Discovery Channel

Hi All, JoJo and I have it into an episode on Discovery channel!!It's about friendships

between wild animals and humans. I'lllet you know when it will air!

Quality Time

HI All, I have somehow managed to get a nasty cold and cough. I Think I can at last try to find the dolphins and maybe swim for a while. I would hate to not try to find them again today seeing we found them yesterday. In years past Bo and swam almost everyday with whichever calf she had at the same time. We went only once up and down the coast before finding them. Once I got into the murky water and located them, they just stayed around me. Scooter of course flying in circles upside down around me as I spun in circles with my scooter. Bo seemed to just make bigger circles around both of us.I really feel she likes having my company perhaps another adult is nice to have around.i'm now really cold and feeling pretty crummy so we pack and leave our friends. I suggest going to the channels where we can get out of the wind. I take off my wetsuit and lie in the sun. We watch the turtles pop their heads up to breath. An occasional barracuda swims by looking for lunch.

Scooter Games from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

success

Hi All, Finally found them!!!! We look up and down the coast and as we reach the end of Pine Cay, John spots two dorsals. I was getting so worried I wouldn’t see them before we had to go home. The water is really murky and it takes me a while to locate them underwater. There is no doubt however, that this is Scooter and Bo. So great to see them and they seem to feel the same way. Boats start arriving to watch. Some are respectful others barge right in and sometimes over them. I had heard rumors that a young dolphin was very friendly and people were getting way too pushy with it. There’s no doubt this was Scooter. She was very friendly with the swimmers that got in the water. I wish the boat Captains would warn against touching and getting too aggressive before something goes wrong. JoJo originally was also friendly until some jerk was rumored to stick a beer bottle down his blowhole. He in retaliation started biting and slapping people with his tail if they got too close. They all eventually left and Bo and Scooter had a long session of flipper footsie as if Bo was saying there, there every thing is okay! you can see she is a female by the formation of a division mark where her mammelary glands are.

Bo and Scooter 2020 from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

Anchor Line Scratch

Hi All, The wind is still up but luckily coming from the East. This helps to keep the waves down on the Grace Bay side of the island. We have invited David along on today's adventure. After traveling up and down the coast and even trying past the reef, we find JoJo who happily gets behind our boat. He now has his Uber ride for as long as he wants it! Numerous tour boats come by to view the famous JoJo as he surfaces behind Spy Hop. I'm hoping he may branch off and hang out somewhere so we can get in with him. As we approach Beaches resort with their many boats, our opportunity arises. JoJo has zeroed in on a dive boat anchored not far away. He swims over to get a good scratch on the anchor line. This is always a great time get in and swim with him. Speed is of the essence when the opportunity arises because it might not last long. I get in and David follows. We get to watch him scratching every part of his body as he turns and twists then flips over at the bottom of the line to do it again. He eventually tires of this and moves on I get to swim with him as he looks for another activity. He finds a dive boat heading out to sea. They are more than happy to slow down and let all the divers look at JoJo. JoJo impatiently swims behind waiting for them to motor off. David has gone back to the boat and I join him. He comments on how big JoJo is when you are beside him in the water. This is always everyone's comment when they first encounter JoJo from the water. Funny how the dolphins look small from the boat but so much bigger when you are beside them. Trust me, Jojo is every bit of 7 feet and although he's getting to be an old man he's still impressively strong and fast. We end our day with David practicing on the hydrofoil with hopes that JoJo will want to join him someday.

Anchor line Scratch from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

JoJo

Hi All,

I have been swimming with JoJo for 21 years. He's picked me out of a crowd of over twenty admirers;he's brought me for magical swims through coral reefs; he's played bang the buoy with me; he's protected me from an angry dolphin; he's introduced me many of his pod members. Last year when he didn't choose to swim close to me I was worried he just didn't like me any more or he figured I now had other dolphins to swim with and he'd done his job. I was hoping it was that remora that just wouldn't get off him that was making him not want to swim close to me. David has joined us again. He is our official photographer. As we head out of the marina much to their delight the boys spot what looks like a bikini top hanging off the osprey nest! The water looks pretty flat as the sun twinkles off it. There is JoJo, just like old times waiting right at Leewad! He wants to go to Pine Cay. He has trained us well to take him where ever he wants. As we approach the reef at the end of Pine Cay he branches off but doesn't go far. I get in hoping to spend some time with him. He comes up and looks at me for a long time. I try doing a sort of waggle dance to see if he'll imitate me. I am happy beyond belief that our friendship is still strong.

JoJo and I have a heart to heart from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

JoJo starts to swim slowly away. He waits for me to come. We swim over a small reef with a few fish. How great is this swimming way out by the reef with your dolphin friend and guide. We are buddies again and nothing could make me happier.

Magical Swim With JoJo from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

JoJo Snoozes

Hi All, We come out of the marina a little late. Most of the boats are already off to pick up tourists. I notice the osprey nest is way smaller this year. There is the usual type of junk hanging over the sides. It looks like an Ocean Conservancy add for beach clean up.Ospreys mate for life and I hope they are both okay. We head out Leeward Cut and head down Grace Bay. As we approach Beaches resort we notice an anchored sail boat by the name of Beauford. John spots a dorsal swimming around it. I get in and find JoJo in sleep mode going around and around the boat. Dolphins can rest 1/2 their brain while the other half watches out for predators (or tourists!). This is always a good time for me to hang with JoJo. His gash is already improving. He actually has three gashes side by side. JoJo swims around for over two hours. Boats, kayakers and swimmers all come to see him. The Captain wants to sail to Turtle Cove and wonders how that will effect JoJo. I tell him to go ahead I figure JoJo will go along with him. They head to Turtle Cove and the captain drops anchor before entering the channel. We go off to see what's new in the harbor. As we come out JoJo takes a ride in our wake back to Grace Bay. We decide to keep trying to find Bo and Scooter and head to Pine Cay.

JoJo Sleeping from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

Whales dolphins and more dolphins!

Hi All, The sun is shining brilliantly and the wind has swung around to the East. David has joined us again for hopefully another cetacean filled day. We head to the fuel dock to be sure we have plenty of gas. There are lots of tour boats filling up. Everyone's joking around and discussing where they have seen whales!!! We want a full tank of gas because we plan to go to North West Point where many whales have been seen. We motor out Seller's cut and John notices most of the channel markers are gone. One really must know the water around here bacause not much is marked! The water turns a deep dark blue as we get farther out. John sees a spout and we try to get close enough for David to get in. He couldnt find the whale so he climbs back into Spy Hop. We see more whales but David wasn't able to find them when he got in. I decide I'll show them and put on my wetsuit. Kind of like yesterday the moment I have it on a pod of spotted dolphins come by! What is more fun than a spotted dolphin! David and I get in and swim beside them. They love it when I spin in circles with my scooter. They are of course the party dolphins! We get out and go back on the hunt for whales. They however seem more intersted in continueing their journey toward the Silver Bank than entertaining us. The Humpbacks make this journey from the North to have their calves and mate every year. I'm getting anxious about trying to find JoJ, Bo and Scooter. I have also heard there is a new calf and I want to know who the mother is. I figure they maybe near Pine Cay which is a long way from Northwest Point. John who is having a great spotting day spots another whale. Admittedly I'm sleeping in the back of the boat! We are having a banner whale sighting day they just aren't being interactive. As we motor around Pine Cay David sees JoJo and we go to see if he wants a ride. He gets in our wake and we take him to Grace Bay. Second day: dolphns, whales and Jojo how cool is that!

Spotted Dolphins from Jay Sargent on Vimeo.

Oh Happy Days

Hi All, John and I made it down here after a year of medical issues. We only get three weeks before I have to return to the hospital so, I plan to make the most of it!!!! We head out and start traveling up and down the coast looking for dorsals. I know it's my first day out but we only have three weeks and I'm dying to see JoJo. Last season, he seemed distracted by a remora that would not leave him alone. I'm hoping the remora will be gone and that he'll be more interested in swimming with me. We've been out all day with no luck. It's been windy and cloudy but we carry on. As we approach Leeward, I suggest one more trip to Pine Cay. I have a feeling that JoJo might be there toward the end of the day. I put on my wetsuit just in case. The water is murky and its hard to see anything. Suddenly, JoJo pops up at the bow and glides under the boat. I hurry into my snorkle gear and climb in. He comes right up. Due to all the wind the water is incredibly murky. If he is more than an arms length away I can't see him. He took a close look to be sure it was me! I noticed he had a fresh cut on his left side. He followed me for a while then swam ahead indicating he wanted a faster ride. I swam to the boat and we gave him a ride to Grace Bay. I'm a very happy and lucky person to come to Turks and in our first afternoon find this wonderful dolphin that I've known for over twenty years.

arriving in Feb

Hi All, Unfortunately my cancer is still thriving despite all the chemo. The doctors however have given me the ok to travel to Turks. With any luck the next blog will tell of a happy meeting between me and the dolphins. I'm hoping all my equipment will work after our hasty departure last yr. I don't think the dolphins will have forgotten me but it has been a long time. I hope Scooter is still with her mom. I will be hoping Lemon Lips will drop by to visit. I don't imagine that pesky remora is still heckeling JoJo. Stay tuned! Jay