“Trainer for a Day” Dolphin Research Center Grassy Key, Florida

1. “Trainer for a Day”Dolphin Research CenterGrassy Key, Florida Ty Gumerman November 20, 2008

2. Trainer For A Day • Trainer for a Day Program at Dolphin Research Center • Non-Profit dedicated to research on Dolphins

3. Playing Ball I am playing with DRC dolphin Tanner.

4. Playing Fetch We are doing retrieving with Tanner. He’s bringing back a nylon frisbee. It was very difficult for him to retrieve because it was slipping off his rostrum.

5. Tanner Jumping Here’s Tanner doing a jump for us. The jumps are very graceful.

6. Pax Painting a T-Shirt Then I met Pax, and he painted a t-shirt for me in light blue and orange.

7. Pax’s Painting This is my t-shirt. What a wonderful artist Pax is.

8. Dolphin Stationing I was doing something called “stationing” with Talon. Stationing means getting their attention.

9. Signaling for Speed Now, I’m giving Talon the signal “Speed”.

10. Dolphin Freight Trains There’s Talon Speeding along! Isn’t he like a freight train?

11. Two hand signals Here we’re stationing again. But this time my dad has to join me.

12. Up in the Air Junior Bird Dolphin What we signaled was “Circle”. Talon is doing a Circle Jump.

13. Flying Dolphin Here’s Talon doing more Circles. He’ll keep doing Circles until I blow on my whistle.

14. Dolphin Aerobatics I signaled for Talon to do a “Twirl”. It’s basically a normal jump but with an Aileron roll (a twist).

15. Tail Walk – Getting Ready Here I’m stationing Talon, getting him ready to do a Tail Walk.

16. Tail Walk – the Signal Here I’m giving Talon the signal to do the Tail Walk. Basically, you put your hand up flat and you push forward.

17. Tail Walk – the start Talon is doing his Tail Walk. Imagine yourself able to kick your legs in your pool hard enough to push yourself up out of the water and move backwards so fast at the same time.

18. Tail Walk – Just About Finished Talon continued his Tail Walk until he got to his fastest point and then I blew my whistle for him to stop. It’s the same with Circle, except for Circle, you blow it at his highest point.

19. Beaching Dolphins Here’s Talon up on the dock. The trainers teach the dolphins to do this so that they can do things like check their teeth and weigh them.

20. Backrub I’m doing my Dolphin Swim. I am in a wet suit because the water is 70 degrees, and that’s pretty cold. Here I’m giving a backrub to Gypsy.

21. Handshakes with Dolphins I am doing a handshake with Tursi.

22. Dolphin Kisses Here I’m getting a Dolphin Kiss. Their lip bone is very hard, so you put it against your cheek.

23. Bobbing Dolphins Here we’re doing “Imitations”. I am bobbing in the water, and the dolphins do exactly that – they bob up and down in the water.

24. Dolphin Ride Here I am getting a ride with Jax and Tursi. It’s like having two massive freight trains pulling you along behind them.

25. Finishing the Ride The Dolphin Ride was great. And Hey, it’s the first time I’ve done this alone. I was inspired to try to get other people to save dolphins.