Trip 1: Forty-Two Seasons and Counting

The 42nd summer season is officially underway, and if the first trip was any indication, we are in for a very exciting summer at sea. The Bahamas welcomed us back with a little bit of everything: gorgeous dolphin encounters, beautiful snorkels, and amazing passengers. Of course we had some classic Bahamian swells and squalls, but the dolphins made every second worth it.

We were thrilled to reconnect with so many familiar faces this trip! Using one of our new GoPro cameras, we captured an incredible bowriding video of Aspen, Soot, and Pointless. We observed long-time alliance Toad and Baelish during a very restful and calm encounter. Nautica, Soot, and Aspen gave us some close passes and lots of pec rubbing behavior. Oreo and Mutiny did lots of aerials with impressive, dramatic leaps through the waves into the air while everyone onboard cheered in awe.

Aspen, Soot, Nautica underwater close up (photo credit: Juliana Anderson)

One particularly memorable sighting started with a group of bottlenose dolphins displaying energetic surface behavior in the rough weather. They appeared to be splashing, charging around, and fully taking advantage of the rocky seas to surf and play in the waves. While we were focused on photographing the bottlenose dolphin activity, a few people onboard thought they spied something different mixed in among them. Everyone kept scanning the water and, sure enough, a group of Atlantic spotted dolphins soon joined in on the action. Suddenly both spotted and bottlenose dolphins were surfing, leaping, and zooming around the boat in every direction, making close passes by the bow and launching themselves through the air. It was so much fun to watch the dolphins enjoying themselves – what a cool sight to see!

Oreo doing an aerial jump (photo credit: Allison Sanchez)

When we were not with dolphins, we had the chance to enjoy a few beautiful snorkels at some of our favorite sites including Hens and Chickens reef and the Hesperus wreck. We saw colorful reef fish, a very friendly remora, clear blue water, and even a small nurse shark stopped by to say hello.

Nurse shark at Hesperus (Photo credit: Juliana Anderson)

And of course, no first trip would be complete without some good food and good company. Thanks to our First Mate, Benny, catching a cero mackerel, we were treated to one of Dr. Herzing’s famous sushi nights. The menu included spicy rolls, sashimi, cucumber salad, and kiwi surprise, which is always a crew favorite after a long day in the field.

Sushi bowl!

Sushi bowl!

Most importantly, we were incredibly grateful for the amazing passengers and new crew who joined us on this first trip of the season. Field work always comes with challenges, especially early in the summer as everyone settles back into life at sea, but this group embraced every wave, sudden squall, and long day with enthusiasm and positivity.

All in all, it was an incredible start to our 42nd summer season studying wild dolphins in the Bahamas. We are so excited to continue this season of exploration and unforgettable encounters, and we cannot wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for us and the dolphins!

Stay tuned for more adventures!

~ Allison Sanchez