Dolphins safe or not?

[Carlos Danger]

I've been fortunate enough to dive with several pods up close; I have never felt the slightest bit threatened. However, despite most of the postings being of a positive nature, I think it always prudent to treat every encounter with a healthy dose of respect. Keep your distance, and resist any temptation to risk coming across as aggressive or intimidating, and you should be fine.

I have generally found that the simple act of relaxing and letting an encounter happen on their terms to be the best policy. Don’t make waves, and more often than not the natural world will come to you.

 

[Walter]

I've snorkeled with them several times and I've been on SCUBA with them a few times. I've never felt threatened.

 

[Belmont]

Two years ago in Jamaica, Negril to be precise, our group was visited by a pod of dolphins.
They came to check us out, four males, three females and three young ones (about 3 feet long).
Our guide was mad at himself because he always brings a red scarf and had forgotten it that day. He told us that the dolphins more often than not take this as a toy, passing the red cloth among themselves.

 

[LowFin]

Great stories! I agree with Maredosous’ caution, but I am also really encouraged that these animals seem to be as good as their reputation. Which is actually surprising. I appreciate that veteran divers call this one of their most exciting experiences in diving. I am attaching a picture from one of the vacations I mentioned in my original post.

That is not me in the kayak, but I most likely will be out there with them this year, if the opportunity arises.
I think it would be great to hear more post of real dolphin encounters.

 

[Thalassamania]

Keep in mind what the laws are concerning harassment of marine mammals. You can not approach them closer that 150 ft, you can not pursue them, and having a camera with you in the water is considered by may authorities as prima facia evidence that you are pursuing.

 

[lock_washer]

Just want to say this much...I am a "Cetacean Nut." I am crazy about all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises). Weather they are in the wild or captivity. I have snorkeled with wild Atlantic Spotted Dolphins off the Exuma Cays in the Bahamas. Also got the chance to ride on the back of a false killer whale at a marine park in the Philippines. I have seen spinner dolphins bow riding off my dive boat in the South Pacific. But my greatest encounter was being in the water with a 45 foot gray whale mother and calf.

They are wonderful and unique animals, but you got to remember too: they are like people sometimes. They all have their own personalities too. Some are good-natured, and some are not.

You can google these news stories:
Off New Zealand there’s a sub adult dolphin named Moko. He’s a solitary dolphin that seems to prefer to hang around people. However as he is getting older, he’s starting to play rougher with people sometimes. A couple people had to be rescued from him when he’s refused to let people leave the water.

Off the coast of Georgia: they are having a problem with “beggar dolphins” hanging around sport fishing boats. Some of the fisherman made the mistake of feeding them, and now they are constantly hanging around the boats looking for a “handout”. One woman made the mistake of getting into the water to try to swim with one of them, and she ended up getting a nasty bite on her thigh.

Then again there’s the famous pilot whale incident off Hawaii. I am sure this video can be seen on youtube.com . A woman skindiver was swimming with some wild pilot whales. She was petting one of them, when all of a sudden the pilot whale grabbed her by the leg and dragged her down to about 60 feet. She was about to lose consciousness and drown when the pilot whale brought her back to the surface and let her go.

So this goes to show you that sometimes an encounter may not be the most wonderful or safe experience.

Lock Washer

 

[SeaSoulSelf]

Have been able to interact with dolphins on several dives in Negril. I try to get close enough to video without intruding or chasing and definitely keep my distance. The first time I saw them in the wild, I was just in awe.

We have even been fortunate to watch dolphins manipulate a fish trap, much to the chagrin of the fish who thought they had escaped the trap.

We also have a healthy respect for them. They're just so big and so quick that I would never want to press my luck with them.

 

[lock_washer]

That’s great that everyone has been sharing his or her experiences with dolphins. But what I would like to know is, if people realize that they’re other species of cetaceans out there that people don’t are not familiar with?

For example, we all know about your typical Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins – “Flipper type” we seen at aquariums, or Killer Whales, Beluga Whales, Pilot Whales, False Killer Whales, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, or Commerson’s Dolphins.

But there are some really unique cetaceans out there. Like the “Beaked Whales” which are very rarely seen. In fact the Curvier’s Whale is deepest diving whale. Two individuals that were tagged have dove to 6248 feet…that’s deeper than the Sperm Whale dives.

The Northern Bottlenose Whale: Whale Biologists think this may be the smartest of all cetaceans.

The Irrawaddy Dolphin: this dolphin looks like a beluga whale, but has the ability to live in salt and freshwater.

The Southern and Northern Right Whale Dolphins: 2 tone colored oceanic dolphins with no dorsal fins.

Six species of porpoises exist. The fastest cetacean of all: The Dall’s Porpoise. Its found off the Pacific Northwest, and when it swims at high speeds…it generates a “rooster tail” effect in the water. The most endangered porpoise in the wild. The Gulf of California Porpoise “The Vaquita”: Only discovered in 1958, but down to only 111 animals left in the world.

Lock Washer

 

[miketsp]

Depends if it's the mating season or not.

I remember this from 2006
Jessica Alba almost had dolphin sex once - TV Squad

It was reported on a lot of sites and I'm pretty sure there is a thread here on SB discussing it.

 

[vladimir]

I cannot imagine that they are as friendly as they are made out to be. After all they are large wild animals.

You are correct. Here is an old article that puts them in a different perspective:

Evidence Puts Dolphins In New Light, As Killers - NYTimes.com

But scientists, following a trail of bloody clues, are discovering that dolphins are far from the happy, peaceful creatures that humans think they know.

Growing evidence shows that the big animals, up to 12 feet long, are killing fellow mammals in droves, wielding their beaks as clubs and slashing away with rows of sharp teeth. Dolphins have been found to bludgeon porpoises to death by the hundreds. Unlike most animal killers, which eat their prey, dolphins seem to have murderous urges unrelated to the need for food.

Notwithstanding all that, I don't believe they are a threat to divers or snorkelers as long as you treat them with the same respect you'd accord other large sea creatures. I have had pods swim around me and by me on a few occasions without ever feeling threatened.

I swam out from a NJ beach once into what I thought was a pod of dolphins. What I ended up in the middle of turned out to be the better part of 12 to 15 foot long animals that I believe were pilot whales. They turned out to be OK (seemed to totally ignore me) but I don't think I would want to do that again. So you might want to look for the pointy noses first.

There have been at least two incidents of people joining false killer whales in the water only to be impaled by the billfish they were hunting. Here's one from Undercurrent.org:

http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/issues/y2003/UC0603/Liveaboard200306.pdf

Swordfish Attack: Off west Maui on April 15, whale researcher Mark Ferrari was underwater videotaping a frenzying pod of 50 false killer whales. He assumed the pod was attacking schooling fish, but then he realized that a 15-foot broadbill swordfish was the focus of the attack. Fascinated by the team-work and strategy of the false killer whales (a dolphin species), he continued to film. However, without warning, the swordfish turned on Ferrari, ramming its five-foot bill into his right shoulder beneath the collarbone. The big fish flipped him around and then flung him away.

Here's the other one, also from Undercurrent.org:

http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/issues/y1997/IDUC0197/BikiniAtoll0197.pdf

Mustering all his remaining energy, the sailfish barely managed to evade the open mouth of the killer that was toying with him. I wondered what it would be like to see, first hand, his pursuer rip a chunk out of him. He turned sharply, just in front of me. I snapped a picture, looked at the long bill, and suddenly wondered: did the sailfish regard me as another threat?
I didn’t get a chance to find out. I was ordered to leave the water. On the other side of the boat, other humans were involved in their own life- and-death struggle. A woman in our group had slipped into the water to watch and take pictures. One of the sailfish must have felt threatened by her; he turned and charged. She could do little but ball up to protect her torso. The sailfish’s bill entered the underside of her calf, went all the way through her leg, and penetrated her abdomen, perforating her colon.
Now we were in a race against the clock to get her to a hospital before peritonitis set in. Thanks to the quick actions of Mark and Suzanne and their crew, as well as the Fantasea’s owner, we were able to get her to the hospital in Phuket in time for emergency surgery. She has since completely recovered, with just a few scars and a hell of a story to show for her ordeal.