Pod of Bottle Nose Dolphins

[Scubaman7596]

Aloha All,

We had something really cool happen the other day on the boat. We where leaving Port Allen in kauai hawaii on our way to find a diving spot. We stopped by Cup coral cathedral and the viz was yukie.

So We started to go south and I noticed a large fin sticking out of the water about 70 yards from the boat. Then a couple more popped up and went down. Me and the Capt. thought cool spinners they always put on a good show for the customers. So we are motoring along and one of the smaller ones come over to the boat and I am a looking at it and I thought that is one big Spinner Dolphin. Then here came another Humungus had to be the alpha male dolphin Like 8-9 feet long and gerthy. This was a BIG critter. By the time it was all said a done there were a dozen maybe more of these bottle nose swimming with the boat.

The thing that is really wild about this is that when we do see bottle nose. It is always one or two of them and they are shy. They hardly at at all play with the boat and usually are on thier way really quick. I have never seen more than 3 together and that was UW.

These guys played for 25 minutes with us and where curious. Sticking thier heads out of the water and looking right at us. flipping over on thier backs and flapping thier tails at us. It was like a seaworld show. It was in credible and something i had never experienced before, My capt. Grew up here going up Na Pali since he was able to walk and has never saw this behavior from the bottle nose. He, I and our customers got a real treat. I Tried to stuck the camera in the water and snap shots but they didnt come out too hot.

As It turns out I didnt need to stick the camera in the water since the where a foot away from us.

I just though I would share these with you guys There is alot.

Picasa Web Albums - KauaiScubaCenter - Dive - 9-16-09

Aloha

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for sharing

 

[aku321]

Thanks for the pix, enjoyed them!

 

[DiveWestOahu]

if they was swimming upside down, they was in the process of mating, they swim upside down splashing their tails and the belly of the female would be pinkish, we see it all the time here.
good show

 

[Scubaman7596]

if they was swimming upside down, they was in the process of mating, they swim upside down splashing their tails and the belly of the female would be pinkish, we see it all the time here.
good show

Bellies were pink, We figured that is what they were doing. I have one Pic where they are Belly to belly. Ive seen spinners do that, but not bottle nose. Maybe you got more bottle nose there than we do here

 

[DiveWestOahu]

you really get a good show when it's bottlenose & pilot whales belly to belly

 

[Scubaman7596]

Spinners this time, few hundred. I think they were congragating to mate too.

Picasa Web Albums - KauaiScubaCenter - 9-18-09

 

[pickens_46929]

Thanks for sharing... AWESOME!

 

[Scubaman7596]

Thanks for sharing... AWESOME!

No Problem homie.

Everytime the dolphins show the customers are in tears. As you can see they are only a foot away from them.

I figured some of the scuba boarders would get a kick out of it.

Thank you for checking them out.

 

[sharky60]

how cool is that! I've had similar encounters with spinners, out on Midway Island, but have only ever seen on bottle nose in the wild and that was in the Bahamas.

thanks for the story and pics!!