of the diving mask! I was not interested any more in the sight of the camera. “Black Point” was a small girl! The last two dolphins of Embiez were thus delphines. But there was something of less positive good: the Delphine was truly thin. It was you indeed sick or quite simply stressed? Had to you it finally evil to make the mourning of his/her partner; can be his/her sister?

There was this morning there an excellent visibility in water. There had liked all during the night, it was not of wind, the water of the port was calm and one could see the bottom while leaning while remaining well with dryness on the quay. Moreover, it is better in general that the water of the ports remains turbid; batteries, tires and other scrap remain thus camouflaged; the ports are genuine dustbins but Ca one it knows for a long time! It was the moment not to miss itself with the catch by sight under navy. Not only I was highly likely to be able to visualize the sex of the dolphin, but I could realize thereafter rare images of blue and white dolphin of the Mediterranean and in “relative” freedom. The system of setting with not my box did not work any more, it was necessary me to preset the clearness of the camera, i.e. the evaluation of the distance enters the subject and the objective. I hoped to make images of Stenella in plan broad, in entirety within the framework. Compared to its size, around 1.50 meters and focal distance 20 mn of the objective, I regulated the development on 1.50 meters. I threaded a neoprene waistcoat under my combination integral in order to remain at greater length in water. I charged a new numerical cassette, a battery charged with block for 6 a.m. Since yesterday evening, the dolphin was nourished. In fact frozen sardines “levelled” “black Point”. One would have believed oneself more and more in Marineland, except that here water N “is not asepticized. Besides Ca started to irritate me a little. I thought that if the dolphin accepted died fish, it is that it was not as well as possible physically and/or psychologically. Once returned in water, I did not return from there: they were not the Bahamas, but water was incredibly limpid. For the first time, I could easily see evolving/moving a “blue and white” under the surface of water. As soon as I was in water, the dolphin emerged; it inevitably started to know me and it knew that it did not have anything to fear my intrigues, to touch a dolphin (even Stenella) it is always not my trick! Once on two, I tried to place the camera under the belly of delphinidé but of completely random manner. From time to time, I placed myself at the bottom but there was enormous against day that I could not manage with my box. I was not still able to guess the presence of udders or not of “our” protected. On the other hand the visibility was such as I could see the dolphin to arrive by far, time for me to anticipate its movements and to place it in the best angle for the catch of sight. The morning was completed by a semi failure. Après -midday was very different. I turned over to water the still wet combination (I have horror of that!) and I realized that it was necessary to make very quickly. The visibility was already worse. Dice my arrival in water, the things occurred very well, the animal collaborated more and more, a bond created it was obvious. There remained without moving while remaining very meadows and thus allowed me to carry out very beautiful portraits in all serenity. I asked him to present his belly to me because I knew (we knew) that it was moment. It did not hesitate any more and it passed well to 50 centimetres the belly in sight. I spoke to him then as with a person, and I asked him to start again his gesture but more gently. I am a true watery handicapped person (the dolphin realized there for a long time!). It turned around me and was to badly raise not question. At the end of 2 or 3 minutes there remained meadows and he presented to me his most intimate anatomy (in our eyes of human impregnated of culture judéo - Christian in any case!). I filmed, the open so large eyes who could almost touch glass of the diving mask! I was not interested any more in the sight of the camera. “Black Point” was a small girl! The last two dolphins of Embiez were thus delphines. But there was something of less positive good: the Delphine was truly thin. Was you it indeed sick or quite simply stressed? Had to you it finally evil to make the mourning of his/her partner; can be his/her sister?

Wednesday October 11, 2000: The weather was not very nice but finally it was not most important. The only thing who imported it to me is that the Delphine leaves the port as soon as possible. Not only “black Point” solitary, thin and was weakened still there, but it remained the open mouth; it had a hook planted in the mouth. It missed nothing any more but that! The things were already not easy. The hook three-pronged fork was seriously planted well inside the mouth, it could not more to drive out and swallow fish. It had had to be thrown on a soft food attached to a quay of the port. This technique of prohibited fishing consists in leaving several soft foods attached to the hung quays with a wire from approximately 1 meter. I wanted of him to say: “You know I knew dolphins galère of them, but you, be really incredible for you! Leave far from us, have you nothing good to hope while remaining with our poor species. You wanted to catch a fish in the port, and here is the result. “Patrick and Yvon of the Oceanographical Institute were there because, mere chance, a team of television was present for the morning. They could deal thus with the journalists of with my place. Daniel, a plunger confirmed was also present. Everyone wondered what I intended to do. I said all to them simply that it was necessary that I remove the hook with the hands with the collaboration of the dolphin, it was all. Easier to say than to make! The scientists thought the impossible operation; the only solution for them was to capture the Delphine and to extract the hook with grips to him. A wild dolphin would be never to let make, then Stenella, do not speak about it. The day of yesterday was particular with “black Point”. We had become good friends; I know that I could count on his confidence as it could count on mine. I went down immediately on a small boat, the appendix of “small Fanny”, to be more meadows possible water. “Black Point” arrived immediately and it posed its head between my hands. There was a wire of more than one meter which hung with its jaw. I could try there at this time something but I did not feel ready; I thought that if I made an error, confidence would be lost for a few days. The day before, our relation had grown rich positively, we included ourselves/understood, I had (and it had) all my confidence. I slipped by to seek my combination and a pack of sardines because I supposed that it was famished. In this state, it was impossible for it to catch fish. The hook was if important that it could not close the mouth any more. Sat on the edge of the appendix, the feet in water, I began with siffloter all gently as I did it since the beginning of our relation. I took off the neoprene slippers so that it can feel the proximity of my skin, a kind of ritual that I for a long time exert with the dolphins “with problem”, like a species of superstition which always carried me chance. I realized quickly that the sardines were too large. I wanted to feed the Delphine because I felt it famished and very weakened. If it this had cursed hook since the beginning of the night, it was in one to be crowned state of tiredness. I had then to divide sardines in two or three pieces in order to make him to pass food by the side of the mouth. The hook which was inserted on the front prevented any absorption of face as the dolphins have the practice of it. It swallowed the pieces in any direction. The once caught fish is usually turned the head the first in direction of the oesophagus of the dolphin. The spindle-shaped shape of fish allows the best then passage towards the stomach. With “black Point” I applied my gestures in order to give him the pieces in the good direction. The hook was to hurt and it prevented all movements of jaws. I was even obliged to pass my fingers between the teeth of the Delphine in order to fix the small ones pieces of sardine. This pathetic nourrissage lasted for ever. From time to time, it was left to touch what enabled me to evaluate the situation more precisely: the dart of the hook was inserted well, with a possible extraction, there would be inevitably a pain because the gum covered the unit well. If I were to operate with grips, I would have to tear off inevitably not badly of meat. I tried to offer a whole sardine to him which it had an insane evil to swallow: I wanted as that to render comprehensible to him that I would not cut small pieces to him indefinitely and that the only solution was that I can (we can) extract this blasted hook. It was now time to explain to him why I was ready to relieve it of two different manners. Daniel passed a pair of grip to me which I presented at the Delphine. I showed him the operation of the tool all while nourishing it. It was even presented very meadows of the grip. At this time, I could easily seize it and tear off the hook of force; but this option did not appear good to me. Moreover I felt it a little hesitant. It knew doubtless that I wanted to operate carefully, I were convinced by it. It was time for me to show my determination, my calms, my address, in short my aptitude to be acted. When it approached meadows, I kept my large hands open meadows of his eyes, the most fragile part of the body. I remained extremely calm and determined, my hands did not tremble of a hair. The concentration was total, I were projected fifteen years before when I practised the climbing as a recluse. There was no tension, all was calm and we knew at this time there that we could succeed. I did not understand anything any more, other directions were put at contribution: I felt it or rather, it I felt it always misses me this verb to clarify what it occurs between the dolphins and me even in such a situation. I had the wire of hair in the hand, I let it slip without retaining it; the Delphine had a little fear at this time there. It was necessary for me to reassure it while speaking to him. I made him include/understand that I wanted simply to analyze the situation of better than possible and than I would be ready with moment of its choice. One “spoke oneself” by “interposed vent”! But for my part, it was my mouth who tried to imitate the rattlings of the dolphin. I started to feel me ready, I showed him a glove which I placed on my left side. It included/understood thus that this hand will take part with work. I am however not left-handed but I preferred to use my right hand for as well as possible to locate the exact site of the dart. It passed once in front of the glove, it had included/understood. It then made half-turn and it posed its rostre in the left hand

I supported it with the right hand because it was to remain absolutely the head out of water. I very quickly cherished it on his right eye, we knew at this time there that confidence was total. I tried to extract the hook, it was firmly planted. I tried as soon as possible to include/understand the direction and the direction gave to the hook in order to leave the dart by tearing off less possible gum. It then turned slightly the head to indicate the best technique to me. The operation lasted ten seconds. Not easy, bus contrary to Tursiops the amplitude of opening of the jaws is very weak. My right hand was wedged between the pointed teeth of the Delphine who incredibly let herself make. Finally I arrived there, the hook had left, I had it in my right hand, “Points black” could set out again quietly. Its dorsal aileron trembled, it must have had the jitter of its life, it was certain. It was certainly the first Delphine “blue and white” to have approached the man of the kind. I was very proud of it; in spite of the situation, it had shown a fantastic courage. It had had much to engage. Our work had been perfect. I did not return from there: I repeated in Patrick Lelong: “Incredible, it was let make, a “blue and white”, it is not possible ". To thank it for his courage and his confidence, I went to water to give him last sardines. I spoke to him, I thanked it and even if my spoken language did not want “to say” large thing for it, I am sure that it included/understood. Daniel who had my camera and which had very filmed and he also very impressed. Almost an hour of concentration, my nerves released me, I melted completely, I cracked. The air of nothing, even if I were sure of my blow (our blow), it had was necessary that I do not contain a trick badly. We had had this choice between the grips and my hands, we had preferred the soft method, we were perfectly in agreement, in complete harmony, a “harmony marine”. I know from now on whom if the man is with listening, this kind of confidence inter species can renew of advantage. It is only with the mankind to decide.

Thursday October 12, 2000: “Black Point” was still there, passivates, thin, only, finally less and less dolphin. I knew from now on that it sick but was not quite simply stressed. It is it which had decided to remain until the end with “white Point” and which had certainly evil to accept mourning. It is not the first time that I see that with these animals. For more than two weeks, it had had to accompany her “girlfriend” 24/24h. She had certainly passed a course of tiredness such as she had evil maintaining to drive out, a kind of effect of no return. But it had was necessary to forsake the Delphine to practise L “autopsy of “white Point”. I had made come a cameraman to film the autopsy in entirety. I had a small numerical camera with me for the large plans whereas another camera was fixed on the ceiling to tally the whole of the part. A typical of laboratory, tiled part, lit by disaster neons. Pyrex bottles “decorated” the dusty cupboards. The corpse smelled extremely like always. The first measurements proceeded quickly. 1.40 meters for 22 kilos, the animal was very thin. There was ten years, several hundreds of strandings of Stenellas on our French coasts caused by a morbivilivirus had made it possible to raise of important data of measurements and identifications of the age. The Delphine was posed on the table placed at the center of the part. I looked at this inert body; and statement that it there have a few day ago I be in the water any meadow of it. It took time to operate correctly. Nothing informative in the first moments. A piece of lung was plunged in a water container to check if the dolphin had died drowned. The piece floated. If the lungs were filled with water, the piece would have to run at the bottom of water. At the end of one hour, we arrived at the oesophagus, and with our great astonishment it was filled. A first piece of plastic was found and then we discovered with stupor that the oesophagus was filled of sheets and strings. We arrived quickly at the stomach and we were not at the end of our surprises. Pink sheets of bay-trees. The dolphin had mâchouillé pink sheets of bay-trees! It would be well the first death of a dolphin caused by the intoxication of sheet of pink bay-trees, incredible! First report: the dolphin probably had died of hunger or quite simply poisoned. That confirmed once more that these animals did not have anything good to hope while remaining in the ports where they can swallow anything. Find sheets of pink bay-trees on the open sea, impossible. The opening of the stomach says “mechanical” was also surprising: a block of sheet of 360 grams had compressed and had ends up making a mould of the stomach. Obviously, the Delphine could not digest these vegetable foods any more. Many photographs were made, one started to raise questions. Other plants were discovered: rhizomes and balls of posidonies, branches of Thuja and also sheets of charcoal filled the stomach. After dialogue, we thought that had to be nourished “black Point” as long as she asked it. Even for this extreme case, I am always against the nourrissage of a savage animal, question of ethics. If the animal does not become dependent, it can be excluded from its group or quite simply incompetent to drive out; I do not even speak about the freshness of food given. Finally, I am all the same the opinions of the members of the institute. The Delphine was to leave and finish some with this situation. If we help it to give him sufficient force, I thought that it could even leave D “it. The autopsy continued. Cranium was recovered. An American grouping *scientific thinks that US Navy can be the cause of new cases of strandings. The army would try out the new shape of sonar which could disturb the system of echolocation of the Cetacea. The scientists could need this cranium in order to advance in their research. It is true that the arrival of the dolphins in the port corresponds to one intensive period French military operations meadows of Toulon but will not be we more. The autopsy finished finally, the scientists preciously filled its bottles, it was now necessary to clean. The room had been transformed into a true butchery, the dolphin was unrecognizable. To work with the dolphins, it is also that. The following night was terrible: I took care “black Point” which did not drive out a all night. I reassured myself a little by saying to me that it was can be gavée. I tried to feed it again but it hesitated and it preferred to sleep. Friday October 13, 2000: I had not slept last night and the Delphine was always in the port. Time was very bad, it rained unceasingly with sometimes of violent heavy showers. I was tired so much that I had evil to feed me, a little like the Delphine in fact. I was cold because I had not envisaged to remain so a long time on the island and my flip-flops and my shorts started to be quite light. I only filmed “black Point” in the port which often remained on the surface. The day was long, wet and painful. But against any waiting, the Delphine disappears forever from the port of Embiez at the beginning of evening. If she had died in the port, its body should automatically go up on the surface at the end of two or three days. It was still necessary to wait. End of a strange history. I remained 5 days more then. I made the turn of the island more than 100 times, I scanned the port, I observed the least details, I visited all the splits, but anything. The Delphine had taken again the broad one. “Black Point” and “white Point” will remain in the memories of the inhabitants of the island. Three weeks of presence in a port, a record for “black Point”. A historical record for a “Blue and white” dolphin. This Delphine who had come to accompany her girlfriend to die to the men. One speaks about it like “dolphin ambassador”, which imports. For my part, it will remain in my memory like the Delphine who gave me all her confidence. I have in my office, the hook hung against a wall. When I have periods of doubts, I look at it: it gives me full with energy, an intrinsic motivation and it is however only one end of scrap. More than one “trophy of war” it is the testimony of a history worthy of the accounts of Greece Antique. At this beginning of millenium the dolphin is again a myth. Without any doubt, he is well our watery cousin and he does not have finishes astonishing us.