Dolphins seen en route

2004

One day, a school of Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, was spotted a fair way off. The captain headed towards them, and they swam towards the boat, coming right up to us - this picture was taken pointing straight down - and stayed with us for some time. A delightful privilege.

Sadly, my photographic panning skills, combined with the shutter lag, weren't really up to the challenge of the dolphins, but you get the idea!

2005

My reactions don't seem to be getting any better, but I like the wave that this dolphin was making as it charged towards the boat to ride our boat's bow wave.

I'm actually quite chuffed with this photo of a Common Dolphin, because it really was literally a 'grab shot'.
I had to go down to the cabin to get more film, and when I got up onto deck, I just caught sight of this dolphin just next to the boat and somehow managed to 'snap' it.

It was my one and only chance with it so close, and though it'll never make the National Geographic, it's OK under the circumstances. Pity we can't see its dorsal fin, though!

This dolphin was much further out, so this is a tiny section from a slide. It was one of several Common Dolphins, who together with Bottlenosed Dolphins, were apparently joyfully celebrating (but maybe that's anthropomorphic) the shoal of fish which caused the Booby feeding frenzy.
Dolphins are always such a joy to see, and it's notable that even the crew, who probably see them regularly, came out on deck to watch them.