Observing dolphins above and below the surface
Sunday is spent with a morning introduction to the 16 dolphins at Bailey's Key. We share marks and scars seen from above the surface so our team will become familiar with the dolphins. Because the underwater visibility is not great (due to rain), we took the
snorkel boat out to the reef for everyone to try out the MVA3. We also checked out the fish.
The afternoon for half of the team was spent at RIMS reviewing the hydrophone and recorder, and the data forms. We also reviewed the videotapes of the
dolphins in preparation for out first data collection session on Monday. Before that though is our team's encounter and swim.
The other half of the team went on a dolphin dive. Paya and Esteban meet the divers off shore in ~50 feet of water. For the first part of the dive they did their own thing–exploring, disappearing and reappearing. And often surprising us from behind a coral head. Once they'd had fun, they spent more
time with the divers. The last part of the dive had Paya and Esteban's continuous presence in a flurry of strobe flashes and sand.
Till tomorrow,
Kathleen, Robin, John, & Team #2