For me, dolphins are one of the most fascinating sea creatures on earth. The holy animals of Greek Gods, Apollo and Poseidon, as well as a symbol of friendship and solidarity, they have a special place in our heart. The relationship of Greeks with dolphins is as old as humanity. Homer’s scripts, Minoan frescos in Crete and Santorini, and ancient coins all depict dolphins. Also, many myths and legends highlight the relationship between humans, Gods and dolphins.

The view of their glimmering bodies while chasing after food, or simply playing in the waves, or swimming near the bow of a boat remains etched in our memories of those who have been lucky enough to witness it.

Dolphins’ gestation is 12 months. When born, the young dolphins stay with their mothers for three to six years and the mothers invent a special tune, a name for its baby, which the calf memorises for the rest of its life.

They breathe through lungs and can store enough oxygen to swim for 20 minutes at a depth of up to 500 meters. Dolphins barely sleep, and their hearing and visibility are incredible. Their role as hunters is crucial for maintaining a balance in the sea’s ecosystem as they eat the unhealthy fish, thus preventing infectious diseases from spreading.

There are many anecdotes of dolphins defending humans from animals that attack them, like sharks. This behaviour is similar to that of mother dolphins protecting their offspring. Many swimmers and troubled divers claim they were held at, or transported to, the surface with the aid of a dolphin.

Why do they do this? While we can’t be sure, one explanation may be related to the comparison between body characteristics of dolphins and humans since both are intelligent mammals. Thanks to its sense of echo location, a dolphin can hear our heartbeat, and so may realise when a person is very afraid. It is then that they act as they would with a traumatised mate or offspring.

In the old sea stories of Greece, there are dozens of claims of dolphins that helped drowning sailors, rescuing people from sharks, and making themselves useful as guides through treacherous waters.

Dolphins also help injured members of their own family groups, and new-born babies, to the surface by swimming under them and nudging upward. Remarkably, there are real stories of dolphins helping other cetaceans. In 1983 in New Zealand, a pod of pilot whales ran aground at low tide. The locals did their best to keep the whales alive until the tide returned. However, the whales became distressed orienting themselves. A nearby pod of dolphins seemingly realised the situation and swam into the shallow water. Despite the risk to themselves, the dolphins managed to herd 76 of the 80 stranded pilot whales back out to sea.

In the Gulf of Akaba, a British tourist was rescued from sharks by three dolphins, and there are several other examples of similar incidences in Australia.