Tuesday was a well-earned day off for Brittany and Alexis. They spent the day resting, hanging at the beach and exploring the island, by bike and on foot.

Kel got called on a last minute dolphin trip with Bimini Undersea. Thankfully the mild effects of Tropical Storm Brett on Sunday night had fully subsided and these seas were once again flat, flat, flat. The boat passengers were fantastic, asking great questions and spotting the dolphins! At first we only saw a few, but we quickly realized that were in the midst of a very large group of dolphins. Although they were in at least three different subgroups, they totaled over thirty individuals – and that’s being conservative. There was a lone bottlenose in the mix as well and we were able to observe the dolphins under water a total of three times – each time more incredible than the last. The dolphins were very into themselves and highly vocal, but they came extremely close to us. At one point, the two dolphins pictured here seemed to be playing a seaweed game - out of the water! It looked like it might have been a mother/calf pair. I was able to confirm Romeo (#10 – and who is still looking pregnant), Tina (#14), Lone Star (#56), Prince William (#64), Tim (#69), Speedy (#78), Addie (#84), Tilly (#87), un-named #75 and several calves. Hopefully we’ll ID even more when we review the video!

Tomorrow the third 2011 summer intern arrives. So, stay tuned for more reports!

Until then,
Kel, Brittany & Alexis

On Monday morning, we were picked up by boat and chauffeured to the Coral Reef II, the Shedd Aquarium’s research vessel, to give our second talk of the month to Shedd’s High School Marine Biology program. We shared a little about DCP and the research conducted out here on Bimini with the students. Kel informed the students about the species that are found around the island, the methodology DCP uses to gather the data, and some unique facts about dolphins that they might not have known before! The interns were even able to share a little bit about their experiences, both educational and professional, that led them to DCP and their current career path. Hopefully the information will help the students with determining their own future career goals, scientific or otherwise. Some of the students were even able to pose for a photo op with one of DCP’s beloved mobile/video acoustic arrays (or more easily abbreviated as MVA!) which is how we record most of our dolphin footage here on Bimini.  Similar to the group we talked with last week, these students were very interactive and asked a lot of questions, and we greatly appreciated the time they gave and the interest they showed in wanting to learn more about DCP’s research.  Many thanks to the students, teachers, captain and crew on the Coral Reef II!

Until next time,
Brittany, Alexis, and Kel

On Sunday we departed on another Bimini Undersea dolphin trip with a full boat of passengers all eager to get a glimpse of our underwater friends!  We were glad to see the water was especially blue and clear; the perfect backdrop to find and collect dolphin data.  We sighted our first dolphin of the day, a lone spotted, at around 1700 but unfortunately it didn’t want to stick around for long.  When we went to hop in and get a look under water it quickly swam off, but we happily took the chance to cool off in the water and take a brief swim break.  As we moved in search of more we quickly found a group of six spotted dolphins.  We managed to get a quick glimpse of them under water, but they lost interest fast and headed just out of view.  As we followed them afterward we observed some impressive leaps by a young calf, some mating behaviors, and tail slaps!  While following this group we sighted another group just a little ways off in the distance, which appeared to be an even larger group of dolphins.  We assumed they would be another group of spotteds, but they actually turned out to be a group of eight bottlenose dolphins!  With a looming storm cloud growing in the distance we knew this would be our last opportunity for an underwater encounter, so we quickly jumped in and hoped for the best!  When we dove under the water we were expecting them to swim off as the bottlenose usually do, but today they completely surprised the interns and seemed particularly curious about their human visitors. Brittany was especially excited to get the chance to observe the bottlenose dolphins up close for the first time!  They were busy crater feeding for most of the time, and most of the guests were surprised by how loud their echolocation was.  Some of the dolphins were extremely interactive with the guests; twirling around them and playing it seemed!  Unfortunately, our time with the bottlenose had to end sooner than we would have liked because of the gloomy storm that was moving our way.  But as we raced back to Bimini to beat the storm chasing us down, everyone was excitedly reliving their time under the sea with the bottlenose.  It was definitely a bottlenose kind of day! 

Until next time,
Brittany & Alexis

Saturday’s trip with Bimini Undersea began at 15:51 after a loud and wet thunderstorm passed over Bimini. Luckily for us, the weather cleared up just in time and the remainder of the day was a beautiful Bimini day! At 16:47 our boat captain thought she saw some splashing typical of dolphins, but when we got closer we couldn’t find them. However, 10 minutes later we saw something strange in the distance and went to check it out. To our surprise, it was a big loggerhead turtle swimming around the surface of the ocean! After we checked him out quickly we headed back on course in search of the dolphins. Luckily, about another 10 minutes we spotted a scattered group of about 9-10 spotted dolphins! This group included 3 calves and possibly #94, whose injury is already healing well. We jumped in for a swim with them; however the dolphins swam away before we could get a good look. We were quite surprised though, as we were heading back on the boat when all of a sudden there was a group, including Swoosh (#36) with us! We got a good swim and after they swam off we got back on the boat (for real this time). About 10 minutes later we saw another group of about 5 spotted dolphins! Stefran (#82) and un-named #43 were seen in this group. As the group seemed to be sticking around we hopped in the water and got our second swim with the dolphins! Eventually the dolphins left and we got back on the boat to head in toward shore. Stayed tuned for Sunday’s field report – that’s right, we have another dolphin trip planned!

Until then,
Alexis, Brittany, and Kel

Friday was double duty once again with the DCP team split between two boats. Kel headed out first and the small group of humans was thoroughly enjoying the flat seas and endless sunshine. The first dolphins to greet us were young and included, we think, ID#094. The two were not physically interacting much, but possible-ID#094 did appear a bit agitated. This is understandably so as she had a small, but fresh wound on her left side. Since they were not interested in swimming with us, we continued on. Throughout the day we saw various Atlantic spotted dolphins, generally in pairs and generally focused on their own agenda. We did see several curious calves under water as well as mom, Juliette (#12). We also saw Trudy (#57) from the boat when a larger group finally passed through. Kel was even able to record a few minutes of underwater video with the MVA!

Alexis and Brittany left around 15:48 after a brief sprinkle of rain swept over Bimini. We found a small group of about 3 spotted dolphins including a mom and calf pair at 17:37. We followed them around, watching the calf get very close to the boat. The calf even did some jumps and tail slaps to show off for us. After we followed them for almost an hour we figured we would try to get in with them, but it seemed that they were less interested in us than we were in them. After we got back on the boat, we continued to follow them for a bit and then decided it was time to head back into shore. Dolphin trips continue through the weekend, so here’s to hoping they continue to be dolphin-filled!

Thanks to Bimini Undersea and Sea Crest Hotel & Marina for a fantastic week. We always enjoy the chance to join their trips – and meet their amazing passengers!

Until then,
Alexis, Brittany, and Kel

As the interns headed out to sea on Thursday they were amazed by the calm, beautiful blue water!  It was almost completely flat and glass-like in some areas making it a perfect day to spot dolphins from afar!  We sighted a group of about seven bottlenose dolphins early in our trip very close to shore but we moved on quickly as they didn’t appear interested in a swim.  Not long after we sighted a second group of bottlenose, and though we attempted to get in the water with them, they swam off as soon as they noticed our presence.  As we sped off from our bottlenose friends, they gave us a farewell by riding the waves from our boat!  At around 1730 we encountered a spotted mother/calf pair riding the bow of the boat, and not soon after we came upon a group of eight spotteds who led us to an even larger group of 20 or more!  We were quickly able to ID Swoosh (#36), Split Jaw (#22), Romeo (#10), Addie (#84), un-named #088 (pictured here) and possibly Leslie (#80).  The large group quickly scattered all around the boat, but we were able to jump in the water with a sub-group of about seven dolphins who gave us a quick, but up close glimpse of them below the surface.  As that group moved off, another small group of four dolphins followed along beside us and gave us quite a show of jumping and leaping!  It seemed they were almost teasing us by coming close to the boat, then moving slightly away to jump and leap to higher heights than what we have seen from the calves.  It was a spectacular sight to see and they continued to do it for some time as we eagerly followed them.  We attempted one more time to join them under water, but they were too busy going about their own game of acrobatics to be concerned with us.  Regardless, it was a great end to a day full of dolphins! 

Kel’s trip was similarly eventful.  As their boat moved out to sea they were greeted with turtles, schools of fish, and a group of gulls!  After taking a brief snorkel and swim break, the group encountered a large group of dolphins including some of the same dolphins the interns saw, such as Swoosh (#36), Romeo (#10), and Addie (#84)!  Kel and the passengers spent some time watching the dolphins under water, but the dolphins seemed to be scattered everywhere. Kel – and the passengers - were able to ID Tilly (#87) once again who has been a crowd favorite all week. Later in the day, Kel was also able to catch a glimpse of Trudy (#57) and Romeo (#10), with Tilly (#87) in tow once again!  Kel’s trip was full of dolphins for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, but they were forced to say goodbye to them as the daylight faded and the sun went down on Bimini. With the extraordinarily calm waters and clear visibility we’re all keeping our fingers crossed for good footage and photographs. And we’re looking forward to the weekend’s trips!

Until the next trip,
Brittany, Alexis, and Kel

Today was another day of split up boat trips. Alexis and Brittany headed out at 13:06 and within 20 minutes saw a group of about 10 eagle rays swimming by! After we watched them for a bit we moved on to 3 Sisters for our snorkel swim. After a long and relaxing snorkel break we headed out in search of the dolphins! It took us a while, but we eventually saw a group of over 20 spotted dolphins and at least one bottlenose in the distance! Within this group we saw Trudy (#57), Romeo (#10), and Swoosh (#36) with her calf! We also saw at least 5 other calves in the group. The group was moving too fast for us to get in; however they were almost putting on a show for us, with the youngsters doing lots of tail slaps, jumping, and pec rubbing! We followed the group for a while and it eventually evolved into dolphins scattered in every direction. We thought one of the groups slowed down enough for us to hop in with them and have a little swim, but they briefly investigated us and then paid us no mind. So we hopped back on the boat and continued following the scattered groups. The dolphins apparently thought it would be fun to play games with us. They would be moving in one direction and then swim underwater and pop up in a completely different direction! We zigzagged around the ocean for almost 2 hours before we realized that we were not going to win this game. We headed back toward the dock at 18:49 and called it a day. Kel’s trip started at 15:45 and they immediately went in search of dolphins. They saw a group late in the afternoon, slightly after 1800. In that group there were 4-5 spotted dolphins including Leslie (#80) and her calf, another mother/calf pair and possibly Addie (#84). They got in for a quick swim, and everyone got a nice glimpse of the mothers and calves. They left the dolphins soon after their swim and headed back to shore around 19:10. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring more dolphins and longer underwater observations!

Until then,
Alexis, Brittany, and Kel

The interns departed on Tuesday at 1530hrs excited and eager to encounter more dolphins!  We sighted a group of about nine spotted dolphins at around 1700hrs who were very much on the move and swimming fast back toward Bimini.  There were at least two calves in the group and we were even able to spot Trudy (#57), Split Jaw (#22), and Romeo (#10)!  The group was pretty rambunctious; there was plenty of jumping and leaping from the calves, some play with sea grass, and some mating behavior as well.  We got to view their watery acrobatics from the boat for over an hour and half, before they finally slowed down enough for us and the passengers to join them under water!  We had a great swim with the group of dolphins including a couple curious calves who seemed to enjoy darting in between passengers.  Eventually the group lost interest and were off faster than we could keep track of!  We headed back to the dock happy to have been able to watch the group for so long and enjoy the beautiful Bahamian day.

Luckily, Kel’s boat trip was just as successful!  They spotted a group of at least six spotted dolphins, including one bottlenose who tagged along for a bit.  She was able to ID Tilly (#87) and un-named (#93) as part of the group, and later they were joined by Lil’ Jess (#35), Prince William (#64, aka Billy, pictured here) and Speedy (#78).  Kel and the passengers were able to get into the water with the group. On the second swim, Tilly and Speedy were very close to the guests! As sunset approached, the humans had to head back to the dock, even though the dolphins were still in view. The trip ended at around 2000 hrs, but all were content with their dolphin sightings for the day.  We all captured some great footage and photographs and can’t wait to do the same tomorrow!

Until the next dolphin filled trip,
Brittany, Alexis & Kel

Monday was a DCP filled day! It started out early with a talk with the Bimini Undersea’s passengers. We discussed what DCP’s research entails and answered many great questions from the curious passengers. Thank you all! After our talk it was time for dolphin trips and we had two trips as our trips were again split up. Brittany and Alexis headed out early at 13:02 and enjoyed a relaxed snorkel swim early on and then went in pursuit of the dolphins! However, it seemed as though the dolphins were not too interested in finding us! Luckily though, we found a scattered group of spotted dolphins (about 4) at 17:36 that were jumping and chasing fish. We followed them for a bit, but lost them, only to find them again a little later with some additional dolphins, including Stefran (#82). When we found them again they were still scattered about and possibly feeding. Eventually we felt that they were sticking around enough for a quick swim. We hopped in and got 2 quick swims with the group before they left us and saw Romeo (#10), Split Jaw (#22) and Tim (#69), among others. We eventually found them again, but as they seemed more interested in feeding then they were in us we left them and headed back toward the dock. Kel’s trip left at 15:58 and similarly had a hard time finding dolphins. However, they spotted the spotteds chasing fish at 18:47. She was able to confirm a single adult Atlantic spotted. Kel’s group headed back to the dock soon after. Hopefully tomorrow will have even more dolphins for all of us!

Until tomorrow,
Alexis, Brittany, and Kel

With a few successful dolphin trips under their belt, the interns headed out on Sunday with Bimini Undersea to find more dolphins!  We sighted a group of about six bottlenose dolphins early on and close to Bimini’s shores, and attempted to get in the water with them, but although they most likely were crater feeding, they weren’t too interested in having a swim with us. Shortly after we found a pair of spotted dolphins hanging out and playfully swimming around!  As we jumped in the pair was very interactive and didn’t mind getting up close and personal with us, and the guests! They soon lost interest and swam off, but it was a great swim to start the afternoon. As the night started to wind down and darkness wasn’t far off we spotted a large group of twenty or more dolphins including spotted and bottlenose! The group was very frisky and we observed some tail slaps and most likely some mating behaviors as well.  We were even able to spot Split Jaw (#22) and Stefran (#82)!  As the larger group scattered, smaller sub-groups developed and we were able to have another underwater encounter with a group of about seven spotted dolphins who were hanging around the boat.  As we got into the water this group was quickly joined by another group of about six dolphins who wanted to get in on the fun!  There were a lot of close swims and a lot of dolphins to keep our eyes on!  We were even able to catch a glimpse of Swoosh (#36) with her male calf, Addie (#84) and Tilly (#87)!  It was a great end to the day!  We headed back to the dock at 2000hrs feeling satisfied and excited to see our footage from the day’s swims!

While the interns headed out on their dolphin trip, Kel also headed out on a trip of her own with Sea Crest Hotel & Marina. They sighted a group of at least 4 bottlenose, but as with the Bimini Undersea trip, they didn’t seem all too interested in having a swim with the guests.  Soon after they encountered a large group of at least 21 spotted dolphins which included Lil’ Jess (#35), Lonestar (#56), Stefran (#82), un-named #40, and possibly Cerra (#38).  At least four young calves were in the mix as well. Although visibility deteriorated over the course of the day, Kel was still able to record about 20 minutes of video/acoustic data. They continued to follow the large group of dolphins; at one point it included both spotted and bottlenose dolphins. There were more familiar faces including Romeo (#10), Tina (#14), Trudy (#57) and un-named #93. With sunset not far off, they had to say to say goodbye to the dolphins. Three youngsters rode the bow for a few minutes, with #93 the last off the bow of the boat.  The boat reached the dock shortly after the interns had arrived, and we were all glad to know that both groups had successful dolphin trips! We look forward to another day of dolphin trips tomorrow!

Until then,

Brittany, Alexis, & Kel