Well today was the big day. The annual Dolpin count. All along the Virginia coast the Dolpins were counted. I was part of a team that counted from the North end of Hog Island to the North end of Wreck Island. 
The weather was perfect. 75F, wind 5Kt, overcast, and seas @1ft or less. Our track took us 25 miles south of Wachapreague Va., .5 miles off shore, and back. Now it may sound easy counting Dolpins but it does take some practice since they don’t all surface at once. AND the sound of a boat motor can spook them so the three of us had to count a pod 5 or six times and then agree on a number. Some of the pods were really separated adding a new challenge. And of course they have a habit of swimming in circles causing you to count the same ones over. Our final count was 66. Our largest pod was 16.
So what is a D
olpin really????? Well at first we thought we would find them in a bowling alley. Something like the head pin, the 10 pin. We also researched the possibility that it had something to do with VooDoo dolls.
But no it turned out to be a slight misspelling of Dolphin that escaped the attention of the staff of the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Center,,,,, until the shirts came back from the printer…..
This may well become a collectors item and Beatrice and i can retire on the profits!!!!!!
2 comments:
They are actually counting a cousine to the Dolphin here in the Baltic sea now, the Harbour porpoise (I think that´s the right name anyway). It´s the only relative that lives here regulary in our waters, even if some other dolphines comes and visits too. Very interesting and I would have loved to do something like that.
Have a great day now!
Christer.
Thanks Christer. It was a really nice day to be out on the water here (finally). Porpoise are in a different family than Dolphins, but they are close. Usually they are smaller and swim a little slower.
Tonight the rain is to set in until monday night. I will believe it when i see it. I hope your weather has gotten better, especially now that you are on vacation and have a new camera.
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