Enjoy watching Delphinidae Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphin) pods in Galveston Bay, Texas every year.
Last summer every evening a female and her baby would swim up Clear Creek Channel by the Seabrook Marina pool to feed and play. We would sit by the pool and watch the dolphins jump and play with each other or the kayaks and SUP, stand up paddle boarders. Unfortunately we have not seen them this year maybe because of the high level of fresh water and hyacinth this year kept them away.
My first dolphin sighting was right when I visited the Texas coast in the summer of 1999 crossing on the Galveston ferry to Port Bolivar. Majority of the passengers walked to the front of the ferry to watch the dolphins jump the waves. It was fun and free for my first time dolphin watch. But what got even more exhilarating was when the dolphins seeked us out on the sailboat.
When the motor is off, the sails were up, and sailing 6 knots across the bay. The female dolphin and her baby rode along with us rising out of the water every 30 seconds to catch a breath (or at least every 7 minutes). I waited with the video camera or the digital camera and started counting. Normally 30 seconds later they would jump to the surface for a breath. For years Whitley, our golden, and Bud, our lab, never understood our excitement, but once our first overnight trip to Surfside Marina in 2011 everything changed for the dogs. A whole new world below the sea opened up to them.
Last summer every evening a female and her baby would swim up Clear Creek Channel by the Seabrook Marina pool to feed and play. We would sit by the pool and watch the dolphins jump and play with each other or the kayaks and SUP, stand up paddle boarders. Unfortunately we have not seen them this year maybe because of the high level of fresh water and hyacinth this year kept them away.
My first dolphin sighting was right when I visited the Texas coast in the summer of 1999 crossing on the Galveston ferry to Port Bolivar. Majority of the passengers walked to the front of the ferry to watch the dolphins jump the waves. It was fun and free for my first time dolphin watch. But what got even more exhilarating was when the dolphins seeked us out on the sailboat.
When the motor is off, the sails were up, and sailing 6 knots across the bay. The female dolphin and her baby rode along with us rising out of the water every 30 seconds to catch a breath (or at least every 7 minutes). I waited with the video camera or the digital camera and started counting. Normally 30 seconds later they would jump to the surface for a breath. For years Whitley, our golden, and Bud, our lab, never understood our excitement, but once our first overnight trip to Surfside Marina in 2011 everything changed for the dogs. A whole new world below the sea opened up to them.
These species of dolphin can live up to 40 to 50 years old, 6-13 feet long, solid grey on top, and born after a gestation period of one year, and weaned in 20 months. The babies (calves) live with a nursery pod with other adult female dolphins for three to six years. We have witnessed two nursery pods on our sailing trips. In Galveston Bay near Kemah years ago the nursery pod had about 3 adult females and 4-5 calves. One female was always by the calves synchronizing their jumps. Last year's trip to POC we were met with a large nursery pod of 9 calves and 5 females that met us at the jetties all the way to Matagorda Island old ferry channel. When they left us, Whitley gave JT an unforgetable "Woo woo" (meaning go back).
Some dolphins stay in the same area. When we sail to the Strand District of Galveston, we always see the same dolphin that has an injury to its dorsal fin.
Using echolocation the dolphins find food and navigate through the water.
Dolphins use whistles to maintain contact within their pod or when meeting other pods of dolphins. Their whistles may signal danger, a call for help, or simply identification. Whistles may also help dolphins hunt cooperatively and coordinate migratory movements.
Most people love seeing the dolphins jump and play along with their boat.
Some individuals do evil, harmful acts to those beautiful creatures. Never let them on a boat or by the water if they ever hurt a dolphin. Fishermen and sailors are superstitious and believe in karmic phenomenon which is why we name and christen our boats.
In the USA it is a federal offense under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to harm them. Feeding wild dolphins is also harmful and illegal. Respect the wild animal and leave them alone.
If you find a dolphin in distress, call 800-9-MAMMAL to reach Texas dolphinrescue.org located in Galveston, Texas on Avenue U.
In the USA it is a federal offense under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to harm them. Feeding wild dolphins is also harmful and illegal. Respect the wild animal and leave them alone.
If you find a dolphin in distress, call 800-9-MAMMAL to reach Texas dolphinrescue.org located in Galveston, Texas on Avenue U.
Dolphins sleep with half their brain awake. Studies by the US Navy for the Navy Marine Mammal Program to find sea mines by using dolphins.
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