I've been "side-tracked!" 

After initially planning to frequently update my blog, I got side-tracked with writing articles for my Tropical Travel column on Examiner.com. Since announcing my travel column, I have recently broadened my scope and am now the National Tropical Travel Examiner


I invite you to check out my page here: http://www.examiner.com/x-12498-Tropical-Travel-Examiner


Two of my recent articles have involved my personal "close encounters" with dolphins. The first was in the early 90's in the Turks and Caicos Islands, when I had an up-close-and-personal encounter with JoJo, a solo dolphin who has become a "national treasure" known worldwide. If you'd like to read it, here's the link:


http://www.examiner.com/x-12498-Tropical-Travel-Examiner~y2010m1d30-Close-Encounters-of-the-Dolphin-Kind-Part-I-JoJo-Dean-Bernal-and-Me


The second article, entitled "Close Encounters of the Dolphin Kind, part II: diving with dolphins in Curacao," allowed me to share the once-in-a-lifetime experience Stephen and I had diving with two dolphins on a reef in Curacao in July 2008. It includes video of part of our dive. 


The link: http://www.examiner.com/x-12498-Tropical-Travel-Examiner~y2010m2d21-Close-encounters-of-the-dolphin-kind-part-II-diving-with-dolphins-in-Curacao