Today it seemed like Strumble was the playground of the Common Dolphins. In every direction we looked we were seeing them. Some milling around some feeding and some just letting their offspring leap and play. For two and a half hours of the survey they just filled us with joy.
We are always uncertain though when we see fast boats passing in times like this as to how they will if at all interact with the dolphin. Indeed some don't even see them and pass by unaware while others sometimes ignore the Marine Code and can really cause upset and harm to these beautiful creatures, so when a fast rib came around Mackrel point we had one of those heart stopping moments. However...
I take my hat off and say thank you to the skipper of the rib as he and all aboard did everything right. Once they saw the dolphin he slowed right down and came to a stop and let the dolphin come to them. They enjoyed the interaction for a minute or two and I'm sure got some great footage of the encounter. When he did start moving again he held a slow steady course and let the dolphin decide how the interaction would continue. Again they must have got some great footage as the dolphins led the way off the bow. Eventually the dolphins started to speed away so he stopped to let them go before carrying on with their day on the water. A great example of how to handle a dolphin encounter and if all boaters showed the same respect to our wonderful cetaceans I'm sure most conservationists would sleep better for it. Thank You!!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.