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Published: August 6th 2007
Fungi the dolphin
Fungi shows off for the tourists.Hello everyone -- writing tonight about our day spent yesterday on Ireland's lovely Dingle Peninsula!
We got an early start out of Killarney and headed northwest toward Dingle. Our first stop along the long and winding road was Inch Spit... a long sandbar in a town called Inch. It was actually totally, shockingly lovely -- it was quite warm, cloudless and beautiful. Almost like we were in Hawaii again. We've included some photos below... Erin was inspired, as you can see. Well, Kevin was inspired to make her do that...
We got back on the road and eventually made it to Dingle town, the place of Rick Steves' dreams. It really is a fantastic place -- reminded us of a New England coastal town somehow. We arranged for a boat tour (more on that in a moment), then wandered the town, stopping at a few neat places and trying to find some souvenirs that aren't the usual tacky junk (for the record, we're still looking). And then came...
...our boat tour.
What's interesting about a boat tour of Dingle Harbor, you may be asking?
Because a friggin' DOLPHIN lives here. Permanently.
The dolphin's name is
Baywatch Ireland
Kevin threatens to drive off without his wife if she doesn't make like Pamela Anderson. Fungi (pron. FOON-gy). He first showed up in 1993, and has never left. They don't keep feeding him or anything so he'll stay. He just likes Dingle and won't leave. We love that about him. He's loyal, and don't you forget it. They've even erected a status in town of him, with a plaque that talks about all the kindness and loyalty Fungi has showed and what an inspiration he is to everyone, dolphin and human alike. I am not making that up.
So we go on the boat, and for half an hour or so... no sign. We were worried... but Kevin, not so much -- they have a Fungi guarantee, where if you don't see him your hour-long boat tour is free. So either way you win!
And the, he appeared. He's attracted to some boats, not others, depending on the engines. He came and did the usual dolphin stuff, just swimming alongside the boat. Cool, I guess. But not long after, he went all Air Fungi on us. That sucker started jumping up off the boat about ten feet straight up (Editor's Note: that may be an exaggeration, but not by much). And the entire
Just a couple of asses
Somewhere on the Slea Head drive, Dingle Peninsula. boat was filled with, as the plaque put it, Fungi's kindness and loyalty. He even inspired Kevin to act more like a dolphin. So there you have it: a very successful afternoon with Fungi.
We got off the boat and got back on the road to do the Slea Head drive around the peninsula, about 30 miles long or so. It was absolutely stunning, as the pictures will attest. Every mile or two there was something else to pull over for, whether it was an ancient encampment, some kind of cool animal, a passing car... exciting stuff. We even found a hidden beach that looked like something out of the Riviera. We also went to the Great Blasket Centre, a place dedicated to telling the story of the hardy inhabitants of the Blasket Islands, who were forcibly moved off the islands in 1953 (too long a story to detail here, but it's worth Googling (product plug for Dave A.)).
Anyway, we finished the drive, got back to Dingle town, then headed back home. Erin started feeling sick toward the end of the drive (no, it wasn't due to Kevin's driving) and we went back to Killarney for an
Dingle from the water
View of Dingle town as we leave to find that dolphin... early evening and pizza back at our B&B. Overall, a lovely day, in no small part due to Fungi. But everything on the Dingle Peninsula was memorable, and we recommend the trip out there if you ever make it to the Emerald Isle!
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Billy
non-member comment
Looks Like Fun!
Funghi is quite the interesting name for a dolphin...was there any sort of mushroom-like growth on it that may have spurred the name? :) Glad you guys are having such a good time--and a boat trip with a diiferent outcome than that of Kauai!