Today was the final day of our marathon of dolphin trips….and what a day it was! We were in the water for over 45 minutes & had quite a workout free diving with the dolphins. Darcie was in charge of the MVA today & likely got great data. Kel had the still camera & we’re sure we have some nice new ID photos of most in the group. The group included: White Blotch (#29) & baby, Nemo (#76), Leslie (#80), Romeo (#10), Finn (#09), Split Jaw (#22) & Billy (#64).
Category: Bimini 2006
Our first aquarium phone call since 2004!
This morning was our first official phone link with the aquarium this year- and it went great! Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration (MAIFE) has a “Dolphin Highlights” program in a theatre there. Following a brief video of dolphin behavior, MAIFE calls us for a Q&A session with the audience. We had some great questions- keep them coming! Then it was our afternoon trip. We watched dolphins for quite awhile- first a lone, young juvenile who had no interest in swimming with us clumsy humans.
Quick & Curious Swim
Today was nothing special in terms of return on effort, but it was 2 of the most interesting minutes of the season! At 17:28 we approached a mother/calf pair that we did not recognize. We watched them from the surface for a bit & then saw that they were no longer traveling. So, in the water we went! And just in time to watch the pair vertical at the surface of the water. We recorded their interesting rubbing actions & look forward to watching the video soon! Another trip tomorrow! -Kel &
Another Double Day
This morning was the final trip for last week’s group & unfortunately it was rough & dolphin-less. We headed away from the dock, knowing that it might be a rough, rainy ride- and it was. We tried for just over 2 hours to find dolphins, but the seas & rain were too much. So, it was back to the dock & farewell to our passengers. We hope they had a great time, despite some of the weather challenges thrown in! The afternoon was much more what we normally expect.
New passengers overlap with current ones
Today began a “traditional” dolphin week- that is, those that begin Sunday & end Thursday. We met up with our small group of passengers, keeping a watchful eye on the skies. We think this group, despite being small, will be very engaging…. Unfortunately, the south winds continued to pick up & the crew opted to cancel today’s trip. But, not all is lost! It just meant rum punch & the DCP presentation for our travel weary guests. Hope the weather calms for tomorrow- it’s a double! Until then,
Presentation is a no-go
We were scheduled to give our weekly DCP presentation today, but no one was interested. That is always a bit disheartening, but we understand that this group of passengers has particularly demanding days, so we just chatted with folks on the boat. The trip began with a snorkel stop at Atlantis & everyone was very happy to see that the seas were much calmer. So, out to the dolphin grounds we went- and we were not disappointed! We had a group of 16 spotteds, of which we knew 10 of them!
Two trips for the price of one?
It was up bright & early for us today- which doesn’t happen very often in Bimini! We had a trip with a group of walk-ins. We left the dock shortly after 08:00 and had dolphins before 09:00. It was a peculiar group- 2 spotted mother/calf pairs with 2 juvenile bottlenose. We may have gotten a good shot or 2 of bottlenose dorsal fins- at least we hope so. Once the passengers (and the MVA!
A busy day
Today was filled….the morning brought a test phone call with the aquarium for this summer’s “Dolphin Highlights” program. For those of you who have been following since 2004, a film showcasing dolphin behavior & DCP’s research is shown in a small theatre at the aquarium. As part of this program, there is a live phone link with us in Bimini! Everything went well with today’s test & the program begins for real next Wednesday! Next, we took the MVA to the beach.
Water Test #2
Today a new group of dolphin passengers arrived….hmmm…does that imply that our passengers are dolphins? Anyway, it is a diverse group this week who are all part of a “make-a-wish”- type foundation. We have three autistic passengers, ranging from 9-30-something years old with their families & caretakers. It will mean an intense, demanding week for… Continue reading Water Test #2
Housing & Camera Work
So after yesterday’s stressful day, we spent today giving some love & affection to the MVA & camera. The camera is living in the air conditioning & was wiped down with rubbing alcohol. The MVA was aired out, cleaned out & the o-rings were inspected. We then took the MVA, without the camera, to the local hotel pool for a water test. No water. Tomorrow, we’ll see if the camera turns on & do more water tests with the MVA. We also took care of some much needed updates in the dive shop.
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