Snorkeling with Wild Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas
Fun, fascinating, memorable … all those words don’t even come close to describing my underwater encounter with wild dolphins in the Bahamas on board the Dolphin Dream boat!
I fell in love with dolphins at an early age. Like most kids I wished I had a friend like Flipper, and with two grandfathers in the navy I grew up listening to enchanting tales of whales and dolphins.
I was 10 when we heard that a wild dolphin had taken residence in a little bay not far from my home town in Brittany, France. Her playful behaviour soon made her a local celebrity and, after some nagging, my parents took me there. This was the first time I saw a wild dolphin. I don’t think you can ever forget that.
That day there was a free diver in the cove and the dolphin was clearly interacting with him. I watched in awe, and for many years I dreamt that I was that freediver.
And some 20 years later, my dream finally came true as I traveled across half the world to swim with Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas: Blue clear water, sandy bottoms and a group of friendly dolphins ... It doesn’t get any better than that!
It was exhilarating and so much fun. But hard work, too. Suddenly the hours spent kicking at my local pool felt really worthwhile! I soon found out that dolphins, being very intelligent, get bored quickly. They would be curious and interactive as long as you put on a show for them! All the swimmers came up with their own performance act in the hope to entertain the dolphins. Some would dive down and pirouette underwater, others will wave a seaweed.
As for me, well, I sang to them. Don’t ask me why — I don’t know how to sing; I am actually a terrible singer — but for some reason I often feel like singing underwater. And of all songs, I always pick Jingle Bells! Maybe it’s because of its happy feeling and the fact that it is easy to hum through the snorkel.
In any case, my song choice was a hit with the dolphins. They seemed to love it. Many came really close to me in an attempt to investigate what that noise was (or possibly in the hope to make it stop?!).
One of them came just centimeters away, and looked at me straight in the eye while circling me for a few seconds. I started pirouetting over myself, keeping eye contact with the dolphin, as if dancing some sort of underwater waltz with it. Eventually it swam away, but within seconds I had a mother and her calf swimming right in my direction, followed by a trio of synchronized swimmers!
I am not sure who ended up watching whom that day, but it was truly a special encounter.
More About Diving with Big Animals:
Five Rules for Interacting with Wild Dolphins | Top 10 Destinations for Big-Animal Encounters
Vanessa MignonWild Atlantic spotted dolphin calves are born without spots and gain spots as they mature into adulthood. Spotted dolphins can live to around 50 years of age.
Fun, fascinating, memorable … all those words don’t even come close to describing my underwater encounter with wild dolphins in the Bahamas on board the Dolphin Dream boat!
I fell in love with dolphins at an early age. Like most kids I wished I had a friend like Flipper, and with two grandfathers in the navy I grew up listening to enchanting tales of whales and dolphins.
Vanessa MignonScuba diving with Atlantic spotted dolphins was worth the work for underwater photographer Vanessa Mignon. Mignon got an experience that is unique to the Bahamas: the ability to observe these animals and how they behave in the wild.
I was 10 when we heard that a wild dolphin had taken residence in a little bay not far from my home town in Brittany, France. Her playful behaviour soon made her a local celebrity and, after some nagging, my parents took me there. This was the first time I saw a wild dolphin. I don’t think you can ever forget that.
Vanessa MignonSinging Jingle Bells allowed Vanessa Mignon to interact with Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas.
That day there was a free diver in the cove and the dolphin was clearly interacting with him. I watched in awe, and for many years I dreamt that I was that freediver.
And some 20 years later, my dream finally came true as I traveled across half the world to swim with Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas: Blue clear water, sandy bottoms and a group of friendly dolphins ... It doesn’t get any better than that!
Vanessa MignonA mother dolphin and her calf swim in the Bahamas.
It was exhilarating and so much fun. But hard work, too. Suddenly the hours spent kicking at my local pool felt really worthwhile! I soon found out that dolphins, being very intelligent, get bored quickly. They would be curious and interactive as long as you put on a show for them! All the swimmers came up with their own performance act in the hope to entertain the dolphins. Some would dive down and pirouette underwater, others will wave a seaweed.
Vanessa MignonOne of the things shared by most mammals is that they take care of their babies while they are young to teach them the necessary skills to get their food.
As for me, well, I sang to them. Don’t ask me why — I don’t know how to sing; I am actually a terrible singer — but for some reason I often feel like singing underwater. And of all songs, I always pick Jingle Bells! Maybe it’s because of its happy feeling and the fact that it is easy to hum through the snorkel.
In any case, my song choice was a hit with the dolphins. They seemed to love it. Many came really close to me in an attempt to investigate what that noise was (or possibly in the hope to make it stop?!).
Vanessa MignonThree dolphins "dance" in the Bahamas. Tightly bonded mother and calf pairs are typical to the age of 3.
One of them came just centimeters away, and looked at me straight in the eye while circling me for a few seconds. I started pirouetting over myself, keeping eye contact with the dolphin, as if dancing some sort of underwater waltz with it. Eventually it swam away, but within seconds I had a mother and her calf swimming right in my direction, followed by a trio of synchronized swimmers!
I am not sure who ended up watching whom that day, but it was truly a special encounter.
Vanessa MignonThe Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas were intrigued by Vanessa Mignon singing to them underwater. Dolphins make three general types of sounds: Whistles, clicks, and burst pulsed sounds.
Vanessa MignonVanessa Mignon always wanted to scuba dive with wild dolphins, and she got her chance in the Bahamas aboard the Dolphin Dream Boat. Atlantic spotted dolphins seem to prefer the shallow sand banks of the Bahamas, staying typically within the 100 fathom curve. Stenella frontalis is a gregarious species often observed with mixed-age groups numbering in the hundreds.
Vanessa MignonAtlantic spotted dolphins are friendly and intelligent, but they get bored with scuba divers rather quickly. Social behaviors include play, discipline, aggression, rest, forage, and travel.
Vanessa MignonSinging to the dolphins while scuba diving piqued the dolphin's interest. Atlantic spotted dolphins also exhibit synchronized movements, usually during courtship or fighting.
More About Diving with Big Animals:
Five Rules for Interacting with Wild Dolphins | Top 10 Destinations for Big-Animal Encounters
