Swimming with dolphins in Mauritius…

With an early pick up from Port Louis at 6am and fighting jet lag I really struggled to get out of bed, but arriving at Black River just in time to watch the sunrise made the early start well worth the struggle!  Hopping into a boat and cruising out to the open water, the silhouetted landscape of Le Morne and the surrounding coastline looked stunning.  Being on the water at that time of the morning was so calm and tranquil.  As the boat slowed down we all fell silent in anticipation, watching and waiting for dolphins to appear.  A few soundless moments passed and then as if by magic five or six fins gracefully popped up and disappeared again.  With masks, snorkels and fins already on our guide instructed us to get in, hastily I dropped myself into the water and put my head straight under.  I was so surprised to see three Bottlenose dolphins swimming in a circle right underneath me.  They were a lot larger than I had expected them to be, in fact they were huge!  I swam in a circle above them, it felt like they were inspecting me as much as I was them and playfully they continued in a tight circle below.  In a split second they shot off, I followed as quickly as I could but even with fins on I found it almost impossible to keep up.  So, it was back on the boat and on to another location to see if we could spot them again.  Further along the coast we found some Spinner dolphins, smaller than Bottlenose but just as speedy!  Jumping in the water I caught a fleeting glimpse as they shot past and into the deep blue.  Back on the boat more Spinners appeared in the distance propelling themselves out of the water and spinning around in mid-air, definitely living up to their name!  Getting to see these beautiful creatures in their natural environment was amazing and knowing they were there of their own free will even better.  As the sun continued to rise the dolphin sightings lessened, I presumed they were in the bay for feeding perhaps and as the morning progressed had moved further out to sea.

Next it was time to head for shore and onto a new venture, a catamaran boat cruise.  There is nothing quite like relaxing at sea with a beer in hand watching fishing boats sail by.  Anchoring up alongside a reef gave the perfect opportunity to discover more of the local marine life.  Crystal clear waters and vibrant corals inhabited with all sorts of colourful fish made for a great snorkel.  After an active morning a barbecue lunch was the perfect treat followed by a shoreline stroll along the tiny island of Ile aux Bénitiers. Cruising back into the harbour it was time for more relaxing and one last beer…

Things to know:

• The trip was booked through JPH Charters.

• I was picked up from Port Louis at 6am (the early start is definitely worth it) and dropped back to the hotel around 4.30pm.

• The cost of the trip was around £60 and included swimming with dolphins and the catamaran cruise, this came with unlimited drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and lunch.

• Take a towel with you as these were not supplied.

Swimming with dolphins in the Indian Ocean was an unforgettable experience, if you are planning a trip to Mauritius this is one activity to add to your must do list.

Here’s something other things I really recommend doing in Mauritius:

A day of adventure in Mauritius: Waterfalls, Grand Bassin and Le Morne

11 things to do in Mauritius