Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms reading this! Yesterday the weather was still rough, so it was an inside day. Today however was a new group of passengers and a very busy day in the water. We first saw the spotteds at 1716 and saw them continuously until 1911. In the group were Romeo (#10), Tina (#14), White Blotch (#29) & calf, Tim (#69), Nemo (#79), Leslie (#80) and unnamed female calf #87 and juvenile male #78. We also saw the same adult who was observed last week with a serious dorsal fin injury.
Category: Bimini 2007
A day off in the flats
Well, today was a day off the work boat and mostly off the computer. The weather is still rough, but a few of us went exploring the flats between the Biminis, which is generally protected from the wind. We did not see any young sharks, but we did see two large southern stingrays and lots of sponges, sea stars and conch. There is still a strong smoky hazy from the wildfires in Florida, but aside from that, it was a nice day.
Wind & Waves Continue
On Tuesday & Wednesday the wind continued to blow, so they were quiet for me. This morning, I had a test call with the aquarium. All went well, so next week we should be starting our regular phone link. The difference this year is that it will all be done over the internet. It’s amazing! This afternoon I finally got a chance for trip #6 of the season. It was rough, that’s for sure, but video filled. From the boat we saw Romeo (#10), Tina (#14), Nemo (#76) and nicknamed “Yarmulke”
WIND
Today was windy, wavy and unsuitable for a dolphin trip. So, instead I had my weekly discussion with passengers. I’m 2 for 2 with great passenger discussions! It was a small, but very engaged group with lots of great questions. Then it was back home to the MVA for me and a golf cart tour of the island for them. The weather is still looking rough for tomorrow, but we’ll see what happens… Until then,
A new group
Yesterday was spent doing to tedious things like apartment hunting. Today was much more exciting as a new group of passengers arrived. We have folks from all over the world again! The “meet & greet” was at 1400, followed by a 1500 boat departure. The passengers had a nice snorkel at the area of the “Bimini Road” where all the fish are, while the new videographer & I went over some basic water rescue skills with the Bimini Undersea captain.
Dolphins, dolphins everywhere
The group was able to end its trip on a high note. Today, we saw dolphins just after 1700 and were able to observe the group until after 1900! It was a great 2+ hours. We were able to get in the water briefly, but for me the most interesting part was at the end of the day. We knew we were unlikely to get back in the water, so we were observing the group from the boat. These were the same animals that we had been observing for the past two hours.
A great presentation
Well folks, we’re 0 for 3 on encounters. I’m not sure that has ever happened before. At least the day started with a fantastic passenger presentation – this week’s group is very interested & engaged. Even the kids managed to stay still long enough to ask some really great questions. Then it was out to the “dolphin grounds.” The seas were calmer than they’ve been all week and the sun was shining, but there were no dolphins to be seen.
Another no swim day
It was another long day with dolphins only making an appearance at sunset. It was 2 adults, presumably female, and five calves. Since dolphins only have one (successful) calf at a time, it was likely that these females were “babysitting” the additional calves. The calves rode the bow for quite awhile, including a very young, small calf! It was great fun to watch, but unfortunately, the mothers did not stay on the bow long enough to identify. Tomorrow will be the weekly passenger presentation and another boat trip!
Boat trip #1
Today was the first trip of the 2007 summer field season! Yay! The week’s passengers are a great group and very patient. Today, we were able to watch dolphins late in the day (including Buster #04 and Finn #04). The group was actively mating and had little interest in the boat or swimmers. On the way home we were greeted by Nemo (#76) and Leslie (#80).
Bimini here I come!!
Hello all! It feels like just days ago I was posting during the first Bimini winter field season. Now, I am sitting in the Ft.
Love dolphins? Love science? You've come to the right place!
Whether you’re a young student interested in learning more about dolphin biology, a college student looking for internship experiences working with dolphins, or a seasoned researcher hoping to connect with colleagues on topics of dolphin behavior, ecology, or cognition, you’ve come to the right place.
The Dolphin Communication Project charitable solicitation number ch42894, meets all requirements specified by the florida solicitation of contributions act. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state of florida, or 850-410-3800 when calling outside the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.