Tag: older content

Today began with the phone link & the dolphin trip began with a snorkel stop at “Atlantis” (aka “Bimini Road”).  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, but was eager to search for dolphins.  So, we did!  And we found them very close to the drop off, where the sea floor quickly gains depth before sharply dropping to about 2000 feet.  At 1910 we first observed the animals in 34 feet.  We entered the water with them (including Swoosh #36 and Lone Star #56) at 40 feet. 

Today is the 34th anniversary of Bahamian independence.  While locals were partying, we departed a bit early to head straight to the “dolphin grounds.”  At 1706, everyone took a “swim break.”  Kel stayed on the bow & at 1710, called to the captain because there were 2 dolphins right there!  This is probably only the second time a swim break has turned into an encounter, but it was cool!  The animals present were mom & calf pair, #57 & 84 (respectively). 

Today was a good, long day….We began with our phone link to the aquarium.  It has been great to see that theater filling with more people every week!  After finishing up some field reports, we had time for a quick lunch at CJ’s deli before preparing for, and delivering, our weekly presentation for Bimini Undersea guests.  We call it a presentation, for lack of a better word, but really it usually becomes a wonderful roundtable discussion.  This week’s passengers are from all over the world, with different backgrounds & connections with the dolphins. 

Day 1 of the Dolphin Week was a success – well, sort of.  We met with the passengers at 1330 before leaving the dock at 1530.  Before we could even get to our snorkel stop at Rainbow Reef, we were able to get a few quick glimpses of five bottlenose dolphins.  Hopefully Kel was able to get a few good ID shots, but we’ll see.  The bottlenose made brief appearances a few more times today, but it was the spotteds who made a last minute, sunset appearance. 

As we headed out into the dolphin grounds on Wednesday you could see clear down to the sea floor. The surface was crystal clear, no wind to make ripples. Perfect weather for sighting dolphins! But they weren't in their usual places. We made the normal run up north, then to the east, and back down south but we couldn't find them! As a last resort we headed west and there they were, just milling about.

Tabby may have thought that we were lying, but there really are dolphins off Bimini and DCP really does study them!  We had a fantastic day today, although the dolphins took their sweet time showing up.  It was 1902 when we first sighted a single spotted dolphin (Juliette, #12).  She was leaping and chasing a mackerel, but she took time for a quick bow ride.  As she led the boat into deeper water (> 100 feet) a group of juvenile spotteds dolphins appeared, along with a bottlenose dolphin. 

If Tabby can’t get on a dolphin trip, the least we can do is go on the boat to go SCUBA diving.  This was how we spent our day and it was great.  We were able to accompany a Bimini Undersea dive trip to two incredible dive sites south of Bimini.  The first was a drift dive and the major sighting of the dive was a good sized turtle (hawksbill turtle perhaps?).  The second dive was….drum roll please….a shark dive! 

Yay!!  We finished video, we finished video, we finished video!  The 7 tapes that have been recorded so far this season have all been logged (each animal in view, during each frame/segment, is identified).  This means that we need to get out on the boat to record more data!  Right now it looks like this will happen on Saturday.  We can’t wait!    Until next time,  Kel &