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

2. Nov. 20082 Trainer For A Day Trainer for a Day Program at Dolphin Research Center Non-Profit dedicated to research on Dolphins

3. Nov. 20083 Playing Ball I am playing with DRC dolphin Tanner.

4. Nov. 20084 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. Nov. 20085 Tanner Jumping Here’s Tanner doing a jump for us. The jumps are very graceful.

6. Nov. 20086 Pax Painting a T-Shirt Then I met Pax, and he painted a t-shirt for me in light blue and orange.

7. Nov. 20087 Pax’s Painting This is my t-shirt. What a wonderful artist Pax is.

8. Nov. 20088 Dolphin Stationing I was doing something called “stationing” with Talon. Stationing means getting their attention.

9. Nov. 20089 Signaling for Speed Now, I’m giving Talon the signal “Speed”.

10. Nov. 200810 Dolphin Freight Trains There’s Talon Speeding along! Isn’t he like a freight train?

11. Nov. 200811 Two hand signals Here we’re stationing again. But this time my dad has to join me.

12. Nov. 200812 Up in the Air Junior Bird Dolphin What we signaled was “Circle”. Talon is doing a Circle Jump.

13. Nov. 200813 Flying Dolphin Here’s Talon doing more Circles. He’ll keep doing Circles until I blow on my whistle.

14. Nov. 200814 Dolphin Aerobatics I signaled for Talon to do a “Twirl”. It’s basically a normal jump but with an Aileron roll (a twist).

15. Nov. 200815 Tail Walk – Getting Ready Here I’m stationing Talon, getting him ready to do a Tail Walk.

16. Nov. 200816 Talk 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. Nov. 200817 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. Nov. 200818 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. Nov. 200819 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. Nov. 200820 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. Nov. 200821 Handshakes with Dolphins I am doing a handshake with Tursi.

22. Nov. 200822 Dolphin Kisses Here I’m getting a Dolphin Kiss. Their lip bone is very hard, so you put it against your cheek.

23. Nov. 200823 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. Nov. 200824 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. Nov. 200825 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.