whale talker

Bottle Nose Dolphins
* I did not take these pictures but they are very close (literally and figuratively) to our swim this morning

Alan Pomeroy and I got out to the "Whale Zone" at around 7:30 am this morning. Alan beating me by about 1/2 hour, hearing the blow of a whale that I was able to see from my launch site but he couldn't see. I couldn't get a species ID but I'm pretty sure it was a Fin Whale. When I described it to the young lady who works at the local hardware store she said that she saw three last week while out in a panga and the locals call them fin whales, so.......

Anyway about the dolphins. When Alan and I met up in the zone it was flat and clear but very little action. A few Mobulas and that was about it. I was thinking of hitting the reef for some snorkeling when I thought I saw some black specs moving in the distance. I directed Alan to them and we agreed that they must be dolphins and they were coming our way. We geared up and made for an intercept point. We put it together perfectly because we ended up right in their path as they arrived. We bailed out and each did what we could to have a "close encounter". Delightfully we both succeeded (it was Alan's first CE with dolphins under water in the wild). These pictures come close to the experience. I don't recall asking Alan about the mom/baby but they came by me for a close look see. Alan said at one point he followed 4 of them into the deep. I remind you, I did not take these photos.

We were both very stoked and finished our morning diving around the reef. It is very hot down here (high 90's and into 100 degrees) and afternoons....like right now are spent in the shade.