Summer on Mikurajima

摘要

SOME 200 KILOMETERS south of Tokyo, an island ringed with high, rocky cliffs juts out of the Pacific Ocean. The island is just 17 kilometers across, but its highest point reaches 851 meters above sea level. It is shaped like an overturned bowl, but rather than an island it gives the impression more of a mountain rising out of the ocean. This is the island of Mikurajima, whose name means "the treasure-house of the gods."I first visited Mikurajima in 1992, to observe the Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins that live offshore. Putting out to sea in a small boat, I saw several dolphin pods near the island. All the pods were swimming parallel to the coast, in a shallow stretch of ocean some 200 meters from the shore. I also observed several females with calves. Against the backdrop of the cliffs, these magical creatures were like the treasure-house guardians. The sight was utterly enchanting.