CALYPS³O 2007 Journal
Indiana School for the Deaf
Indian Creek High School

Day 11, Saturday, June 23, 2007

Kailee (ICHS)

Finally on this trip, we got to sleep in this morning. We didn't end up waking up until 10:30 am. It was what we all needed too. We got up and took showers and started packing some. I still haven't totally packed, I just have stuff in piles all over the room just like my room at home. I probably won't pack until really late tonight. :) After that Sarah and I came down to the teachers room to watch some of the footage from out ocean dives and we ate a little bit of food. We had Bill and Dave sign out logbooks too. After we did that we packed all of our equipment into the trailer to have it taken back for us. Then, finally we were on our way to make my dream come true. We were going to go swim with dolphins at Dolphin Cove. It was amazing. We got divided up into groups of 6 and were assigned one trainer and 2 dolphins per group. Our 2 dolphins names were Nikki and Jeanie. They were the 2 alpha dolphins at the place. We were then put into the water 2 at a time. I went in 2nd with Shakaria. We started out by petting the dolphins. They felt just like what you would think. They were slimy and smooth. I loved them so much. They were just so cute. They even have belly buttons. Then we did different kinds of pushes and tows with them. They did the superman and the push when you are on your back. The trainer had Shakaria and I lock elbows when the dolphins pushed us something happened and we tipped over about half way through. :) HAHA... Then when we were doing the superman they crossed us over and still ended up still pushing us and keeping us above water. They also jumped through hula hoops and gave us big splashes in the face... :) It truly was a dream come true. Ever since I was a little girl I always told my mom that I was going to swim with them and I finally got the chance. I know that she was looking down on me saying "That's my little girl".

After we swam we did some SHOPPING!!! First we shopped at the Dolphin Cove, and I got a tshirt and some toe rings. Then we went to a water sports place and I got some gifts for my family and friends back home. We also went to a store called SHELL WORLD, and I got more gifts there. Then we went to eat and got some ice cream. I saw a payless shoe store, and Jessica had just come back from there and said they had GREAT deals on shoes, so I just had to go and check it out! I ended up getting 2 new pairs of sandels.... THANKS JESSICA FOR MAKING ME SPEND MORE MONEY.... haha! This trip has been a once in a lifetime oppurtunity, and I am forever grateful that I got to go on it! I will never forget it, and I will never stop diving. We had the most amazing instructors... I WILL MISS YOU GUYS BUNCHES. We also had some great chaperones.... the trip wouldn't of been the same without them. I want to thank Ms. Piety and Carrie for being there for me. I am definitely going to make my brother go on this trip if they are still offering it! I am going to miss all of my new friends once I go home, but I am going to stay in touch with them for sure! That is what texting messaging is for! :) Remember that dad! I am going to be sad, but I am still VERY EXCITED to go home. I miss my family, friends, and boyfriend. I can't wait to see them at the airport. This has been an amazing trip and I will never ever forget it! THE MEMORIES AND NEW FREINDSHIPS WILL LAST FOREVER!!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Corey (ISD)

We slept late today (yeah!) and woke up about 9:00 am. Matt and I went over to the hotel's cafe to eat breakfast. We had bagels and orange juice. We checked with the teachers and asked what the schedule for the day would be like. We had to go back to our rooms and separate all of our own scuba gear from the dive shop's rental gear. We finished filling out our log books so that Bill could sign them for us. We loaded up the trailer with our gear, so that Bill could take it back to Indiana for us. We went back to the teachers' room and watched Dave Flick's videos of our dives. In one of the diving videos, Gabriel and I were dive buddies. It showed me getting stung by something in the ocean. It felt like a bee sting. I really don't know what stung me, but maybe I brushed up against some fire coral. It doesn't hurt anymore, so I am ok.

All of us wanted to go to Dairy Queen before swimming with the dolphins, but we couldn't stop for ice cream because we had to hurry to Dolphin Cove. When we got to Dolphin Cove, we had to put on a vest that helped us float. I was paired up with Tyler during the dolphin activities. We were asked to get in the water and then the dolphins swam over to us to get their backs rubbed. The dolphins brought us a white rod and Tyler and I held it up. Both dolphins jumped over the rod several times. Tyler and I both got kisses from the dolphins. I turned over on my stomach and both dolphins swam over to me. I grabbed them at the base of their dorsal fins and they swam with me around the enclosure. We shook "hands" with the dolphins as they came up out of the water and offered their flippers. We laid on our backs and put up our feet. The dolphins put their noses up against our feet and pushed us around in the water. The dolphins did something funny while they pushed us around in the water. They pushed us so that Tyler and I both bumped heads together! We got into a "superman" position on our stomachs and the dolphins pushed us around the water and took us over to the ladder. It was so much fun playing with the dolphins. I have always wanted to touch a dolphin and today that finally happened. The best part was when the dolphins made Tyler and me bump our heads together. We were all laughing and smiling so much!

After swimming with the dolphins, we went shopping. I bought a scuba chain for my Sidekick. We went to Qwizdom for dinner and had ice cream afterwards. Our trip is almost over and I wish it could go on more. This trip has been the best experience of my life!!! I look forward to seeing my Mom and Dad tomorrow at the airport. I have so many stories to tell them!


Mrs. Huckleberry (ISD)

As students are in their rooms chatting, packing, and spending their last evening in Florida, I am overwhelmed with pride in each and every student who came on this trip. I have seen each of you grow and learn so much from the experiences you have had since leaving Indiana. I feel so incredibly grateful to the person who made this whole trip possible and for giving me the joy of seeing each brilliant smile, first hand, as each of you interacted with dolphins and gushed with enthusiastic descriptions of what you had seen diving, each time you got back on the boat.

Corey, I will never forget the sound of your giggles and laughter.
Gabriel, I feel sorry for your parents. (Grin!) They must have a huge grocery bill keeping you from starving to death! Your craving for food is almost as large as your craving for knowledge of trivia. I hope you learned an important lesson from your encounter with a scorpion fish.
Tyler, I will always laugh thinking about you holding that python and knowing how much your Dad is afraid of snakes! You wearing the glow sticks from your night dive as earrings was also a pretty funny sight!
Ann, I hope you never lose your enthusiasm for night diving. The smile on your face as you kissed dolpins is unforgettable!
Matt, I know you have learned a lot during this trip. You have become a very confident scuba diver. I am so glad you enjoyed diving at night!
Shakaria, You are very fortunate to have a mother and grandmother who came all the way to Florida to see some of your dives! They must love you very much!
Brad & Ben, I am so happy your diving had a perfect ending with FINALLY seeing a shark on your last dive. I really didn't know it was possible to do a celebration dance under water until Miss Piety told me you did one after seeing the shark!
Nyle, I hope you gained enough weight on this trip to "bulk up" for your football team this fall. We tried to feed you well!
Jessica & Sarah, Congratulations for becoming such confident scuba divers! You win the award for being the most improved divers!
and last but not least, Kailee, you have been so courageous this week! I know there were so many beautiful moments that you needed to share with your mother . . . the things you have seen and the things you have accomplished. My heart ached along with you, knowing how much you must miss her. It is not easy to get beyond a parent's death, but it does get easier with time. You will always miss her, but you will eventually find yourself remembering more often the happiest times you had with her. At least half of the special person you are, is because of your mother. You are an incredible young lady!