I woke several times last night … to the sound of pouring rain and wind! But, when I looked at the visibility at 6 AM, it looked sort of ok. So, we trekked over the Bailey’s for me to collect some data. The gang was all out and I slipped into the water to really good visibility, albeit a tad dark due to the thick cumulous clouds overhead.
The dolphins – the younger ones – decided I was indeed their play toy.
We were greeted to a deluge of rain on waking! The wind joined the rain and the sound was like a freight train rumbling by! Luckily, the sun came out a bit later … but the wind remained all day. Rain, plus rolling breakers just outside the reef meant the underwater visibility was not good (technical term: yucky!). And, the sun, rain and wind were joined by a strong current across the reef.
My flight from Miami to Roatan began well! Check-in was smooth and security lines were short. The flight departed on time. As we neared Roatan, seemingly ready to prep for landing, the captain informed us the ceiling was too low. We’d have to circle for a bit of time. We tried our first attempt at landing about 25 min later … the wind shear had other ideas! Same thing for our second attempt! So, we headed to Belize to wait out the weather and refuel.
My pile of gear is ready to go … I finished packing last night, much earlier than usual for a week of data collection!
But, everything is set – the SM2M, the MVA, and my mask, fins, snorkel and wet suit … and a few bits of clothing!
Today, I’ll pull together some files and other details to work on when not collecting and logging the data to be collected.
I’ve connected with the folks at RIMS and look forward to returning and to seeing and recording the dolphins this season.
I’ll update you on the dolphin group and our
Apply to Sacred Heart University's Field Course in Cetacean Ecology and you can join DCP and Dr. Deirdre Yeater at our field site in Bimini, The Bahamas.
It is that time of year again! I’ve begun packing gear in prep for travel to Roatan to continue our studies of dolphin social behavior, acoustics and communication at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) at Anthony’s Key Resort. I am bringing the MVA2 and the SM2M passive acoustic recorder to continue documenting dolphin interactions and vocal behavior.
I depart on Saturday and will be at RIMS for a week. I’ll be joined by four participants – Bill, Ron, Lance and Jeanne.
On Wednesday, I joined what may have been DCP’s final boat trip of the year. Of course, I hope that other trips pop up throughout the fall and early winter, but this was the last trip on the calendar. And, it was a windy one! We departed with high hopes, but realistic expectations as the wind had picked up throughout the day. Sure enough, the seas had some guests snuggled inside, while others laughed at the sea spray in their faces.
Wednesday was another busy day of dolphin observations for the Bimini Adventures guests. Before we were even completely clear of the harbor, we could see bottlenose dolphins in the perfectly blue Bimini water. This trio was headed south and although my quest for dorsal fin ID shots was interrupted by a passing yacht, it was very cool to watch the dolphins surf the wake – and make impressive leaps – toward the shore of South Bimini.
Thursday was my last chance to join this year’s Hunter College crew and we certainly made it count. Departing shortly after 1500, it wasn’t until 17:32 that we first saw dolphins. We could see the splashing in the distance and when we finally reached, there were a dozen spotteds. This number grew to 26, including at least 3 calves. Under water I am sure I saw Lil’ Jess (#35) and her calf, Tina (#14), Leslie (#80), Inka (#93) and “the boys,” Split Jaw (#22), Prince William (#64) and Speedy (#78).
There is so much data processing to continue to catch up on, not to mention helping to finalize the next issue of The Dolphin Gazette, but I took a break on Monday to visit with the second round of students from Chicago City Day School aboard the Coral Reef II. This group was surprisingly perky given the not-so-calm Gulfstream crossing they had just completed. But, I suppose it is all part of their big adventure! It was blast sharing the details of DCP’s work and the importance of photo-identification with these budding scientists.