I had a pretty cool morning. I went with my sister and brother-in-law to Herring Point within Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware. They go there pretty often and told me that there are frequently dolphins not too far off the beach in the AM.
We parked on a small hill overlooking the ocean and walked up to the fenceline that allowed us to see the ocean below. Sure enough there was a small group of 3 or 4 dolphins swimming about 200 - 250 feet off the beach ! They kept surfacing in different spots every 5 - 10 seconds as they made their way Northbound along the beach. By the time we got down to the beach with all our gear they had moved up the beach and out of site. My brother-in-law told me that in the past they hung out for a good part of the morning making their way back and forth along a small stretch of the beach that is relatively devoid of people.
About 15 - 20 minutes later I decide to gear up in case they come back and am getting my wetsuit on when sure enough they reappear, but by the time I can get out into the water and out past the jetty they're past me. Damn you yamamoto neoprene ! I continue to swim out in the hopes they'll return quickly. I'm hanging out about 50 feet off the jetty when from the other side another group of about 3 or four dolphins approach from about 150 feet away. I swim towards them. Visibility off the beach was terrible. If I extend my hand fully I can't see it, so I'm swimming for a bit and poking my head up to see where they're at. A wave comes rolling in over me and as soon as it passes I see 2 dorsal fins about 50 feet away. It appears as if they've changed directions slightly and moved to my left side. I turn towards them and kick my cressi garas a few times and pop back up. I see a dolphin's dorsal fin and then its tail as it dives to my right side headed straight toward me from about 40 feet away. They've got me surrounded !! Not wanting to swim with my face in the water I hold my position expecting to see more of them as they approach. I turned towards the position where the last dolphin appeared from. All of of a sudden they disappear, 5 seconds goes by, 10 seconds, 15 seconds ..... I'm scanning all directions.
This is when I start thinking to myself, hmm... I won't be able to see them if they approach underwater. How friendly are the dolphins in Delaware ? My mind flashes back to a PBS show I saw of Robin Williams swimming with wild dolphins and getting rammed by one of them. Hmm ... maybe this wasn't the brightest idea ....
All of a sudden a dolphin surfaces 20 feet to my right. It's so close I can clearly see the scars on the side of its body (I'm nearsighted). Another one appears about 10 feet past it and I can see a small notch torn from its dorsal fin. They continue on past me, swimming around me but that's as close as they get (that I'm aware of). I hang out for another hour or so but they don't return.
It was a great morning, I only wish there was better visibility so I could watch them swimming around me underwater. I have got to head back to Delaware !
We parked on a small hill overlooking the ocean and walked up to the fenceline that allowed us to see the ocean below. Sure enough there was a small group of 3 or 4 dolphins swimming about 200 - 250 feet off the beach ! They kept surfacing in different spots every 5 - 10 seconds as they made their way Northbound along the beach. By the time we got down to the beach with all our gear they had moved up the beach and out of site. My brother-in-law told me that in the past they hung out for a good part of the morning making their way back and forth along a small stretch of the beach that is relatively devoid of people.
About 15 - 20 minutes later I decide to gear up in case they come back and am getting my wetsuit on when sure enough they reappear, but by the time I can get out into the water and out past the jetty they're past me. Damn you yamamoto neoprene ! I continue to swim out in the hopes they'll return quickly. I'm hanging out about 50 feet off the jetty when from the other side another group of about 3 or four dolphins approach from about 150 feet away. I swim towards them. Visibility off the beach was terrible. If I extend my hand fully I can't see it, so I'm swimming for a bit and poking my head up to see where they're at. A wave comes rolling in over me and as soon as it passes I see 2 dorsal fins about 50 feet away. It appears as if they've changed directions slightly and moved to my left side. I turn towards them and kick my cressi garas a few times and pop back up. I see a dolphin's dorsal fin and then its tail as it dives to my right side headed straight toward me from about 40 feet away. They've got me surrounded !! Not wanting to swim with my face in the water I hold my position expecting to see more of them as they approach. I turned towards the position where the last dolphin appeared from. All of of a sudden they disappear, 5 seconds goes by, 10 seconds, 15 seconds ..... I'm scanning all directions.
This is when I start thinking to myself, hmm... I won't be able to see them if they approach underwater. How friendly are the dolphins in Delaware ? My mind flashes back to a PBS show I saw of Robin Williams swimming with wild dolphins and getting rammed by one of them. Hmm ... maybe this wasn't the brightest idea ....
All of a sudden a dolphin surfaces 20 feet to my right. It's so close I can clearly see the scars on the side of its body (I'm nearsighted). Another one appears about 10 feet past it and I can see a small notch torn from its dorsal fin. They continue on past me, swimming around me but that's as close as they get (that I'm aware of). I hang out for another hour or so but they don't return.
It was a great morning, I only wish there was better visibility so I could watch them swimming around me underwater. I have got to head back to Delaware !
