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Photo Courtesy of Antonio Ramirez
Antonio Ramirez, who was aboard a Hornblower Cruise on Thursday, snapped this photo of the dolphins swimming in a "super mega-pod."
Thousands of dolphins spanning across seven miles of ocean were sighted off the coast of San Diego on Thursday, a boat captain told NBC 7 San Diego.
Capt. Joe Dutra of Hornblower Cruises said he saw a “super mega-pod” of common dolphins Thursday around noon while he was on his daily tour. He said the pod was more than seven miles long and five miles wide.
It's likely the mega-pod of dolphins were following food, such as sardines or herring. But whatever the reason they congregated off the coast of California, scientists say there's no doubt they were communicating with one another. NBC's Diana Alvear reports.
Dutra said the boat tour followed the pod for more than an hour and said he’s never seen anything like it.
“When you see something that is honestly truly beyond belief,” the captain said.
Guests aboard the boat started screaming and pointing when they first saw the school of adult and juvenile common dolphins. Dutra estimated there were about 100,000 dolphins swimming in the area.
For more, visit NBCSanDiego.com
“They were coming from all directions, you could see them from as far as the eye can see,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of stuff out here… but this is the biggest I’ve ever seen, ever.”
Whale and dolphin watching tours have done particularly well this year, with dozens of animal sightings reported.
Marine mammal expert Sarah Wilkin said the reason the large pod might be there is because there’s plenty of food in the area, including sardines, herring and squid.
“They’re attracted to kind of the same thing, they might wind up in the same place,” she said.
Though dolphins typically travel in groups of 200 or less, Wilkin said “super-pods” are not unheard of.
“They’re definitely social animals, they stick together in small groups,” she said. “But sometimes, the schools come together.”
Dutra, who’s been boating for decades, said he felt lucky to enjoy such a rare phenomenon.
“You had to be there to experience it,” he said. “It was truly spectacular.”
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Nature has its Conventions!
From the The Watchers website: "According to marine mammal expert Sarah Wilkin, the reason the large pod might be there is because there’s plenty of food in the area, including sardines, herring and squid. Though dolphins typically travel in groups of 200 or less, Wilkin said “super-pods” are not unheard of."
So long, and Thanks for all the fish.
They're just saying, "Goodbye and thanks for all the fish."
Not the end of the world, just the end of a very long age. Welcome to the age of aquarius. The water bearers have arrived.
Early spring break? Tailgating? I sure hope they are having as much fun as they seem to be.
I've seen small groups of 20 of so swimming with cruise ships I've been on, and smaller pods of killer whales and humpback whales. But this is incredible. Normally pods are much smaller for the same reason North American Indian encampments were small: there is a limit to how much food can be taken from a given area and if the predator population becomes to large, the food supply runs low and the predators - or at least some of them - have to move out in search of food. That's why Custer was astonished at the size of the Sioux-Cheyenne village he attacked at his "Last Stand" on the Little Bighorn River. If the Army had not appeared, the village would have split up within another week or two anyway because the few thousand Indians had virtually wiped out all the game in the area.
These super-pods happen every year off the coast of South Africa when the Sardines are spawning. Then the Sharks lay in wait after the Dolphin's are about through. Watch ' Planet EARTH ' on the Animal Planet Channel every week. You'll learn alot. Has to be an awesome site to see.
Probably just a dolphin flash mob
I've seen pods almost that large out at sea in the Pacific. I've also seen large schools of shark. It's nothing to be alarmed over.
i think i can make out a few mermaids that are travelling with them...
Your horn is blowing.
San Diego is the best place ever. Why I ever lived anywhere else, I will never know. I was thinking of moving, but heck no.
This is just soo cool!!! Wish I was there.
Don't let the Japanese find out ...
I saw a huge pod of Spinner Dolphins like this off the coast of Perth , Australia several years ago. It was an incredible sight ! The Spinners love to jump and do forward flips. We were surrounded by the pod for at least 20 minutes or more as we headed offshore to fish. There were thousands of dolphins jumping and flipping on all sides and front and back of the boat.
kevel6750--when i witnessed this the dolphins were not jumping--just swimming ----all heading south . this was at new smyrna beach in florida. locals thought it has something to do with a school of fish but no one there had ever seen it before.
Dolphin porn....now I've seen everything. The largest dolphin orgy ever.
i have seen this gathering of dolphins. i was vacationing in new smyrna beach ,florida and on the first morning looked out on the ocean and saw hundreds of fins and thought they were sharks. the owners of the motel said he'd been there for years and had never seen anything like it. i was relieved to hear they were dolphins. it went on for hours -there must have been hundreds of them. this was in the mid 60's-since i love dolphins i like to think they came to greet me. maybe they knew i was a supporter and donator to ''green peace;;. it was a truly amazing sight.
Yeah,, we sure believe you,, yeah.
mike-----it is exactly as i described. you may have to see it to believe it-----no ''fish tale'' --it did happen.
I believe you granny, I used to Kayak up in Northern California near Eureka (Clam Beach) and it was always so exciting to be "greeted" by pigmy dolphins while out on the ocean, I've never gotten to see the mega pods (yet) but one day hopefully!
Looks like AQUAMAN and SQUIDGIRL are in the back of the photo...
Are they doing the nasty again?
Quick pollute the area, spill some oil or something, we can't have this going on!! Dripping in sarchasm
Truly wish i could have seen it, go dolphins
Are you going to clean up all of the fecal matter and urine from that many animals? If not, stop popping off about pollution.
Mike's comment: The peak of ignorance!
So long, and thanks for all the fish?
For anyone who doesn't speak dolphin, they are saying "So long, and thanx for all the fish!"
Maybe it's the dolphins' Woodstock.
has anyone ever think about tracking the dolphins to see if it track to a large feeding ground or just moving to warmer warters....i dont think the navy has anything to do with this one....
I saw a documentary not too long ago on this (it was somewhere near Africa though) it's a feeding frenzy only happens like once a year. They did a whole thing on how each dolphin has a job and how they all take turns "herding the fish together" while others eat, it was amazing! For the life of me I can't remember the name of it though.
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
Those of you who think dolphins are smarter than humans, why don't you go and join them?
Because dolphins don't accept the killers of the human race amongst them.
One thing is sure, they are smarter than YOU!
That is a great picture of a pod of porpoises following the swell of the boat. There may be a dolphin in there somewhere, also.