Marina Dolphins

[Delancey]

We've been spending some time at a marina in the Georgia low country lately. Typical river type marina arrangement with a few very long docks that run parallel to the shore.

The past several days a pod of dolphins has been spending all day cavorting amongst the slips which has been fun to witness but seems a bit unusual.

We have seen them before but never like this. They look like they are having fun but we suspect they are really just snacking on some seasonal delicacy. Any idea what that would be?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Delancey

We've been spending some time at a marina in the Georgia low country lately. Typical river type marina arrangement with a few very long docks that run parallel to the shore.

The past several days a pod of dolphins has been spending all day cavorting amongst the slips which has been fun to witness but seems a bit unusual.

We have seen them before but never like this. They look like they are having fun but we suspect they are really just snacking on some seasonal delicacy. Any idea what that would be?

No idea what they are eating but we once saw a bunch of dolphins near Isle of Hope and stopped they swam around the boat but one in particular came around to the stern and stuck his/her head up out of the water and looked at us for several seconds. It was almost like the trained ones do in shows.

It might have been expecting us to feed it but we didn't have any dolphin chow on board.

The strangest thing we saw in GA was large stingrays jumping several feet out of the water and doing flips.


We have seen manatees eating the grass off marina docks in FL.

[redsky49]

They are smart hunters and we have frequently seen them work in unison. When they are after schooling fish, we have seen them circle schools, driving them closer together, tightening their circle until the fish are trapped.

Smart animals, and quite successful. Also strong and agile, as evidenced by the trained ones, though I am happier to see them in the wild.

[Prairie Chicken]

It sounds to me like you've received a Christmas gift!

[a64pilot]

My guess are that they are thinning out the local Mullet population.
I am convinced they are intelligent and recognize us as also

[WoodyDrew]

There are pods in the S.C. Low country that work the fish onto shore, then one will swim in and feed while beaching itself.

The others then churn up a wave that the beached dolphin can use to renter the water. It was amazing to see first hand.