Fidel with the young trainers of the dolphins

At 11.30 on July 15 Fidel arrived unexpectedly at the entrance to the National Aquarium, wearing a fresh chequered shirt, sports pants and sneakers, to immediately engage in a brief chat with two girls and a small group workers who were at the entrance.

After the welcome, without protocol, Guillermo Garcia, the director of the facility, presented him to members of his management team in which the majority are women. "Working with women is very good," he told the leader of the Revolution, who in turn said, "and much safer."

After reviewing, with obvious joy and memories, the photos of the days of the reopening of the Aquarium in 2002, and greeting a large group of workers, including veterinarian Dr. Celia Guevara March, Che's daughter, with whom he had an affectionate aside to know about the family, Fidel was invited to witness the underwater spectacle of dolphins, unique of its kind in the world.

Three female dolphins, around 7 years old, are the stars of this emotive spectacle that attracts even before you start, when coaches begin their communication with the animals from the top of the pool of 500 cubic meters of water, visible through a large acrylic window 7 metres tall, 14 wide and 22 centimeters thick.

According to the Aquarium's director he explained to Fidel that unlike the surface shows that make frequent breaks to reward the performance of the animals with food, this is only done at the time before the communication occurs on both sides.

At 11.47 the impressive 20 minute display began, in which the three dolphins and their trainers (two girls and one boy) are intertwined and danced together, driven by their feet by the powerful animals, whose average weight is over 150 kilos.

Visible impressed, Fidel didn’t stop commenting and asking his hosts. First, the time trainers spent under the water without breathing, between one and one and a half minutes of apnea with 30 to 40 second intervals, which is a hard exercise.

Eight trainers, totally prepared in the Cuban Aquarium, alternate for their performances, which the World Association of Sea Mammals certified as the only one of its kind on the planet.

The summer presentations of this exclusive show –from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.- includes early morning performances, when visits of children suffering from xeromatosis pigmentosa, a skin disease that prevents them from being out in the sun, take place.

Fidel was also interested in the relationship between trainers and their animals and the possible risk of attack. Very, very rare, was the explanation, and only due to human error, because the Dolphins are highly social beings who live on average 25 years and can reach twice that when in captivity.

With the help of trainers from the other side of the acrylic, the beautiful dolphins greeted Fidel several times creating bubble rings and standing on their head. That was when the "sonar" of these particular animals was explained and the miles that can achieved as a sort of ultrasound which has made them useful to detect mines and other military activities.

Commenting on further details later, Garcia said he had been visited by trainers from several countries, including some Americans who acknowledged that in all of North America there is nothing like this and they do not know if it exists elsewhere.

"It seems that the dolphins do not know either," lamented Fidel, recalling the profound damage to the ecosystem brought about by all that is poured into the seas and that has affected these and other species. His observation was supported by data from the head of the Aquarium, who spoke about the report of over 200 dolphins and about 550 turtles dead as a result of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"There are two tremendous dangers, the danger of war and danger to the environment," said Fidel, who lamented that this is happening despite the extraordinary accumulation of knowledge that has occurred over the past 60 years, a period in which all knowledge has tripled. He said that he is preparing a reflection which addresses these issues and again reiterated his warning that "the world is living between two tragedies of war and the environment."

After taking photos with the trainers and the group of the Aquarium, Fidel said the reason for his first questions related to the time of the trainers under water, was due to his experience as a legendary diver: "I know what it's like not breathing and taking air with, and without, an aqualung.

To a question from the director he said that sometimes he reached more than two minutes without breathing, but without making any movement. "I can appreciate what they do, what is apnea and what it means to repeat it." He also recalled, with particular emotion, sometimes having shared his swim with dolphins in the Bay of Naranjo in Banes, in the present province of Holguin.

When saying goodbye he was interested in the opening days of the Aquarium - from Tuesday to Sunday until ten at night, and a rest day on Monday, and also the working time and rest of all the personnel, especially those that put on the animal shows, often three times a day, under advice of the underwater medical doctors of the Naval Hospital in the case of underwater show, whose fundamental risk is repeating the apnea.

Summing up his impressions of the visit, Fidel called the show seen as "something very peaceful, more beautiful than any other I've seen. If you want a gift for someone, for those who you feel special consideration, this is it."

As he left, almost all the staff of the Aquarium, and dozens of visitors had gathered nearby to greet the leader of the Revolution with cheers.

The National Aquarium of Cuba, founded 50 years ago, on January 23, 1960, has a population of more than 3,000 animals including 23 mammals, 8 dolphins and 15 sea lions, the main attraction of the facility, which receives about 3,000 visitors per day and between 25,000 and 30,000 tourists per year.

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