This presentation is about a personal encounter with freshwater dolphins in Kratie Cambodia

1. DolphinDolphin
 Traveling trough Cambodia I becameTraveling trough Cambodia I became
aware off the existence of freshwateraware off the existence of freshwater
Dolphins in Asia. I went up to KratieDolphins in Asia. I went up to Kratie
booked a tour and went for a fewbooked a tour and went for a few
dollardollar
 together with some tourist frotogether with some tourist fro
Germany to a place on the MekongGermany to a place on the Mekong
River to spot dolphins. After waitingRiver to spot dolphins. After waiting
for about half an hour we saw somefor about half an hour we saw some
movement in the watermovement in the water
 There they were the dolphins we sawThere they were the dolphins we saw
about six of them. I thought they wereabout six of them. I thought they were
white but they are actually grey itwhite but they are actually grey it
wasn't the kind of dolphin I knewwasn't the kind of dolphin I knew
from TV like flipper. They looked veryfrom TV like flipper. They looked very
strange there head was like a footballstrange there head was like a football
they certainly didn't look like flipperthey certainly didn't look like flipper..

2. DolphinDolphin
 When I came back in Kratie I wanted to know more about this dolphin so I bought aWhen I came back in Kratie I wanted to know more about this dolphin so I bought a
book named the Irrawady Dolphin and started reading. One off the two girlswhobook named the Irrawady Dolphin and started reading. One off the two girlswho
was working at the guesthouse brought me a coke I ordered.was working at the guesthouse brought me a coke I ordered.
 She looked at the book I was reading and said my father fish. I said what you can'tShe looked at the book I was reading and said my father fish. I said what you can't
fish on Dolphins that’s illegal. No she said my father catch small fish big fish help. Ifish on Dolphins that’s illegal. No she said my father catch small fish big fish help. I
didn't understand what she mend then she said tomorrow you wake four and godidn't understand what she mend then she said tomorrow you wake four and go
father me yes?father me yes?
 To cut a long story short I woke up 3.30 am and half an our later there was aTo cut a long story short I woke up 3.30 am and half an our later there was a
skinny smiling man in front off my room didn't speak english accept the word oke.skinny smiling man in front off my room didn't speak english accept the word oke.
He kept on repeating that word for about 12 miles on his motorbike with me on theHe kept on repeating that word for about 12 miles on his motorbike with me on the
back .back .

3. DolphinDolphin
 Around five o clock we arrived I think close to the place I hadAround five o clock we arrived I think close to the place I had
been the day before we stepped in a wooden boat together with abeen the day before we stepped in a wooden boat together with a
jonger Cambodian probably his son. It was a longtail boat with ajonger Cambodian probably his son. It was a longtail boat with a
small engine the engine was only used to get us to the middle offsmall engine the engine was only used to get us to the middle off
the river there he took a long stick and moved the boat forwardthe river there he took a long stick and moved the boat forward
with that.with that.
 The older guy gave me two coconut shells, took two himself andThe older guy gave me two coconut shells, took two himself and
started banging them together wile the boat was moving aroundstarted banging them together wile the boat was moving around
six dolphins joined the boat and were swimming aside. Incrediblesix dolphins joined the boat and were swimming aside. Incredible
I thought the dolphins stayed with the boat when the boat made aI thought the dolphins stayed with the boat when the boat made a
curve we were still banging our coconut shells and were cruisingcurve we were still banging our coconut shells and were cruising
to the shore. Close to shore the old guy suddenly stopped theto the shore. Close to shore the old guy suddenly stopped the
young guy came from the end off the boat and helped his father toyoung guy came from the end off the boat and helped his father to
get the nets in. I looked at the dolphins there were six with thereget the nets in. I looked at the dolphins there were six with there
head above the water the nets were now in the boat and there washead above the water the nets were now in the boat and there was
about seventy pounds off jumping freshwater fishabout seventy pounds off jumping freshwater fish..

4. DolphinDolphin
 The old guy took a smaller fish one off the dolphins came very close toThe old guy took a smaller fish one off the dolphins came very close to
the boat the man rubbed the dolphins head and gave him the fish. I wasthe boat the man rubbed the dolphins head and gave him the fish. I was
flabbergasted the dolphins were working for that men and they wereflabbergasted the dolphins were working for that men and they were
rewarded with attention and fish. Meanwhile the jong guy put some fishrewarded with attention and fish. Meanwhile the jong guy put some fish
in a kind of basket and the older man said oke. Gave me the basket and Iin a kind of basket and the older man said oke. Gave me the basket and I
start feeding and rubbing all dolphins the same way he did. I can'tstart feeding and rubbing all dolphins the same way he did. I can't
describe the feeling I hat with this experience but I can surely say thatdescribe the feeling I hat with this experience but I can surely say that
this was one off the most interesting and joyful experiences I had in Mythis was one off the most interesting and joyful experiences I had in My
live. The basket was empty the fishermen greeted the dolphins with biglive. The basket was empty the fishermen greeted the dolphins with big
respect and around seven o clock we went back on the motor the youngrespect and around seven o clock we went back on the motor the young
man stayed behind with the rest off the still living catch off that dayman stayed behind with the rest off the still living catch off that day