Long-beaked common dolphins on the run again!
By Lloyd Edwards

1. News

For the first time in ages we headed out into Algoa Bay with a boatload full of only South Africans . . . whew, we haven’t had this in ages! Very soon we had ticked off a few schools of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and a quick look at some Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. While we were busy with the dolphins we had a radio tip off from Pro Dive Port Elizabeth that there were common dolphins Pro Dive Port Elizabeth co! We then headed towards what is left of the penguins on St Croix Island, when all of a sudden Purity started banging on the roof, a sure sign that she had seen something. She shouted out that was a bait ball in the making, a few kilometers to the south.

We followed the swirling and diving Cape gannets until we caught up with a school of around 500 Long-beaked common dolphins. They had finished filling up on bait fish which have been seen on every cruise this year. They were now swimming in circles amusing themselves with our catamaran and the bow waves it was creating. Trying to get away from these dolphins when they have a full tummy and in the mood for playing is simply impossible. They can easily out-swim our catamarans if they feel like it.

It was so nice to see them interacting with the passengers on our boat. When doing this, the skipper needs to keep the boat on a straight line parallel to the dolphins. It is then up to them to be in control of the close encounter, something they do with relish. After our allotted 20 minutes we had to move off towards the islands.

As per our website, we have various greening projects on the go in order to lower our carbon footprint caused by our cruises. In the last image are the seeds that we have germinated and been planted out into pots. We buy them second hand from Green Cycling in the Walmer Industrial Park. These will be used in our various rehabilitation projects that we have on the go in the Port Elizabeth area. Please join our Dendrological Society if you would like to assist or visit https://www.raggycharters.co.za/page/tree-planting

This is part of a school of 500 Long-beaked common dolphins next to our catamaran, "My Bru". Taken with a Nikon D810 full frame, ISO 560, 24mm wide angle, f/11 and 1/500th second. Cape Recife, the western end of Algoa Bay, can be seen top right of the image.

Thrilled passengers on "My Bru" point at the two common dolphins about to breach right in front of them.

The water was clear enough to anticipate these shots and made photography so much easier

Our Head Guide, Purity Khosa, getting some close up footage with her Go Pro. Be sure to watch her YouTube clip!

It is so wonderful to see part of the school submerged next to our speeding catamaran. These animals have an incredible turn of speed.

One of the passengers points and shouts out as the two dolphins start to surface.

The perfect place on the catamaran to take close up shots of the dolphins breaching!

These are the plants we have grown from seed and will be used in rehabilitation projects offsetting our carbon footprint that is caused by our cruises in Algoa Bay.