Hi there,

We’ve been a little quiet on the dolphin front lately, but we can blame it all on the weather… and power cuts! Our research boat ‘Lampard’ has been going out, but with rains keeping us anchored for hours on end, and the Kusi winds stirring up the seas, we’ve not had much luck finding dolphins lately. After all, they have a lot of ocean to swim around and when you rely on fleeting glimpses of dorsal fins breaking the surface, choppy waters can easily hide them.

Yesterday, after 5 hours at sea in a fruitless search for both humpback dolphins and bottlenose dolphins it was looking to be another frustraing day when conditions were against us. But technology has a role to play, even in out at sea and friendly phone call alerted us to dolphins that had been sighted so we headed over to look for them before heading home for lunch.

And, finally, we were not disappointed… not just a large group of bottlenose dolphins, up to 30 individuals, but in playful mood too. Males getting a little excitable at times, females with calves, and sub-adults enjoying themselves – or to be less anthropomorphic, leaping and turning over! Out of the spectacle we were able to identify some of our best known individuals, inlcuding ‘Besty’, ‘Freshy’, ‘Sawa’ and ‘Stima’ with her calf.

Besty and Stima, both identifiable by distinct notches in their dorsal fins

Very satisfying to know they are all out there still a definite incentive to keep braving the rain and wind day after day!

 Hopefully they’ll give us some more news to pass on to you soon!

 Corti