On Sunday, Kali, Ellyne, and Kel returned to Bimini Adventures’ group to join the search for dolphins. After a week of little to no wind it finally started to pick up making the ride much cooler. Yet, it was a beautiful day to be out, the tides were generally calm and the ocean varied in shades of blue.
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Unexpected Rain
On Friday the clouds started to roll in but the strong August sun was still out and shining. This week’s Bimini Adventures group had their last day out on the boat today. We followed a similar route as earlier this week, as we typically do, to help make ourselves predictable for the dolphins. The sea was calm but no dorsal fins could be detected. We kept searching for several hours and decided to take a refreshing swim break. It was a warm day in the sun and the water was clear and delightful.
Exploring the Seafloor
On Wednesday we were excited to be back on the boat after a very rewarding day yesterday with so many spotted dolphins. Today the clouds rolled in, but the sea was mainly calm. We started our journey with high hopes of finding the dolphins soon as we had yesterday. As we headed north no dorsal fins were in view.
It wasn’t until we started heading back to shore, three hours into the boat trip, that we saw two spotted dolphins come to the boat.
#102 Three Days In A Row!!!
Thursday was an educational day for the Bimini Adventures group. Kel, Kali, and Ellyne led a discussion about dolphins and the research conducted in Bimini. We gave a brief introduction to ourselves and DCP’s research off Bimini, but the majority of the time was spent answering questions that the guests had for us. One person asked if spotted dolphins keep their spots or if individual spots can change over time (A: As a spot first develops, it may grow bigger, but after it is established it will remain forever.
Les Dauphins!
On Tuesday, Kali and Ellyne set out again with the Bimini Adventures group visiting from Switzerland, as Kel returned to Bimini and caught up on paperwork. This group has given Kali the opportunity to brush up on her French skills. C’est bonne! We cruised merrily along in our search for dolphins. Some of the guests visiting have been coming to Bimini for years so they hoped to see dolphins they had seen in past years.
The Joy of Seaweed
On Monday the interns were happy to be back on the boat after a week of data work on land and now that the storms have passed. It was an international group today with Bimini Adventures from Switzerland and Japan. We started on our journey with light waves; unfortunately some of the passengers got seasick.
After an hour of searching we saw 2 sub-adult spotted dolphins swim by and surfing the waves. As we entered the water we observed them playing with seaweed with their rostrums and pectoral fins.
Paul
Paul (#99) has been observed off Bimini since 2011, the first summer after he was born. In the early years, when he was always by his mom (Leslie, #80)’s side, the pair spent much of their time with Lil’ Jess (#35) and her calf. Paul is easily recognized by the double notch in his peduncle. Paul Alexander Landis, aka Paul or PAL, was named in 2015 by Carl & Sylvia Landis, in memory of their son, Paul Alexander Landis, who loved the ocean.
Adoption kits cost $30 for the electronic version, and $35 for the hardcopy version.
Dolphins….and squalls
On Friday, Kel headed out for DCP’s 55th dolphin trip of 2015! It’s been a great season and DCP is so grateful to have the assistance of Kali & Ellyne, who have been dedicated to office work this week. It really does pile up!
The boat departed just after 1430 and just minutes before the clock struck 1700 we saw two young spotted dolphins. They were keen to surf the waves and ride the bow of the boat, so we kept on eye on them while scanning the area for more individuals.
Déjà vu…almost.
Saturday was Kel’s last day with Bimini Adventures’ film crew and Ellyne & Kali enjoyed a much deserved day off. Initially, the boat stayed docked for a bit as Kel gave an interview in the sunshine. But, soon it was time to search for dolphins. The seas were not as calm as we’d like and we kept one eye out for dolphins and one eye out for squalls.
More than ketchup comes to those who wait
On Thursday, it was another Bimini Adventures dolphin trip for Kel and more data processing for Ellyne & Kali. It was a very busy day on the water with far more boats than usual searching for dolphins. The crowded conditions reminded Kel of long-term concerns regarding the impact of boat and swimmer interactions on the dolphins.
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