Vilano Dolphins - Florida - by Sharon Raines
Vilano Dolphins
By Sharon Raines
Time was running out. Only two days left to live. Two days left to live out a dream vacation, one that included all of my children, now grown.
St. Augustine, Florida, had been our home for five glorious days. Left up to me, I would never go back to the Piedmont of North Carolina, never trade sand and sun and salt-water for rolling hills and red clay.
The guys had been successful at their fishing. Vilano Pier yielded up its best, even a shark that happened to be “the one that got away”. Now, picking them up, tired and happy, we were on our way back “home” for a fish-fry. Well, we should’ve been on our way. But Vilano Beach was right across the road, opposite the pier. My car was possessed, drove itself right over there and parked. Simply put, I had to soak in all of the beach-time I could get my hands on before I left. Who knew when, or if, we would ever return?
Amber, my daughter, spotted them first, coming down the shoreline about 300 yards away - a pod of dolphins hunting. “I bet you won’t run in and swim with them!” (I knew good and well she would.) We splashed into the surf, fully clothed. Only in the nick of time did I remember to toss the guys
my cell phone. The watch took one for the team.
No fear, only thrilling opportunity - we swam out to intersect with the mystical creatures we loved. And here they came, and so did a school of fish, jumping to get out of the dolphins' reach.
One dolphin crested about five feet away, ignoring us as he hunted with his group. Oh, to touch his sleek body, I prayed. They were surrounding us, acknowledging but not engaging with the humans in the path of their dinner. That’s when we saw the boat.
Sunny Seas made its way steadily towards us. Straight towards us! Not wanting to be shark chum, I waved and got their attention, then felt like a fool since they had already spotted us.
“Hey, what are these little fish jumping out of the water - the ones the dolphins like?” I figured it was as good a question as any. And, surely they weren’t netting dolphins, as well? Ha! Not on my watch they weren’t.
One of the gruff grunts called back, “Mullets. Sharks like ‘em, too.” He and another grunt in waterproof coveralls tossed a net over the side. They were way too near where the dolphins were heading.
If you think you will scare me out of this water with shark tales just so you can net my dolphins, you’re crazy.
There we stood, two fully clothed statues, bobbing in the waves between the fishers and the fins.
Finally, with the net heaved back again, Sunny Seas trolled on down the coastline, leaving the dolphins, and two Carolina girls, to live another day.
My pod never looked back to say “thank you”. I never trailed after them. To stand in their midst, just feet away, while they hunted - and I’m sure protected us from the sharks that indeed do like mullets - was all the thanks I would ever need.
I would go on to leave Vilano and St. Augustine behind, but the dolphins I would take with me for a lifetime.
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Here are a few details from Sharon to help a fellow tourist:
Vilano is St. Augustine's little step-sister. Not well known, but equally as beautiful as St. Augustine, Vilano beach is less crowded and has far more shelling opportunites due to natural currents. Fishing, especially at night, is reasonably priced, with a 3-day pass running about 20 dollars. Fishing from the Vilano pier, named confusingly, St. Augustine Pier, is really good with all kinds of fish and even sharks. There are no shortages of eating joints, but Woody's BBQ, in St. Augustine, has the absolute best wood-smoked flavor BBQ I have ever eaten and I'm from the south where we do good BBQ. Laid back, homestyle friendliness is also a reason to visit Woody's again and again.
Trawling boat photo taken by Barbara Jenness, waterfront Real Estate Broker and specialist (Vilano Beach & St. Augustine’s).
Bio: Sharon Raines lives and writes from Claremont, NC. When not writing or sampling coffee beans, she can be found on beaches from here to Jamaica (so far). You can read her ramblings at:
wittycat2.blogspot.com