Sharks, stingrays and dolphins...OH MY!!!!!

We have returned from our week in the Bahamas! This is a photo-heavy, greyhound-less blog..but I am sure you will enjoy it!
the view from our balcony was amazing..sunrisethe first day..we hung out on the beach. Jason, Susan and I. It was the 'become painfully burnt" day! The standard toe shot everyone has come to enjoy..But I decided to shake it up and take a 'heel' shot.We got our hair braided..the ladies are quick and I felt a little like they had slipped me a 'roofie' and I came out with some jewelry and a braid in my hair! don't really remember the experience so much.We visited the famous Straw Market..each row you see...spans an entire block and is packed with easily 50-75 vendors per row and there must have been 15 rows.We enjoyed lovely evenings..the pasta restaurantthe 'fancy restaurant'and i spent an evening at the piano bar..which led to a 'slow' morning the next day..but oh wellAnd it wouldn't be a 'vacation blog' without a photo of Jason pointing to his beverage! We hit the Fish Fry (local strip of restaurants) and Jason shows off the local brew.We did a lot of excursions. We hit Atlantis' casinos and managed to come away winners. But you might be curious about the title to this blog. Well...we just so happened to have SWAM with each of those sea creatures! Oh yes..we started at Stuart's Cove where we snorkeled.. The Snorkeling really isn't great in the Bahamas compared to our vacations in Jamaica and Mexico in the past. We did see a wrecked plane and some fish even if we had to bait them with some bread.The coral sucked. I will be honest. BUT when a different bait was thrown in to the water..we attracted 20-25 8-10 foot Caribbean Reef sharks. *Disclaimer: The water was cold..like frigid. We snorkeled two previous locations and I was frozen to the core. The shark water was even colder. So..I stayed on the boat for the shark swim.* But Jason and Susan hopped in and got some pretty cool shots. but I was able to get some good 'topside' photos as well.We came out with all our fingers and toes. ;-) the next day..we moved to stingrays. We swam in a lagoon with 6 large stingrays and fed them some raw fish too!And Finally..I am sure everyone has a 'Bucket list'..those things that you really want to do before you die. I am trying to mark a few of those off the list this year. This next one is a big one. I love dolphins..and have always wanted to swim with them. so we did..and it was amazing!!!! First we met our new friends..Andy and Alex. then we hopped in the water with them! The came by for belly rubs..Then we got to have some one on one time..man..unbelievable!
Hugs..dolphin hugs are the best!!! these boys were fast movers..we moved right from pecks on the cheek right to big sloppy kisses on the lips on the first date!

then I got to feel his teethAnd finally a dance!And we ended our date..with a foot push. Basically, we floated in the water and Andy came up and put his snoot in the ball of your foot. Then he pushed you across the lagoon as you 'body surfed' on the water. Talk about adrenaline rush!!! I go first.
Andy takes a leap to get momentum..and off we go..Then Jason..susan didn't do the foot push b/c of a foot injury. But she got a special rub down session with Stormy.Swimming with dolphins..CHECK!