19 March, 2020 – a day I’ll never forget.
The world was gripped by fear. Streets were quiet, eyes suspicious. A cough or sneeze in public drew glares like you’d committed a crime. You could feel the tension hanging in the air – the weight of the unknown as the coronavirus began its spread.
When I got there, I realized it wasn’t a normal day. The waves were pumping, with massive sets rolling into the bay. Six to seven-foot waves were barreling and breaking in the offshore wind. The sound of the surf echoed like cannon fire.
My exercise plans quickly faded. I threw on my wetsuit, grabbed my camera, and ran to the beach. It took me a while to find a safe place to jump in. Tamarama is a small, powerful beach, especially during a swell. The rip is fierce, and even strong swimmers can get into trouble.
The power of the ocean hit me hard. I had brought my fisheye lens – a choice that meant I had to be right in the impact zone to capture decent shots. After being smashed by a dozen waves, I started to regret that decision. But then, a surfer nearby yelled, “DOLPHINS COMING IN!”
I looked up – and there they were, flying through the surf, heading toward Bronte. I swam out toward deeper water, trying to catch a better view. To my surprise, they turned back – and surrounded me. They didn’t care about social distancing. They came right up to me, clicking, smiling, looking straight into my eyes. For nearly 20 minutes, we swam together – twisting, turning, whistling – as the pod, around 20 to 25 dolphins, danced in the golden light between Tamarama and Bronte. It felt like a dream. At one point, I stopped shooting and lay on my back, laughing out loud as they circled around me. It was like floating in a fairy tale.
There are few things in life as powerful as a wild animal looking into your eyes – just inches away – and smiling. Dolphins are deeply intelligent, each with their own personality, moods, and emotions. Many countries recognise them as non-human persons. When they’re in a playful mood, they’re curious – genuinely interested in connecting. It’s pure magic. You can feel they want to understand who you are. No walls, no hidden agendas. With humans, we often hold back when meeting someone new. Even if they’re kind and genuine, it takes time to build trust. But when you connect with a dolphin, you know it’s real. There’s nothing to protect yourself from – only joy.
On that day, I believe they came to remind us that even in darkness, there is light. Even in fear, beauty still exists.
The very next day, the beaches were closed. But that visit from the “Angels of Tamarama” carried me through those heavy weeks and months that followed.
I like to believe there’s a lesson in every struggle. Maybe this one was to wake us up – to help us see just how far we’ve drifted from nature, and how badly we need to reconnect. I hope that once the world fully opens again, we carry forward a deeper sense of care and gratitude – for each other, and for the Earth that holds us.