seaside2 avatar
Beach Fanatic
2,330 views
OK, so we've been sitting on the SOWAL beach off and on for the past 25 years or so. We come in the spring, summer, fall and winter and sit on the beach weeks at a time. We read trashy books, drink cold things, stuff like that.

Almost every day, we see the dolphins pass by around 10:30 AM. They are always going from West to East (or so it seems).

Why?

OH, and when do they go back West?:bang: :confused: :bang: :confused: :bang: :confused:

Edited

Replies

15
Smiling JOe avatar
SoWal Expert
#2
I have no idea, and never thought about it, but the last dolphin I saw were going east. The are probably just following the fish and maybe in the mornings when you see them, the fish are swimming against the current hoping to sneak up on food. I have seen the dolphin swimming west in the mornings too. If aquaticBiologist was still on here, he could probably tell us.
Beachbummette avatar
SoWal Insider
#3
they are well trained !;-) "roll that beautiful dolphin footage"

i do see them swimming east at times.

Edited

Phillip avatar
One Hand Clapping
#4
I am no dolphin expert, but I would guess that they are feeding on the fish that use the offshore current. The offshore current moves from east to west, so the dolphins are probably waiting on their food to come to them. Unlike people, dolphins do not like to make life any more complicated than it has to be......Interesting question. I would love to know the answer...
shakennotstirred avatar
Beach Fanatic
#5
This doesn't answer your question but on my last visit I was eating breakfast at the kitchen table & watching dozens of dolphins swimming east. Usually they will swim past on their merry way & then the show is over. Except this time they were swimming back & forth. The water was extremely clear this day so you could see them from the 2nd floor of the condo. All of a sudden the dolphins starting working as a group & chasing a school of fish up & down the beach. I guess they were eating breakfast as well! A few of the dolphins were only a couple feet from shore. It was the coolest thing! I felt like I was watching Planet Earth on the Discovery channel.
TreeFrog avatar
Beach Fanatic
#6
I've seen them going east around sunset.
TNJed avatar
Beach Fanatic
#7
Watch for the birds that dive into the school of fish that the dolphins corral! That's just too cool.:D

BTW, I usually see dolphins heading west around 7:30am in Seacrest.
seaside2 avatar
Beach FanaticAuthor
#8
Thanks to all.

Last year, there was a group of kids playing in the water about waist deep, the dolphins came by, circled around them for 20 minutes or so, apparently just playing and then they left, headed East. Really cool!!

I have also seen them chasing after fish, etc, making group circles to confuse the fish and feeding heavily on them.

I just have never seem them going West and have been on the beach from daylight to dark (and after).

Something to do later this year.
NotnKansas avatar
Beach Lover
#9
About 5:45 the other morning I saw probably about 20 dolphins heading west to east.

Nice way to start your day!

CHEERS
Smiling JOe avatar
SoWal Expert
#10


Heading east
Beach Fanatic
#11
A couple weeks ago at sunset:wub: , the moon was rising on the east and the sun was down on the west but it was still bright pink and orange. We saw so many dolphins. Little groups were jumping but there were lots and lots. Maybe even 100 all together! :cool: They were headed east towards the moon.
Beach Comber
#12
Sooooo...they do only go east? Wow, they swim very fast around the globe...I knew they were special!
:yikes:
Smiling JOe avatar
SoWal Expert
#13
Sooooo...they do only go east? Wow, they swim very fast around the globe...I knew they were special!
:yikes:
Everyone knows that they don't swim around the globe every day. They just make one big circle around the entire Gulf. :floor:
seaside2 avatar
Beach FanaticAuthor
#14
Yeah, that's how they keep so fit.:floor: :floor: :floor:
Smiling JOe avatar
SoWal Expert
#15





These were swimming west at 1:08pm.
seaside2 avatar
Beach FanaticAuthor
#16
Look how close in they were!!! WOW!!

I never get tired of watching these guys.:clap: :clap: :clap:

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