Yesterday was nice as the winds had finally calmed, but the dolphins certainly tested our patience. We saw a group of 3 adults just before sunset. They had some mild interest in the boat, but seemed to be traveling slowly south. We were able to watch them for nearly 30 minutes and the passengers got a quick glimpse underwater. Now things slow down a bit in terms of boat time, so I’ll be spending time going through video, sorting photos, etc.
Tag: older content
A rough start to the week, but things are calming down
a very large shark…The shark, most likely a tiger shark, was conservatively 10 feet long and cruising past the boat at about mid-water column. Perhaps this was why the dolphins were acting so odd. By then it was time to head back to the dock, so we said goodnight to the dolphins – and the shark.Today began rough, so we stayed within the relative shelter of the island. We received word from another boat that there was a tiger shark in the area (the same one?), so we wondered what we might encounter.
A Good, Busy Week Ends with a Quiet Day
We first came upon the group of spotteds shortly before 1730. We saw Tina (#14), Split Jaw (#22), Billy (#64), Nemo (#76), Leslie (#80) and un-named #78 and 87. We also saw a first for me – at the same moment in the water, I was able to observe a known mother (#57), her offspring (#84, approximately 4 years old) and likely, her new calf! The new calf was “clean,” meaning it had no spots, scars or other re-identifiable markings, so it cannot be added to our catalog. It was so cool!
A Dolphin’s Song
A Dolphin’s Song
Wow
This morning was busy, catching up on neglected email before heading out in search of dolphins. The winds were finally calm; it felt like summer! The sea was picture perfect flat as I looked overboard counting the sea stars on the seafloor. Then, at approximately 1530, I saw them. At 11 o’clock dorsal fins broke the surface. As we headed toward them, we were greeted by Split Jaw (#22), a young juvenile and, I think, Tim (#69). As they rode the bow, we were soon surrounded by bottlenose dolphins.
Watch For Dolphin insignia
The two British men accused of harassing Dave, a friendly dolphin often sighted off the coast of Kent, have been convicted by a British court. The two men reportedly swam with Dave early in the morning while returning home from an evening of drinking. They continued to swim with Dave even after authorities arrived and told tem to leave the water. Video of the incident shows Dave behaving aggressively toward the men, and showing signs of distress. Expert marine mammal witnesses testified that Dave was likely traumatized by the event.
Bahamas Marine Mammal Stranding Network
The workshop was held at the Atlantis Resort and we were introduced to their bottlenose dolphins and lab facilities. Thanks to their staff for their warm welcome and their support of the network in the future. We were also able to chat with representatives from UNEXSO (Freeport, Bahamas) and Dolphin Encounters (Nassau) who have also expressed their willingness to support the Bimini section of the stranding network should the need arise. We’ll need it!After all the great education and conversation we were able to visit Dolphin Encounters (DE), one of DCP’s field sites.
Nemo
Today, I decided on what dolphin I really want to adopt…NEMO! She's so beautiful…I want to name my toy dolphin at home after her…YES it's a girl!
Rough, slow days
Wednesday we were able to observe a group of bottlenose – and it looked as though they were feeding. Their dorsal fins were difficult to see amid the breaking waves, but I think I got at least a few useable ID photographs. On Thursday, we left for calmer snorkeling waters before we saw any dolphins. This brought us past the same area where we saw our offshore bottlenose “friends,” so I was on the look-out.
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.