We spent Sunday morning beginning our review of 2008 video data for DCP’s on-going pectoral fin study. The dolphin trip was not scheduled until 1600, but started off with a bang – a bottlenose sighting only 20 min. in! A group of at least 8 dolphins was sighted and we were so excited when they decided stay. Kel took lots of surface pictures while we all hopped in the water. They let us swim with them for about half an hour! Alexis and Vicki took as many underwater pictures as they could before getting back on the boat to see if we could make it a two for one deal and find some spotteds. Unfortunately, it seemed the weather had another plan. Light showers started around 1730 and continued off and on the rest of the trip. A few more sightings; at 1738 (at least 2 dolphins), 1849(at least 2 dolphins), and 1915 (at least 3 dolphins) kept the wet trip interesting, but we were unable to identify any of these dolphins. The real rain started around 1930, but fortunately we were pulling into the harbor. Now we’ve got plenty of work to do with all the pictures and data.
Hopefully tomorrow’s trip will be full of dolphins and minus the rain!
Vicki, Alexis, and Kel