As we mark the 13th anniversary of the founding of our swim school on August 30, 2011, we at One with the Water® find ourselves reflecting on the incredible journey we’ve embarked upon. It is with profound gratitude that we thank each one of you for your unwavering support throughout the last 13!! years.

And happy birthday to our little mascot, Kenny the Dolphin! He’s the little baby in our logo.

Your belief in our mission and your generous contributions to our swim school have been instrumental in our success, empowering us to make a real difference in the lives of countless individuals. We could not have achieved this without you. Your support has enabled us to provide life-changing aquatic therapy, swim lessons, and competitive opportunities to children, Veterans, and families in need, helping over 2,000 swimmers per year.

As we celebrate this milestone, we are reminded of the power of community and the strength that comes from working together towards a common goal. We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, and we are excited about what the future holds. Thank you once again for your continued support for our swim school. We look forward to many more years of making a difference, one stroke at a time.

About One with the Water

One with the Water believes that everyone deserves access to the lifesaving skill of swimming, especially children and adults with high risk, high needs, and limited resources. Swimming lessons are taught using growth-mindset techniques, creating transformative miracles in their students both in and out of the water, as they shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. The organization is staffed by professional swimmers, expert competitive swimmers, and former Olympians. Founder, Executive Director, and Head Coach Kenneth Rippetoe has a Level 5 Disability Certification with the American Swimming Coaches Association and has trained with Kahlon Family Services and Inizio Interventions to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other special needs. Tax-deductible donations to the One with the Water Swimming Foundation can be made at the organization’s website: OneWithTheWater.org.

Happy Anniversary image designed by Freepik

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Happy Anniversary to our Swim School appeared first on One with the Water.

“Oh look darling! It’s a little dolphin!” the boy’s mom said.

The little boy continued to blow his bubbles and watched the water.

I swam over to say hi.

“Hello! My name is Kenny.” I said.

“Hi, Kenny. I am Susie and this is Gavin!” Susie said. Gavin kept blowing his bubbles.

“Hello there Gavin,” I said. “How are you?”

Gavin continued to blow his bubbles.

“He can be a little shy around new people and situations,” Susie said. Gavin had wonderful freckles and seemed to be very good at blowing bubbles.

“I like to blow bubbles also Gavin. But when I blow bubbles, I do it in the water.” I told him.

“Bubbles only float in the air,” said Gavin looking at me from the corner of his eye.  They have to be filled with air so that they can float in the air.” He seemed very serious about the bubbles. It was serious business for him.

“You can so blow bubbles in the water. And, they float and twirl to the surface and shine in the sunlight just like silver. I love blowing bubbles!” I said.

Gavin thought for a moment, still not looking me in the eyes.

“Would you like me to show you?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” said Gavin.

“Of course you can Gavin! Go, I love to see you make new friends!” Susie laughed.

Gavin nodded his head. “Ok, I would like to see the bubbles under the water twirling.”

“Can you swim under water?” I asked. Gavin was just a little boy and not all little boys his age can swim.

“Yes,” Gavin said.

“Gav is a great swimmer,” Susie assured me. “He loves being under the water. This will be fun for him.”

“Ok, that is great, come on Gavin,” I said to the serious little boy.

Gavin put down his bubbles, making sure not to spill them. Then, he very carefully climbed into the water.

“Ok, Gavin. Take a deep breath. We are going underwater.” I said.

Gavin took a deep breath of air. Then, he popped up and ducked under the water with a funny little hopping motion. I dove down after him.

It was not very deep because Gavin could stand there. so we did not have very far to go to get to the bottom. It was very peaceful and quiet down there. We could see little fish that were swimming around us and they seemed to be watching us. Gavin was not facing me but watching me out of the corner of his eye again. It looked cute and a bit funny.

I nodded at him to make sure that he was ready. He nodded to me showing me that yes he was ready.

I let out the air in my mouth and out came the bubbles.

The bubbles in the water are different shaped than they are in the air. They twirled up to the surface like little silver flying saucers.  They got shinier and prettier as they got closer to the surface of the water.

Gavin smiled and bubbles came out of his mouth and twirled and swirled their way to the surface. Then he had to go back up for more air.

The fish watched us as they swam past. I wondered what they were thinking. Gavin popped back down to the bottom and blew more bubbles and watched them as the floated up to the surface. Then he went back up for more air. He seemed to really be enjoying this.

Eventually, I popped up for some air too. Susie was watching from above us on the dock.

“Gavin loves the water. He loves being near the water and he loves bubbles,” she said. Susie explained to me that Gavin has Autism. He can be shy with new situations and people. She also said that he is tactile defensive meaning that some textures and forms of touch bother him. Susie explained that Gavin also was very uncomfortable making direct eye contact, which I understood as I know a few other friends that don’t like direct eye contact either.

“Well, he certainly knows a lot about bubbles,” I said.

“He knows a lot about a lot of things,” said Susie. “He loves science, but especially things having to do with water. And he also really likes trains. Those are his two passions. But his most favorite thing to do is blow bubbles and be near the water. I think that it feels good to him. It feels peaceful for him and seems to have a very calming effect on him. He does not like loud noises or surprises. I think that the water is sort of predictable for him. When we are here, it always looks the same and feels the same to him.”

“I know how he feels,” I said. “I think that some of us are just born to be in the water.”

“Gavin definitely was!” Susie said.

He really is a kid who is One with the Water.

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that is usually detected at a very early age. It is characterized by challenges with socialization, sensory needs as well as additional needs that can also occur. Being that Autism is a spectrum disorder, all people with autism are different from one another and the traits range from person to person.

For more information about Autism please check out the following links:
https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
http://www.autism-society.org
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml

Have you already experienced what swimming can do? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny Meets a Boy Who Loves Bubbles appeared first on One with the Water.

My family and I leap out of the water twelve times to celebrate the twelve months to come. It is just something that we dolphins enjoy doing. It is joyful and of course, it is fun. We think that it brings us good luck. In other parts of the world, people (and maybe other dolphins) do things differently.

In Spain, they eat twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. With each chime of the clock, another grape is popped into their mouths. It sounds funny to imagine people with mouths full of grapes trying to chew them up and swallow them before the clock is finished chiming. Many Spanish people also cut open a special ring-shaped cake that is filled with little gifts. The shape of the cake symbolizes the full circle of the year. Whoever gets a slice with a little present is said to be extra lucky. And they also like to light fireworks and crackers, to chase the old year out.

In the US, my friend Daniel and his family open what is called a Jack Horner Pie. It is a box covered with tissue paper and in the box are silly little gifts attached to strings. At the countdown, everyone pulls on a string and out pop the presents. The presents can be traded if the winners want to. They also stay up late and watch a big ball drop, and of course, watch fireworks.

In Australia, Julian and his family will be ringing in the New Year with drums, trumpets, and all manner of loud instruments. Julian will like that very much! He loves to make noise. They will also be dancing and hugging and kissing. And they will watch fireworks from the boat that they spend so much time on.

In Costa Rica, Mar will grab a suitcase and run twice around her house and across the road to ensure that she gets to travel as she really hopes to meet up with Jairo again. She might also sweep out her house to ensure that any negativity from the past year is swept out. They might also watch fireworks on the beach.

In England, they open the back door at 12:00 to say goodbye to the old year. Then they enlist a gentleman with bread, salt and coal in the front door to bring in good luck for the New Year. They also say “Rabbits” or “Bunny bunny” three times to ensure good fortune for the coming year.

In India, they actually have several different New Year’s traditions at different times of the year depending on their region and religions. All consist of much color and treats as well as displays of offerings to their individual deities. They also celebrate on January 1. This also involves lots of festivities, color, and great food as well as a huge variety of greetings, laughter and well wishes to loved ones and strangers alike.

In Capetown, South Africa, the people have a large carnival with thousands of people in costumes. There is lots of music, dancing, and cheering as well as eating of amazing foods. People also visit the beaches and have costumed parties and watch firework displays.

In Brazil, they celebrate with Carnival dressing up in very colorful costumes and parading in the streets. Another custom is thanking the sea for her gifts which is done by filling a boat with presents, fruit, and flowers and sending out to sea. And of course, there are also many fireworks displays to be seen here as well.

In China, the birthplace of fireworks, New Years is a very busy time. It involves thoroughly cleaning the home to clean out any potential bad fortune and make way for good fortune in the coming year. They also often freshly paint the doors and window panes of the homes. They also celebrate with a huge feast with their family members. They also leave all lights in the house on and of course, watch fireworks.

In Germany, there is a huge amount of joyous partying and laughing for the New Year. Traditionally, it is common to share meats and cheeses with friends and loved ones and to leave a bit of food from the New Year’s Eve dinner until midnight to be the first meal of the New Year, this is believed to ensure plenty for the coming year.

In Japan, some people hang a straw rope in the front door of their house to keep out evil spirits. Shintoists decorate their homes with green plants and bamboo symbolizing new life and honesty. They also eat a special feast with their family. They also offer prayers for departed loved ones and for a good future.

There are so many different ways to celebrate the New Year. The one thing that we all have in common is that we all celebrate. We laugh, we dance, we cheer, we offer prayers for a good year, we express joy and hope, we feel optimistic, we look forward. And yes, there are also lots of fireworks! Let us all celebrate our differences and what we all have in common.

Happy New Year! And I wish you a joyful, love-filled and lucky 2017.

Have you already experienced what swimming can do?

Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny and New Year’s Traditions Around the World appeared first on One with the Water.

During the holiday season, I have been thinking about all of the different ways that people celebrate. I have traveled all over the world. I enjoy talking about my travels and the people that I meet on my travels. When I meet people, I learn a lot about them and I learn that no matter how different we all may be, we all have so much in common as well. We all celebrate special holidays and events each year, though those events and holidays might be different depending on where we live and our own personal family cultures.

My friend Daniel celebrates Christmas with his family. They hang stockings and decorate a tree. They wait for Santa Claus to come and give presents to Daniel and all children. They leave out cookies for Santa and they leave apples for the reindeer. Daniel also writes a special note giving thanks to Santa for all the good things in his life. They have a special fondue for dinner on Christmas Eve and then go to church and sing Christmas hymns. In the morning, they wake up and open their presents. In the afternoon, Daniel goes to the homeless shelter with his Grandparents and make a nice Christmas dinner for those less fortunate.

My friend Julian also celebrates Christmas, but his family travels a lot, so they celebrate wherever they are. Since they are in Australia this year, they are eating a midday Christmas lunch of shrimp, cold turkey with quince jam and some vegemite! Vegemite is a thick black Australian food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract with various vegetable and spice additives. You should try it at least once in your life. They are also going to be singing carols from their boat with other boats in the harbor and lighting a luminary. It sounds like it is going to be beautiful.

My friend Ethan’s family celebrates Hanukkah because they are Jewish. During Hanukkah, Ethan’s family lights a different candle on their menorah for eight nights. They also eat specially prepared foods that are fried, Ethan’s favorites are the jam filled donuts called sufganiyot and potato pancakes called latkes. They also like to sing special songs and play special games. The families also exchange gifts for Hanukkah, but they give one or two presents each day rather than all the presents at once.

Amanda’s family are Wikka, they celebrate Winter Solstice. During Winter Solstice, Amanda’s family also lights candles. They burn a special oak log in their fireplace. Amanda and her family meditate on the ending on the solar year and the rebirth of the sunshine. They sing songs, chant and say prayers for peace on earth and eat special oat cakes made from grains and fruits from their garden. They put flowers in their hair and celebrate the life that is to come in the new year.

My pal Travon’s family celebrates Kwanza. During Kwanza, Travon, and his family light a candle each day for seven days. The candles symbolize unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and finally faith. During Kwanza, they give each other handmade gifts.

Rosa, along with Chloe and of course Rosa’s family celebrate by participating in plays about the nativity for Christmas. They also celebrate by lighting candles, singing songs and breaking piñatas then, of course, collecting all of that great candy. Rosa helps to decorate her home with evergreen branches and flowers. And of course, she waits for Santa Claus.

Mar and Kilary who both live in Costa Rica celebrate Christmas as well. They decorate their homes with tropical flowers and fruits. They place a special nativity scene in their home called a Pasito. On Christmas eve Mar and Kilary dress up and go to Miso de Gallo which is a midnight mass (even though it translates to Mass of the Rooster). They then have their Christmas dinner. On Christmas day, they open their gifts. And of course, they spend time on the beach!

I think that it is wonderful that so many people celebrate. Celebrating is a wonderful thing. It is a way of showing joy, it is a way of giving thanks for what we have and it is a way to just experience happiness. We can also celebrate by helping those who are less fortunate that we are, the way that Daniel and Julian do. We can give back to the world and those that have given us so much.

You might be wondering what a dolphin does to celebrate the holidays or what holidays we celebrate. Well, I celebrate all of them. I celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and everything else. We love to celebrate. We celebrate our loved ones and we celebrate those who we do not know. We give gifts of kindness and help others and we do it all year round. My family met me in the Caribbean Sea where I was traveling and we had a delicious holiday meal of delicious fish and even some fruits. I introduced them to my little friend Jairo and of course, they welcomed him as well. We sang dolphin songs of good will to the world. We decorated a coral reef with shells and sea flowers. We celebrated life of all kinds. We gave our gifts of kindness. I wish you all the Happiest of Holidays whoever you are and whatever you celebrate.

Have you already experienced what swimming can do? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Happy Holidays from Kenny & One with the Water appeared first on One with the Water.

While Jairo was taking a break to rest near a reef I decided to swim in closer to shore to check out the coast. On the beach, I saw a beautiful little girl walking along the beach picking up things and putting them in a bag. I wondered what she was doing, so naturally, I introduced myself!

“Hi, there! My name is Kenny!” I said.

“Hi there Kenny, my name is Kilary.”

“What are you collecting there? Are they seashells?” I asked.

“No, I am collecting beach almonds,” Kilary said.

“What are you going to do with all those almonds?” I asked her. It seemed like a lot of almonds for a little girl to eat.

“These almonds are for the macaws,” she explained, “the great green macaws. They eat mountain almonds normally, but those are not in season yet. Beach almonds are always in season and the macaws love them too.”

“Can’t the macaws get the beach almonds themselves?” I wondered.

“Yes, of course, they can! See, there is one now.” Kilary pointed. Sure enough, a large beautiful green parrot was looking down at us. He had an almond in his hand and was munching loudly on it.

Have you already experienced what swimming can do? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny Learns That It’s Not Easy Being Green appeared first on One with the Water.

I am thankful for my family who loves me and want me to follow my dreams. I am also thankful that I am a dolphin. I give thanks that I can swim wherever I want, whenever I want, the sea is the limit!

I am thankful that I can feel so much joy when I am swimming around a beautiful coral reef. I am giving thanks for all of the beautiful colors that I see in the water. I am thankful of all of the beautiful creatures that I see in the water. I give thanks for do many things. I am feeling thankful for all of the other creatures that I have met while on my water adventures so far!

I have met some incredible young humans who are truly one with the water as well. I am giving thanks for my friends like Daniel-Puti, Julian, Rosa, Amanda, Ethan, and Mar. I am thankful for their kindness and gentleness. I give thanks for their passions like sea dragons, vaquitas, and turtles. I am thankful for their spirit and the happiness I feel that there are such good and kind people in the world who care about all creatures big or small no matter where they live. I give thanks for my cousin Chloe who I am just getting to know. I am so thankful for my new little travel buddy Jairo.

I give thanks for biologists and conservationists who are trying to learn more about life in and out of the water so that they can protect and nurture that life because we are all connected.  I am so very thankful for the water because, without the water, there would be no life on our wonderful and beautiful planet. I give thanks for the warm sunshine and the wonderful waves. I am thankful  for the color blue that is both the sky and the water.

I give thanks for being able to swim and dive and jump and splash.  I am thankful for people who clean up the ocean and try to make it a safe and healthy place for all of us. I give thanks for people who try to help and protect endangered animals. I am thankful for people who help children with special needs and children who are in need.  I give thanks for all of the loving and kind parents and grandparents in the world.

I am thankful for currents and coral reefs. I am thankful for the air and the wind. I give thanks that I can hear children laughing when they see a baby dolphin swimming their way.  I am thankful for clownfish and sea anemones. I give thanks for eels and seals. I am thankful for angels and mermaids that I meet in the water.  I give extra thanks for all of the wonderful experiences that I have had and I am thankful for all of the wonderful experiences that I am going to have. I give thanks for everyone who loves dolphins!

There is so much to be thankful and grateful for. I am thankful that I am one with the water. I am thankful that you are One with the Water too. What are you thankful and grateful for?

Have you already experienced what swimming can do? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny Gives Thanks appeared first on One with the Water.

After I met Ethan, I enjoyed the Caribbean so much that I decided to stick around for a while and explore. I headed south and I discovered Tortuguero, Costa Rica. This was a very interesting area because there was so much going on. I saw sloths, iguanas, lots of birds and even a jaguar (I dove pretty deep when I saw her because even though a jaguar is a cat, they don’t mind getting wet). I also made two new friends. I was moving along the shoreline when I noticed a young girl swimming in a funny way. I quickly swam closer to see if she needed help. She was swimming along with a very small turtle.

“Hi! My name is Kenny,” I said. It is always good to introduce yourself.

“Hi Kenny, my name is Maritza, but people call me Mar, like the ocean”, she answered.

“I like that! Then you must truly be at home in the water,” I said.

“I believe that we should all be one with the water,” Mar said, “Water is life and our water’s health is our health”.

“I definitely agree! “ I said, after all, being a dolphin, I live my entire life in the water, so, if the water is not healthy, neither am I!

“What are you doing there?” I asked her.

“This is Jairo. He is a baby sea turtle. He is the only one left from his nest, I am just trying to make sure that he makes it to the sea safely.”

“The only one left? What do you mean? I thought that sea turtles laid lots of eggs in their nests.” I was surprised. I once met a turtle who said that she laid eighty eggs. That sounded like a lot of work! How could there only be one little turtle from so many eggs?

“A lot of his fellow eggs were taken by poachers,” said Mar, “They took almost the entire nest but my parents and the police chased them away. Poachers sell the eggs which are considered a delicacy in some cultures. After that happened, we watched over the nest until it hatched, then we tried to protect the few little turtles left over as they moved to the sea from birds and crabs and other predators. Little Sea Turtles have a tough life! Jairo here was the last one from the nest and I am just trying to make sure that he has a good start in life for as long as I can. Unfortunately, I don’t live in the water, so, sooner or later I will have to leave the little guy. I hope he will be ok.”

“Wow, they sure do. It is amazing that any of them survive at all! He is so tiny!” I said. He really was. I am a very young dolphin and pretty small myself. He was smaller than my nose.

“That is why they are endangered,” said Mar. “There once were turtles that nested all up and down the coast. The turtles come back to the same place every year. They lay their eggs at night, then go back into the water. For many years, people took the turtle eggs for food until they learned that doing so might mean that there would be no more turtles left in the sea. Most people around here have stopped taking the eggs, but some places in the world still serve turtle eggs in soup and other dishes. And in some far away countries, people pay a lot of money for turtle eggs.  That is what causes poaching. If people didn’t pay the poachers, they wouldn’t take the eggs.  Some poachers find the nest and take the eggs, even while the turtle is laying them.”

“That’s not very nice! I wonder how that makes the mother turtle feel?” I said. How would they like it if someone took their babies?

“But don’t sea turtles live for a really long time?” I asked.

“Well, yes. That is if they survive,” Mar answered, “There are a lot of predators in the water as well as on land and in the skies. The poor little turtles have such a difficult and dangerous life already and they are just babies. Poachers just add to the difficulty, and when they are eggs, well, they can’t escape and run or swim away. It makes me very sad. I hope Jairo will be alright.”

I was feeling worried for little Jairo too. He was just a baby, only a few days old and already had so much danger in his life. Mar was doing all she could, but she was just a human, and humans don’t live in the water. I wondered how I could help.

“Hey, I have a great idea!” I said, “As a dolphin, I do live in the water.”

“Yes, you do,” said Mar.

“I never leave the water,” I said, “so if you like, I could help to protect this little guy.”

Mar smiled at me. “I think that is an awesome idea!”

We swam around for a little while longer until Mar’s Mom called her in from the water. Then Jairo and I explored the sea near where I had met him. It was new for him too because he was so young. He swam and I followed him around making sure that no one bullied him. The next morning, Mar joined us in the water and spent the day swimming around with us. We showed her all of the things that we had discovered about the sea nearby. Jairo went out deeper and deeper each day, but I stayed with him. Mar stayed with us when she could, but eventually we had to say goodbye to her. We decided to head south and see what we could find there. With me swimming alongside Jairo, no birds or other animals would try to catch him. Sometimes I would help him along. We both found many interesting things on our journey. I never forgot Mar and decided to that on my way home, I would love to visit her again and tell her how great Jairo was doing. I really admired Mar because she was one human kiddo who was truly one with the water.

More about Sea Turtles

There are seven different species of sea turtles living in the oceans today. Sea turtles have been swimming the oceans for at least 110 million years making them one of the oldest groups of animals in the world.  They are all listed as vulnerable to critically endangered due to hunting the turtles for their meat, shells, and eggs. Shells are used for both decoration and folk medicine (with no scientific basis). The eggs are considered a delicacy in some countries such as China. While many countries have made it illegal to hunt sea turtles and eggs, as well as to trade/ship or sell the eggs, poaching does occur and continues to threaten all species of sea turtles due to demand in certain countries for the eggs, meat, and shells. Additional threats to the sea turtles are fishing nets and traps which accidentally trap and drown the turtles, as well as water pollution such as oil spills, and trash.  The sea turtle conservation movement was pioneered by Dr. Archie Carr, who early on was concerned that the over hunting of the turtles and their eggs would end their kind. He began his work in Tortuguero, Costa Rica which began the change of the area from a turtle meat and egg market to one of the birthplaces of eco-tourism.  Sea turtles are actually useful to humans in a non-consumer capacity, for example, certain species feed exclusively on jellyfish thus reducing the populations and making it safer for us to swim in the waters frequented by the jellies. For more information and to learn what you can do to protect all species of sea turtles please check out the following links:

http://www.conserveturtles.org/seaturtleinformation.php
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/sea-turtle
http://www.conserveturtles.org/volunteer-research-programs.php?page=tortnp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Carr

More about One with the Water

Want to help others start their journey? Want to help us make a child’s life better? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today! When you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny Befriends Sea Turtles appeared first on One with the Water.

One day as I was swimming in a nearby bay and I noticed a little girl sitting on a dock. She did not look familiar to me so I thought that I might introduce myself as a good neighbor. She has large blue eyes and a cute smile, she definitely looked friendly. So, I swam over and popped my head out of the water and said,

“Hi! My name is Kenny, what’s your name?”

“Hi Kenny, I’m Amanda.” She had a marvelous smile. Then she said, “I am thinking about going for a swim. I am a mermaid, you know.”

“What? No way!” I said, laughing.

“I am so!” she insisted, smiling her big wonderful smile.

“Mermaids have fins, and you don’t have any. You have arms and legs and hands and feet!” I said.

“I have flippers and fins too. My Daddy made them for me. Do you want to see them?” Amanda was still smiling but she was very serious.

“Of course I do! It’s not every day that I meet a mermaid!” I said. In fact, I had never met a mermaid before. I didn’t think that they were real.

“OK,” said Amanda, “I will be right back!” And off she scampered toward the boathouse.

“Amanda, who are you talking to, sweetie?” Her father came over looking very concerned. When he saw that it only me, he smiled a big smile. He had Amanda’s big blue eyes. “And what is your name?” he asked me.

“I’m Kenny. Is it alright if I go swimming with Amanda?” I asked, just because he had looked so concerned.

“Absolutely. I can always trust a dolphin!” Amanda’s Dad said.

“Is she really a mermaid? Did you really make her fins and flippers?” I asked.

“Yes,” Amanda’s Dad said smiling, “Amanda has Down syndrome and too often, I hear her told what she cannot do. She is good at so many things. When she wanted to be a mermaid, I thought, this is something that she can definitely do! So I made her some fins! She is a terrific swimmer, the best swimmer that I have ever seen.” He father seemed really proud of her.

“Ok! Here I am!” said Amanda, and sure enough, she had flippers on her feet, and her father had really made a special pair of fins that fit on her hands like gloves. They were a wonderful green, blue color and matched her swimsuit. With a splash, Amanda dove into the water.

“We’ll be back soon, Daddy. We are just going for a quick swim. I want to show Kenny around.” Amanda called out.

“Ok, Amanda, I am here if you need me.” Her Dad said.

Amanda really was the best swimmer that I had seen. Well, the best human swimmer anyway! She really seemed so comfortable in the water, and she used her fins and flippers just like I do. She could swim really fast, and she could hold her breath for a very long time. I have to say, she was definitely a mermaid!

“You are an amazing swimmer, Amanda!” I said, “I believe you now. You really are a mermaid. How did your Dad make those fins?”

“My Daddy is an artist. Normally he likes to sculpt other things, but when I learned how to swim and wanted to be a mermaid, he said that he could help me to do that. On my birthday, he gave me these!” She waggled her fins at me. “And of course, I have been using them every day that I am able to swim! Swimming is my favorite thing to do.”

“What else do you like to do? I mean when you aren’t swimming?” I asked. I loved Amanda’s self-confidence. I was sure that swimming was not the only thing that she did. She seemed like a really active little person.

“Oh, I do lots of things. I like to create art just like my Daddy. I play Challenger baseball, I love to bake cupcakes and cookies. And I also hang out with my friends after school, but they are not as good at swimming as I am. When I get older, I might go into the Special Olympics for swimming! I bet I’ll win!” She was so amazingly confident! I loved that.

“I bet you will too. You are such an amazing swimmer now, I can only imagine how great you will be when you get older!”

After we were finished our swim, Amanda had to go inside for dinner and to go to bed. But we made plans to swim again the next day. And when I arrived at her dock, Amanda had a special surprise waiting for me! She had painted a picture of herself and a dolphin that looked just like me. On the top of the painting, she wrote “We are all one when we are in the water, and we are all one with the water” in very pretty pink letters.

“That is so true Amanda! And I love it!” I said.

“I had better keep it, though,” said Amanda, “because Daddy said that it might not survive getting wet.”

“I think that he is right,” I said.

We swam together for many days before I had to move on, but I promised I would be back to visit soon.  Amanda gave me a huge hug as I was leaving and said, “Kenny, I am so happy to have met you. I am the only person that I know with a dolphin for a friend!”

I said “Me too Amanda! I am the only person I know who has a mermaid for a friend!”

About Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome is caused by an individual having three copies of the genes on the 21st chromosome rather than a pair, hence the name Trisomy 21 which also refers to people born with Down Syndrome. Traits vary and can include physical traits, developmental delays, challenges in speech and language and some immune issues. However, all persons with Down Syndrome are individuals and different from each other. People with Down Syndrome can be friendly, have great senses of humor, loving and love to be active. Just like all people, persons with Down Syndrome have many different interests and passions.

For more information about Down Syndrome, please follow the following links:
For the National Down Syndrome Society please go to http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/
For the National Association for Down Syndrome, please go to http://www.nads.org/

More about One with the Water

Want to help others start their journey? Want to help us make a child’s life better? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today! When you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny Swims with a Mermaid! appeared first on One with the Water.

I decided to swim around the Caribbean for a little while, the water is the most amazing color that I have ever seen. One day as I was swimming I noticed a remarkable little boy. His name was Ethan and he had a smile that warmed my heart. He was standing in water that was just past his chest. He was moving his arms back and forth and watching the waves and bubbles that his hands made when they skimmed over the water. The sun was reflecting off the water and lit up his smiling face. He had such a gentle smile that I decided to go over for a visit.

“Hello, my name is Kenny,” I said, after all, it is always good to introduce yourself when meeting a new person.

“I’m Ethan,” said Ethan, who was smiling an even bigger smile than before. “I have never met a talking dolphin before.”

“That’s ok,” I said, “I have never met an Ethan before!”

That made Ethan laugh. “I am Ethan, not an Ethan!” he said still laughing. He had an infectious laugh to go with his wonderful smile.

“What are you doing Ethan?” I asked. He moved his hands over the water, feeling the waves on his palms.

“I am watching the waves and bubbles. The water is my favorite thing in the world. It is so much fun to watch. It is so blue, that is my favorite color. Nothing is better than water!” Ethan said.

“You won’t get an argument from me. I love the water too! I live in it!” I said.

“I didn’t want to argue with you.” Ethan was still smiling.

“I meant that I love the water too. I was just agreeing with you.”

“Oh, ok, no problem.” Said Ethan. He still was staring at the water, he seemed mesmerized by it. I completely understood because there is nothing more beautiful for me to look at than waves moving in the sunlight.

“So what do you love so much about the water Ethan?” I asked.

“Well,” Ethan smiled “it feels good to be in it. It is the most beautiful color in the world. Water is soft and warm and gentle. I don’t think that it ever stops moving. It’s shiny and makes the sun brighter.”

“I totally agree!” I said. “Everything is more beautiful in the water.”

Ethan moved his hands over the waves and giggled when a wave touched his chin. He thought for a moment then he said “I wish I were a dolphin. If I were a dolphin I would never have to leave the water. I could stay here all day and make whirlpools and bubbles and waves. I could sleep in the water! I bet that is amazing!”

“It is pretty great to live in the water,” I said.

“If I lived in the water then I could go anywhere. That must be so nice!”

“I have to admit, it is fun. I can just go anywhere that I want to. All I have to do is swim there.”

“Where do you go?” Ethan asked.

Well, I can go just about anywhere. I have spent most of my life on the coast of California. Though I have started to travel a bit. I had never seen the Caribbean, so, I decided to visit. I really love it here!” I said.

“Me too. Everything is so beautiful, especially the water. I never saw such blue water until I came here!” Ethan said.

“Where do you live?” I asked. I hoped that he was not lost, he was such a kind and gentle soul.

“We live over there in that beautiful blue house.” Ethan pointed to a bright blue house just on the shore. “I live there with my parents and my brother.”

Sure enough, I noticed someone was coming toward us. It was Ethan’s mom.

“Ethan my angel, what are you up to?” she asked.

“Just talking to this little dolphin!” Ethan said.

“That is wonderful,” she said, “but it’s time for you to take a break. Let’s go in and get a snack and then you can come back and play with you little dolphin friend later on.”

“Can’t I stay a little while longer?” Ethan asked his mom.

“Your fingers are getting pruney, Ethan. You can come back in a little while. I bet your friend will wait for you.”

“I certainly will!” I told Ethan.

As Ethan headed up to the beautiful blue house, I chatted with his Mom for a little while.

“Ethan is such a sweet person. I love how he always smiles,” I said.

“Yes, he is a really sweet boy,” said his Mom. “Ethan has Angelman Syndrome. It causes him to have a lot of challenges in his life. But the water makes him so happy that we moved here to be close to the most perfect water we had ever seen.”

“I think that is so wonderful. What is Angelman Syndrome?“  I had never heard of this.

“It is kind of like autism or Fragile X syndrome. Sometimes Ethan has sensory needs, but the water always seems to calm him and make him feel better. He is a happy and kind little boy and he really does smile a lot.” Ethan’s Mom told me.

“Is that why you call him your angel?” I asked.

“No,” she said laughing, “I never thought of it like that. We have called him our angel since he was born. He was so sweet and smiling, even as a baby.”

“He is lucky to be loved so much,” I said.

“We are lucky to be loved so much by Ethan!” his mom smiled.

I hung out with Ethan and his mom for a few days. We had lots of fun and watched the sun on the waves together. I would jump out of the water, and create a big splash with lots of bubbles and waves when I would land, Ethan loved that!  When it was time for me to explore some more, I promised to come back for another visit with my new angel friend. He was truly one with the water!

Today’s #miracle : Ethan is the #swimming star #angelmansyndrome #Angelman #syndrome. 3 summers in the making, but he did it! #CBSLA

A video posted by One with the Water® (@onewiththewater) on Sep 24, 2016 at 1:59pm PDT

Angelman Syndrome is named for the British pediatrician Harry Angelman who was the first to describe the traits in 1965. Angelman Syndrome is a genetic disorder that can cause intellectual and developmental delays. Other characteristics that people who are diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome might possess can include sleep disorders, motor skill challenges, and seizure disorders. Angelman Syndrome is often misdiagnosed as Autism or Fragile X due to the similar traits that they share including sensory needs, difficulty with expressive language and learning disabilities.  Angelman Syndrome is passed to the child from the mother. People with Angelman Syndrome, or Angels as they are sometimes referred to by family and friends, are also typically very attracted to the water. They are said to be kind, gentle people with a happy appearance due to smiling. As with any diagnosis or condition, all people with Angelman Syndrome are unique and individual human beings, with their own interests, likes, dislikes and passions.

For more information about Angelman Syndrome, please follow the link to visit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation website. https://www.angelman.org/

Have you already experienced what swimming can do? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post An Angel in the Water appeared first on One with the Water.

When I first decided to travel around the world and find new friends, I wasn’t sure where to go. After all, for a little dolphin like me, the sea is the limit! I figured I might head south to start, and from there, I would just see where the water would take me. After a while, I found my way to the Gulf of California in Mexico. It was there that I met a wonderful little girl and a very rare cousin that I never knew I had!

On this day, the water was wonderful and blue and placid. The sky was filled with sunshine and little fluffy clouds.  It was a great day to start traveling. Close to the shore, I noticed two other swimmers. One was a little girl, the other was, well, I did not know what she was. I was curious, I had to know what this unfamiliar little swimmer was. The little girl saw me first.

“Hi! My name is Rosa. What’s your name?” she introduced herself.

“Hi Rosa, I’m Kenny. Who’s your friend?” Whatever she was had just joined us.

“This is Chloe. Chloe, look, it’s your cousin Kenny!” Rosa said excitedly.

Cousin? What could she mean, cousin? I looked at Chloe, and sure enough, she did look a bit like me, only a lot smaller. She was smaller than Rosa, and Rosa was a little girl!

“Hi, Chloe. I didn’t know I had a cousin down here,” I said. I was very excited! A new cousin, how great was that?!

“Hi, Kenny,” Chloe said in a very soft voice. She was a little bit shy.

“How come I never knew about you?” I asked.

Rosa said, “Probably because there aren’t very many vaquitas around anymore.”

“Vaquitas? What is a vaquita?” I asked. I had never heard of a vaquita, and I thought I knew about all of my relatives! There are quite a lot of us cetaceans swimming around.

“I’m a vaquita!” Chloe said. She was laughing now.

“A vaquita is a type of porpoise like you are, but obviously different because she is so much smaller than you! Vaquitas are the most endangered cetaceans in the whole world. They only live in this area right here.” Rosa chimed in. She was very knowledgeable. “And, they are my favorite sea creature ever!”

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know, I just love all dolphins, and vaquitas are my favorite. I think they are really cute! I love them so much that my Mama calls me Vaquita Rosa, because I have pictures of them all over my room. I read every book about them that I can find! When I grow up I want to help save them from extinction!” said Rosa.

“No, I mean why are they so endangered?” I said, though Chloe was really cute. She was not even five feet long and she had such a cute little smile.

“Because of these things called gill nets that are used to catch fish called a totoaba which is also endangered, so these people shouldn’t be trying to catch them anyway. Vaquitas get tangled in the gill nets and can’t swim. “

“Why would someone catch such an endangered fish? I mean, aren’t there any laws that protect them?” I asked. This was very sad news because I really liked having a new cousin and wanted to meet more like her.

“There is a demand for that fish because it is thought to be medicine or something. Either way, the people who catch them are poaching. There are laws both in California and Mexico that are supposed to protect both vaquitas and totoabas. It is just difficult I guess to pay attention to such a big area for the police. That’s why I spend as much time as I can with Chloe and her friends, I want to keep them safe. And if I see any poachers using those horrible nets, I can let the police know about it.”

“I think that it is wonderful what you are doing for my cousins, Rosa. And I am so happy to meet you, Chloe! We must keep in touch!”

“We must!” agreed Chloe.

I spent a few days with Rosa and Chloe, helping to watch out for gill nets and fishermen. I really wanted to protect my new cousin. With more people like Rosa on her side, I knew that there might be a good chance for Chloe and her kind. I wondered how we could keep Chloe and the other vaquitas safe so that they might not become extinct. The only answer that I could come up with was making it so that nobody ever used those nets anywhere near where the vaquitas lived. Then the Gulf could be full of vaquitas again. That was a very nice thought. I think that it is important to take care of all my cousins and friends in the oceans, because, after all, we are all One with the Water.

Vaquitas are smallest member of the cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and the most endangered. They only live in the Gulf of California that borders Southern California and Mexico. The main reason for the decline of vaquitas is the use of gillnets for illegally capturing the totoaba, a fish that is also critically endangered and other nets for capturing shrimp and other fish. The totoaba is valued in China for the fish’s swim bladder which is considered to be a delicacy and believed to be medicinal (there is no scientific evidence that supports this). Attempts have been made by both California and Mexico to halt the use of gillnets and halt poaching of the fish for the sake of both the vaquita and the totoaba, however, poaching still occurs due to demand for the fish.

For more information on Kenny’s cousins, or to learn how you can help the vaquita, please go to:

http://www.cousteau.org/cause/vaquita-conservation-in-mexico/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/vaquita
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaquita
http://porpoise.org/save-the-vaquita/

Have you already experienced what swimming can do? Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! Be a hero today, and when you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

Want more details? Visit our foundation page to be a hero.

Kenny

Kenny is a baby Bottlenose dolphin, of the genus Tursiops, one of the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphin. He is very playful and friendly and loves to frequently leap above the water surface. Kenny plays with water toys, enjoys making bubble rings, and plays well with other dolphins or other animals.

The post Kenny Meets a Cousin – Vaquita! appeared first on One with the Water.