A note from Karen: Today’s science project was to go out in the dinghy and observe a small pod of killer whales, also known as Orcas, that came to play in the lagoon. When we got too close, Rebecca reassured the nervous adults that killer whales in the wild have never been known to injure man. (She has a book on dolphins and whales.) We questioned her for further facts and found out that they could hold their breath for an “astonishingly long time” and swim really fast. Asked to qualify those terms, she came home, dug out her book and wrote a report. She then gave an oral presentation–complete with pictures to enhance the telling–and enlightened all the adults.

We spent the next few days towing a windsurfer board  behind the dinghy.  At first Rebecca was a bit tentative.  Now she says she is going to stand up next time she tries.