Tuesday was another cloudy, humid day on Bimini. We spent part of the morning working on our data and then got ready to head over to the Sea Crest Hotel. At 12:30 we met with the tourist group to have a chat about DCP, dolphins and the research we are doing in Bimini.This turned out to be wonderful and the guests had many interesting questions for us. Thank you for your interest - and for supporting DCP!
We grabbed a quick lunch and then Nicole prepared for the boat departure at 1500.
As you may have noticed, DCP has been expanding and growing, with our mission statement reaching farther than ever before. DCP has been fortunate to gain the support and interest of so many people, which was evidenced in our recent matching fundraiser in June—surpassing our fundraising goal of $2,000 by more than 15%! Feeling so grateful about the support received, DCP has decided to give back in its own way. To that end, DCP has started a new program to pay it forward to a conservation organization in two ways.
Monday was a busy, busy day on Bimini! We left the house early, shuttling dog crates and supplies to the ferry; we carried them to South Bimini so we could meet the rest of the team and head up to Resorts World Bimini...oh, wait. We're getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?
Long story short, Kel is a regular volunteer at local vet clinics and with efforts to get island strays into foster and forever homes.
Wednesday through Saturday were off-the-boat days for DCP. In lieu of dolphin-searching, we filled our days with data entry, photo ID and (Master's) project preparation. We also spent some time preparing for the rescue of 7 puppies and 5 adult dogs found on North Bimini--Island Paws Rescue is coordinating these efforts and we wanted to lend a hand! Stay tuned for details!
By Sunday we were ready for the newest Bimini Adventures tourist group. Nicole was on the boat at 1500 to join the guests on their first boat trip.
The Dolphin Gazette, 20.3, is here! It is jammed packed with exciting announcements and heartfelt reflections. From our Pay It Forward for Conservation initiative (Viva Vaquita!) to strengthening relationships with students and collaborators, we're sure you'll enjoy this issue. And for all you college-kids (and parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and friends of college kids), be sure to check out the details on our Dec/Jan field course to RIMS. Applications and deposits are coming in - secure your space now!
Click here to download The Dolphin Gazette.
Tuesday was the Hunter and Manhattan College group's last day on Bimini. For their final boat trip we departed from the dock just after 1400, a tad earlier than usual, to do a bit of snorkeling before commencing the search for dolphins. Our snorkel stop was at Bimini Road (known by some as the Road to Atlantis, or some variation of this name). After the students had explored the site, they returned to the boat and we began our search.
Sunday was another beautiful day on Bimini. Kel and Nicole had planned to have a morning meeting but it was rescheduled so instead, they took care of some other island business (we can’t resist trying to help The Stray Dogs of Bimini!). By 1500 Nicole was ready to head out with the Hunter/Manhattan College group once again. Only 15 minutes into the trip, Dr.
Saturday morning found DCP researchers in the office and most of the students exploring the mangroves. At 1500, Nicole and the university group set off on their dolphin search. The ocean was as calm and flat as a lake! It was so flat that it made it much easier to spot the lone bottlenose dolphin that crossed our path less than 20 minutes into our ride. We observed this dolphin from the boat for a few minutes before continuing on our way.
For this trip, Dr.
Thursday was a day off the boat for DCP. We used the day to catch up on some data processing and to prepare for some upcoming projects. Friday began with more office work. At 1500 both of us got to join Bimini Adventures' Hunter/Manhattan Colleges group again! It was clear from the beginning that our ride would be much easier--the wind was almost nonexistent! With this in mind, we had high hopes for our dolphin sightings.
Well, on Wednesday Nicole and Kel were both able to join Bimini Adventures’ boat trip, and everyone was hopeful we there would calmer seas and more dolphins. The day started out strong, with a large school of spotted eagle rays not far from the harbor entrance. Everyone got a good look at these graceful critters from the boat.