Singing with Dolphins! LITERALLY!

When I was in the pub, I met Stewart, the fisherman who had been on the boat trip earlier that day, when I had magically captured the dolphin on film and got lost in the mesmerising twinkle of the sea's smile ...

Stew introduced me to the Volunteers? Volunteering for what? For the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre who are championing non-invasive research into monitroing the dolphins and marine life of Cardigan Bay. There are only 2 places in the UK where dolphins are semi-resident and New Quay is one of them.

I spoke with the volunteers. One of the things that the research team are doing is using hydrophonic acoustic equipment to record and identify dolphins voices.

OMG!! Recording the dolphins singing! I want to do that! I want to go and find Cadfael and his friends  and record their voices, sing with them, take their voices back to my studio and work on the most awesome and life enhancing collaboration of my entire life!

The volunteers said I should call in the next day and talk with Laura ... so I did. I explained everything to her and she suggested that I speak with Steve Hartley who runs the Boat Surveys.

He was very busy and couldn't see me but she said she would ask him to ring me. I gave my number but felt a bit flat thinking he probably wouldn't ring.

I was just about to go home, having a cuppa and a piece of bara brith cake, when my phone rang! It was Steve! We arranged to meet the next day.

What a totally gorgeous and wonderful human being he is! So busy and yet enough time to make everyone feel special. I explained all about Fusion Inspire, he explained all about the significance of the research, respecting the dolphins space, sharing a message of conservation, getting the word out there, drumming up support for the Centre ... I listened, said I would write into the production the conservation message ... that I would put their logo on my fliers ....

Steve offered for me to have access to their library of recordings!

'How kind but Steve, I must go out and record the dolphins myself, I have to feel it, if I can feel it, I can tell other people about it from my heart, I have to sing with dolphins.'

'Yes, OK then.'

'Yes, but I need to go out with you on the boat, I need to record them myself, to sing ..'

'Yes. OK'

'What, yes?'

'Yes, that's totally possible'

And there it is folks! I AM GOING BACK TO NEW QUAY AT THE END OF MAY TO GO OUT ON THE SURVEY BOAT AND RECORD DOLPHINS SINGING AND WILL THEN BRING BACK THEIR SONGS TO MY STUDIO WORK OUT HARMONY PIECES AND INVITE OTHER SINGERS TO COME AND RECORD ON A TRACK WITH THE DOLPHINS TO USE AS A SOUNDSCAPE FOR THE PRODUCTION!

Steve said that we may actually be able to find Cadfael, that they know his voice! Cadfael will actaully be in the production!

HOW TOTALLY AND UTTERLY IMMENSE!

In my career I have been truly blessed and collaborated with some of the world's most well know muscians. I have played alongside Lonnie Donnegan, opened for Sir Bob Geldof, Van Morrison, been on the same festival line up as Jools Holland .. but never has there been such an absolutely awe inspiring collaboration in my life, neither could I have ever imagined for one moment that this could even be possible! I am so euphorically happy I can barely think about anything else!

Every other word that comes out of my mouth is 'dolphin' ... 'Oh, did I mention that I am GOING TO SING WITH DOLPHINS'

'ER, YES! ABOUT 500 TIMES!'

And also, Steve owns a Caravan site with just 28 vans and not an Elvis Impersonator in sight! He took me down to Cei Bach where he is based, it is beautiful & I have to say it totally feels right but there are no sea views and these are very important to me, the feeling of space and far reaching vision.  I need some time to think things through properly. I have booked the holiday cottage for the end of May and will take it from there. I trust totally that the universe will sort this our for me! If I am supposed to have a place to go to in New Quay then it will undoubtedly happen!

p.s. did I mention that I AM GOING TO SING WITH DOLPHINS! ;)