Such is one of the many highlights at the Dolphin Academy, one of several up-front-and-personal animal encounters available at the Sea Aquarium on the Caribbean island of Curacao.

Now I don’t usually like watching animals perform tricks that are alien to their DNA for the amusement of tourists, but at the Dolphin Academy, the residents are treated with such loving care, I swam alongside them with minimal guilt. According to trainer Yvette, the dolphins are the first priority. “They are on a very light work schedule and every day, it varies. Like humans, they react better when their life is not all that predictable. And if for any reason they don’t want to perform – perhaps they’re preoccupied with a personal family situation (I didn’t pursue that) – the program is called off.”

As if on cue, a participant related a past experience in which dolphins used to give rides to people holding on to their fins. Nope, not any more – although it doesn’t harm the dolphin (although some disagree), they got a lot of criticism in the past and clearly the dolphins didn’t like, it so it was stopped years ago. I nodded; point well taken… score one for the dolphins.

Prior to the snorkel, Yvette instructed us on how to proceed: be patient; let them come to you; stroke them along their flanks. She taught us how to encourage the dolphin to come alongside and then free dive in unison. Romeo and I shared a number of shallow dives together and in parting he gave me a kiss. Okay, so he did it because he got a fish but still I thought he was actually smiling at me at the time.

Dafne Greeven, a dive instructor from The Hague, Netherlands, said she had seen dolphin in the ocean, but had never interacted with them. “Most animal encounters are much more commercial,” she observed. “Snorkeling with them was a very special, personal experience. It was wonderful to see how well they treat the dolphins here and encourage us to be relaxed so that the dolphins will be.”

And it was only the start of my very personal connection with sea life in Curacao. My next encounter took me even further underwater.  I’ve been snorkeling before – but never in the past did the fish swarm to me rather than my having to swim out to them. But then again I don’t usually carry a supply of squiggly little sardines with me when I go, while at the same time making meaningful eye contact. Well, meaningful to me anyway.

But at the Dolphin Academy experience, getting up close and personal with a variety of denizens of the deep is the whole purpose. So there I was co-mingling with tarpon, common snook, French grunts, permit fish, horse-eyed jack and so many sting rays that I felt covered most of the time by a soft lightweight blanket caressing my body – only this blanket wanted to be fed fish which it ate with its underbelly.

I wasn’t really surprised to find the huge loggerhead turtles and sharks behind a Plexiglas shield and fed through small holes in the glass. Still, the shark didn’t look any less menacing for being behind protective covering. I carefully followed the instructions on when to feed them directly and when to take better care of my fingers. There’s not always a second chance to do that with a shark…

Ah so many fish, so little time – I fed as many as I could in the 35-minute feeding frenzy and came away with a new respect for the difference between just snorkeling – and actually swimming with the fishes…

Back on land, my next animal rendezvous was of a more playful nature. I got to meet and greet Snapper, the sea lion. I learned the difference between sea lions and seals and watched Snapper do a seal imitation as he flopped along on his belly. Sea lions are much more genteel when they move – they walk on all fours. Using flippers, of course, but still…

Snapper had a bit to say during our tete-a-tete  but his vocalization unfortunately resembled  a very loud, deep belch that tended to continue long after it was socially acceptable to do so. But still he was very cute – and, like Romeo, very affectionate. Yup, I got another kiss. Between the two, I got more action that weekend than I remember occurring at the height of my dating career.

And, of course, although all these activities are outside, all COVID protocols are being followed: mask wearing is required (the dolphins are exempt; not sure about Snapper….) and social distancing is maintained.

For more information visit Dolphin Academy.

Get more information about Curaçao Sea Aquarium.

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I’d never had peanut soup before visiting Curacao, even though it is a familiar, mostly Southern dish here in the States, so this was a revelation. I was still waxing rhapsodic about the peanut soup at Trio Penotti the evening before when I saw it on the lunch menu and had to have it again. What an amazing flavor!

I raved about it so much that Chef Taco came out and gave me his recipe. He’s a great guy and the recipe is unlike others I researched since I came home. First, Chef Taco’s (his real name) version is vegan – no chicken or stock, no cream and no butter. And still he created a rich, creamy and flavorful soup! I dunked a good crusty chunk of bread in my lunch serving and happily settled for just a bowl of soup as my meal.

When I recreated this soup at home I guessed at the seasonings because Chef Taco’s recipe did not include measurements for them. He said “an experienced cook will know how to balance the flavors to suit their palate.” I balanced mine to replicate his original taste, but you can go all over the spectrum with your own version.

Anything in parentheses () is my addition. (Serves four – six as a meal, or eight – ten as a soup course.)

1 yellow pepper

1 onion

1 carrot

3 garlic cloves

½ chili pepper

Chop and sauté above over medium heat in 2 TBS sunflower oil until vegetables are soft. Season with: (1tsp) cinnamon, (1 tsp) cumin, (1 tsp) cardamom, (1/4 tsp) nutmeg, (1/2 tsp) salt, (hot sauce to taste) until spices are fragrant

Add 4-5 oz tomato puree to veggies and stir in 2 quarts water.

Bring to boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to combine until smooth.

Stir in 20 oz peanut butter, (I used all natural, no salt, smooth) reheat.

Adjust flavor with (1 TBS) lemon juice, salt and sugar.

Pour hot over fine cut leeks and sliced banana (I used half a banana for each bowl and one green onion)

This is a filling and very tasty vegan soup that easily reheats for another meal. And, if you use half the water you’ll have a delicious peanut sauce for stir-fry, ribs or bbq chicken!

The other dishes at Trio Penotti are definitely worth a taste as well. I had their goat stew, which was savory and delicious. The traditional funchi (like polenta) and almost cole slaw sides went perfectly with it. While I was there I shared my no-stir polenta recipe with a local because they eat a lot of what our waitress described as corn meal when I asked what funchi was. It will save them almost an hour of stirring every time!

Trio Penotti – Closed Monday, reservations suggested.

Trio Penotti https://www.facebook.com/triopenotticuracao/

Curacao Tourism https://www.curacao.com/en/

Oasis Coral Estate Beach, Dive and Wellness Resort https://www.oasisparcs.com

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