My trip to Dolphin Encounters was only four days this month, but it was very productive and yielded more almost 3.5 hours of data. It was great to see the dolphins again and to record their behavior and interactions. In between my data collection sessions with the dolphins I had the opportunity to watch the sea lions and sea turtle. I even saw a few of the blue crabs feeding on algae.
Category: Bahamas DE 2009
Friday – our last day of data collection
It rained last night but cleared by morning and the sun shown brilliantly. We had a good start to the day and I was in the water with Dot, Chippy and Jake by about 9:45 am. A few times, I felt that Dot and Chippy were “sneaking” up on me, maybe observing my behavior? They would click on me only just as they swam by me – from about 4 meters away and slowly by me. Jake whistled a few times when he was around the females and as he swam around me.
Better visibility and more behavior!
Today was a great session with the young boys in one of the front pools. The underwater visibility had improved even more and so I could see the parallel swims, and follow the dolphins for farther underwater without being too close. Very neat. Goombay was curious about my fins, but not too curious while Andy and Salvador swam under and around me. They even shared a pectoral fin contact! Of course, I was clicked on and whistled at …
Three Underwater Sessions!!
The underwater visibility was much improved today. I was able to enter for three sessions and collect about an hour of data. I began my day with Dot, Chippy and Jake. Chippy was very curious and checked me out often. Jake and Dot were a bit less curious of me, but it could have been that they had also just finished breakfast.Almost immediately after my first session, I was able to observe Nina, Stormy and Gussie Mae. They were in a different pool but were very laid back about me in there to observe them.
Dolphins! Lots of buzzing and whistling
Today was a great day because I was able to get in the water a couple of times and record dolphin behavior and sounds. My first entry was with Nina and Stormy in one of the back area pools. They were on a date, as it were. Nina is an adult female and Stormy a young adult male. They were curious about me and the array but with passing click trains and belly-up swims. Very neat to be back in the water. My second entry was with Soca and Miss Merlin: two females with lots of personality.
In The Bahamas, almost to Nassau
I was able to spend a couple of days in Abaco. It was wonderful, even if Hurricane Ida seemed to have kept the wind and seas a bit choppy. Or maybe I am just blaming Ida for the weather since she is the latest Hurricane I have encountered in a particular season!
I’ll be on Nassau this evening and out to Blue Lagoon Island tomorrow (Tuesday) to begin this session of data collection observing the dolphins at Dolphin Encounters. It’ll be quite nice to see our friends (both dolphin and human) again this season.
Bahamas Bound!
Tomorrow morning I head to The Bahamas and will begin collecting data on the dolphins at Dolphin Encounters a few days after arrival. It is indeed fall in New England and I am very glad to be spending a brief period in The Bahamas.
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