I don't have any formal marine mammal qualifications, but I spent many hours observing Dave the solitary bottle-nosed dolphin in Sandgate,Kent, because I felt passionate about what was happening to her.

Interestingly,my experience of dolphins in Ireland was very different from my experience in Sandgate - so much so that I crossed a boundary that I had previously imposed upon myself, and swam with Dusty (Marra).It was an amazing experience, and I do feel changed in a way that I cannot fully explain.

It's true to say,however, that I haven't changed my views so radically that I think it is always OK to swim with dolphins(I am still scarred by witnessing some of the human behaviour exhibited in regard to Dave), but I can now see that every situation is different, and therefore needs to be assessed individually.

I look forward to developing my knowledge of solitary and interactive dolphins further.