"Flippe" and Boats

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gcolton

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What is your experience with dolphins staying around boats that are on the move?

Yesterday evening as we were on the way to the Niceville firewords we had a dolphin decide to accompany us.

He/she got about 4 to 5 feet off our port side just outside the cockpit and stayed there for nearly 5 minutes. I have never had another one hang around for that long. It was very entertaining. All my passengers were thrilled. I was running about 7.5 knots at the time.

Unfortunately no one had a camera. This dolphin had the most pink belly I have seen.

George
 
I've had them "surfing" the bow wave while moving at hull speed ( or thereabouts ). But they were up near the bow. The behavior you saw might be one that has been "grazing" off the side of commercial fishing boats, who often toss the by-catch over the side ( as in this case, amidships, nearby ).

V. cool regardless. They make "good neighbors".
 
Did you have a stereo on? Sometimes they seem to like the music.

Otherwise probably "surfing" your wake.
 
it depends on the boat... with the Hatt, at hull speed, they often come in groups and surf the wake a few ft from the pilothouse door. they seem to be very curious and swim sideways to look at us.

we've had some staying alongside a few minutes...
 
Offshore at trolling speed I've experienced dolphins dart over from great distance to surf the bow wave often for well over 5 min., maybe 100++ times. Once (underway) even petted them repeatedly away from their blowhole. , regs be damned , and they kept coming back for more & more, to the apparent delight of creatures on both sides of the surface. Caveat , I don't recommend that. Dolphins are very cool characters and I'm very glad they did not choose to grab my hand and haul me in for even more fun. That could certainly happen in a blink.
 
It is also interesting to note that if there is a mother and baby dolphin, the mom always gets between the baby and the boat. They are fascinating critters.
 
On a bluewater sail to Bermuda we had a few do;phins surf off the bow wake for a few hours. Truly fascinating to watch.
 
Others have taken better photos, but here's one of mine:

375208312.jpg
 
At 8.5 knots, wood hull, no vibration and a nice balanced wake, dolphin are attracted to my boat. I can leave the harbor headed for the barrier islands and within 5 minutes have a pod of 6 to 10 dolphin riding the bow wave, they or their friends stay around for most to 12 mile run. What will get your heart beating is while underway at night is to have a large dolphin get airborne while moving up the port or starboard sides. You hear a loud splash and think man overboard, but it turns out be a dolphin clowning around.
 
that's happened to me a few times, always startling...
 
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