Yahoo Whale and Dolphin Bonanza

Hi All, As predicted, the wind is down and we are out at day break. A King Fisher flies over the channel as we pass by Mrs Osprey who's eating her fish breakfast. All good omens! There are waves coming out of Leeward Channel hmmm. We go past the channel markers and there are big rolling swells that make large waves on the reef. When Spy Hop climbs to the top of a swell we can see way out on the ocean. My favorite kind of day! No chop, no bouncing, no splashing just gentle swells a perfect day for cetacean viewing! We drop the hydrophone in at Northwest Point and feel like we are on the whale thoroughfare. We look and look don't see a spout but, we know they are around! Off to West Caicos with the gentle swells gently pushing us along. We see a Coast Guard Helicopter flying along and John kiddingly goes on the radio and asks if they have seen any whales. They come back with coordinates fairly far out to sea! We go to the location indicated but don't see any spouts. As we head back toward West Caicos I see a spout then that gorgeous turquoise color of the water washing over their pecs as they surface. We get pretty close and John gets in. He gets a brief glimpse as a mother and calf swim by. He gets back in Spy Hop and we find them again. This time John gets in and they swim under the boat and come up beside Spy Hop, before swimming away. I was debating getting in then trying to film but it all happened so fast I didn't get anything done! John gets back in Spy Hop and asks if I'd like to get in. ARE YOU KIDDING!!! WOULD I LIKE TO GET IN!?!?! I've been trying to be a good sport and let him swim with the whales since he always drives the boat and rarely gets the fun part of swimming with the dolphins. I climb in. Whoa! Its deep and really dark blue. Visibility is not great. I see a white pec up ahead, now a whole whale comes into view. She's hanging quietly in the water. I stay a respectful way off hoping she'll be comfortable with my company. Pretty soon her calf comes up to breath and sees me. He sinks down again under Mom's chin but next time he comes up to breath, he comes closer. Every time he surfaces, he comes a little closer and Mom's not minding at all. It's now been about 20 blissful minutes and she slowly surfaces to breath. As she drops back down she and junior start slowly swimming and they are perfectly content having me swim along beside them. She swims with her calf under her just like the dolphins. They start to slowly descend into the deep dark blue. I really think they would have been ok if I had followed them but thought if I wanted to keep my boat driver, I'd better go back and try not to gloat too much :)

Mother and Calf Humpback from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

There was no music that would have been better than the peace of their existence. If that wasn't cool enough, on the way back as I'm grinning reliving how cute junior was coming to check out the human, we see a dolphin porpoise ahead of us. Spotted dolphins start racing the boat, riding the bow wave and porpoising. I get in and a mother and calf take an immediate interest in me. They whirl around me so close it's slightly unnerving! They are whistling loudly as they circle me. I try to swim toward other dolphins and they cut me off and swim right in front of me! I am their human toy and they arent sharing! The mother has lots of spots and her calf doesn't but will as he ages. She seems the most interested in playing with me. The calf gets some one on one with me after she calms down. We've really had a great day and need to head home so I leave my new dolphin friends and head back to Spy Hop. While we are motoring off through the gentle swells I see a boat way behind us making circles! The party dolphins have no doubt found another boat to play with! I don't think we can top today but I'll let you know tomorrow!

Spotted Dolpins Play Play Play from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.