Whilst sat on Ventnor cascade looking out to the shimmering sea yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, we caught sight of a beautiful pod of dancing dolphins.
Sadly, they were too far out to capture any usable video footage and we were unable to get out on the water fast enough to get a closer look.
Video capture
However, David Cheal was out on the water around the other side of the Island and later caught this lovely footage of the dolphins racing through the water off the coast of the Isle of Wight near Sandown.
David reckons there were 40-50 dolphins in the pod.
Take note
If you’re out on a boat and do see some dolphins please note the following advice from experts.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) share advice against swimming with dolphins. This followed the regular sightings of a lone dolphin in Portsmouth last year.
They say,
Interacting with dolphins runs the risk of zoonotic disease transfer, which is the passing of contagious diseases between humans and dolphins.
There are known cases in the UK where people have been infected by dolphins with pneumonia and meningoencephalitis, although the disease transmission can work both ways.
BDMLR is urging people not to enter the water with dolphins. We appreciate how unusual and exciting it is to have the opportunity to see these majestic creatures from our shores, but please dolphin-watch responsibly from land. This ensures you and the dolphin stay safe.
They go on to warn,
Interactions with wild dolphins may break the law. It is illegal to disturb or harass dolphins in UK waters and can result in criminal conviction, (including hefty fines and/or jail time), as was the case when two men went for an early morning swim with a dolphin in Kent.
If you do see the pod of dolphins and are tempted to jump in and swim with them, please note this advice below shared with us by the good folks over at Corvid Blog.
Click on image to see larger version
Main image and video: © David Cheal
