Dolphin Encounter Update November 2009

17/12/09

 

Welcome to the Dolphin Encounter® update for November 2009. 

Our unpredictable spring weather continued throughout the month bringing some scorching hot days (a sure sign summer was on its way) only to have our hopes dashed by southerly storms bringing lots of rain and rough sea conditions. Our passengers have readily taken up the challenge of swimming in a more demanding environment and have succeeded in obtaining some great interaction with the dusky dolphins. 

The pod sizes have slowly been on the increase with group numbers varying from 30-400 dolphins. The dolphin’s location has also been relatively close this month in areas such as the Punchbowl, Goose Bay and Black Rock. These locations are all easily reached within a 15-25 minute travel time. 

The water temperature is slowly warming up around 13°C and we no longer need to use our boots and gloves. The warm showers on the boats and the hot chocolate are a sure way of warming swimmers up after their energetic swim. 

Our trial of hiring out an underwater digital camera has been such a success and in such high demand, that we are in the process of purchasing a few more cameras so that we can offer more swimmers the opportunity of capturing their dusky moments forever.  

We’ve had some special highlights this month with the introduction of some young calves into the main pod. It’s an amazing time of year to see such small duskies swimming alongside their mothers, some frolicking around and even starting to practice their first few jumps. We watched astounded one day as a brave female took her young calf into the bow of our boat to “bow-ride” or surf the waves created by the boat as we were travelling along. With gasps of excitement from our spectators the female and her calf made it look far too easy. We believe that it was this same mother and calf that briefly visited our swimmers a short while later as they swam around our swimmers once before leaving again. It was as if it was part of that social learning experience with the female teaching her calf that when it gets older, it too can come and have a laugh at these “inadequate creatures” in the water!!! 

On another tour we watched as a group of duskies played with some red cod found floating at the surface. The group would pass the fish around to one another, let it go, charge at it again, before taking it down under the ocean before reappearing and passing it onto the next dolphin. This spectacle was quite a treat as duskies are predominantly nocturnal feeders in the Kaikoura area, so any feeding technique or “playing with food” is rarely encountered. 

Finally on the last day of spring, a surprise visit for those on the early 5.30am tour. A group of orca were sighted by our Albatross Encounter vessel just off the Kaikoura Peninsula. The small pod consisting of 4 individuals included a young calf and a juvenile who put on a great display leaping out of the water, a rare sight in Kaikoura. 

With summer fast approaching, we’re hoping for more settled weather and are looking forward to watching the development of the young calves over the next month. 

So, till next time…………

Tour Photos