The moment was bittersweet as my classmates and I boarded the boat for our final dive and snorkeling trip: at night. The sun was beginning to set and everyone felt excitement for the upcoming activity. Together, we stood on the bow of the ship as it picked up speed and the Florida Keys started disappearing behind us. Out of the blue, we spotted a small pod of dolphins. They were playfully swimming beneath us and we got to watch them before they swam further away towards the sea. When the ship stopped for our dive, we could still see them in the distance as they breached and splashed in the waves.
Dolphins are frequently seen along the coasts of Florida. Due to the warmer waters and abundance in food, Florida’s waters hosts a wide array of dolphin species from the common dolphin to the bottlenose to the Atlantic spotted. These marine mammals are very social and intelligent animals and effective hunters. They can consume a broad range of fish species and use their social structure as a means to effectively hunt as a group. Unfortunately like many marine animals, dolphins face an overabundance of threats due to humanity, including commercial fishing, boat propellor accidents, oil spills, and more. In order to protect and conserve these species, we need to work together to ensure that dolphins do not continue to decline.
Dolphins were definitely on my list of animals to see when we came down to Florida and I’m so glad that I got to see this pod in such an unexpected way. Now that this trip is over and I’ve had time to reflect and look at all of our pictures, I can definitely say that this trip surprised me and made me get out of my comfort zone. I’m also pretty sad that it’s over. I found a deeper appreciation for the work done by marine biologists and conservationists and I can’t wait to hear about the work done in the future by my classmates.
To learn more about these playful marine mammals and for more information about dolphins in Florida, check out the links below!
Can't believe we got to see those dolphins so clearly and close. Not manatees but still works. Even after they left the boat we could see them socializing. Really smart mammals.
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