Of all the mammals on earth, none has inspired our affection as much as the dolphin. In 1988, a group of researchers began a revolutionary experiment: They “borrowed” a pair of wild dolphins from the sea, studied them in captivity, and then set them free to continue studying the animals in their home waters. This is the extraordinary story of that project, an ongoing adventure shared by a daring team of humans and two very special dolphins that has built a bridge between disparate worlds and very different creatures. Now, Carol J. Howard, a researcher and primary member of the team, invites you along on the coast-to-coast odyssey that began when two Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were captured in Tampa Bay, Florida, and transported to Long Marine Laboratory in Santa Cruz, California. Touching, enlightening, and ultimately inspiring, it’s a story filled with drama, humor, and heartbreak—one that offers breathtaking possibilities and poses crucial questions for anyone who cares about the future of the dolphins . . . and of the planet itself.