Diving with Dolphins
“Humans” of the Underwater World
Who doesn’t dream of diving with dolphins? Not shy and very playful, they are as curious about us as we are about them. What would be better while diving than playing with dolphins? These toothed whales are highly intelligent animals with a personality all their own, often living together in large pods. They exhibit many human traits such as mourning the dead of their conspecifics, learning from one another, trying to impress their females with gifts, joy, playfulness, empathy, etc.
Dolphins communicate through a variety of whistling, squeaking, and clicking sounds. They also use echolocation to navigate and hunt underwater which uses a sonar-like system to capture their environment three-dimensionally. There are over 40 species of dolphins, the best known being the Bottlenose dolphin and the Orca, or Killer Whale, the largest member of the family. Join these fun, playful, inquisitive mammals for an adventure you’ll never forget. Find out here where you can dive with dolphins.
Animals in this category
Diving with Common Dolphins
The common dolphin is one of the most historically popular dolphins recorded throughout art and literature. It is currently the common name for two species, the short- and long-beaked common dolphin, both of which can be found in tropical and warm-temperate parts of the ocean. The long-beaked variety is mostly found along coastal waters, whereas, the short-beaked is found in offshore waters most frequently found in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Both species, however, occur in the southern California Bight and sometimes aggregate by the thousands!
Diving with Bottlenose Dolphins
Charismatic, curious, cute, and smart are all reasons the bottlenose dolphin is the most well-known of the dolphins. The upward curvature of their mouths gives them the appearance of always smiling and their extreme intelligence makes them the easiest cetacean to train. Combine this with their friendly looks and it’s no wonder why they are the stars of most aquarium shows and many Hollywood movies. Not only do people have access to viewing them at most aquariums around the world, they are also the most common dolphin found in the wild, living in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical waters all around the globe in almost every type of habitat.
Diving with Pilot Whales
Contrary to their name, pilot whales are actually part of the dolphin family and are the second largest next to the killer whale (or orca). There are technically two distinct species, the short- and long-finned pilot whale; however, it is nearly impossible to tell the two species apart while at sea. Typically, the short-finned are found in tropical and sub-tropical waters while the long-finned inhabit the colder regions, particularly the Southern Ocean. Wherever you may encounter these dark colored, large dolphins, you will be sure to leave with a million memories.
Diving with Striped Dolphins
Similar to its cousin, the bottlenose dolphin, striped dolphins are very abundant with a healthy wild population and are one of the most widely distributed dolphins in the world. In fact, they can be found in every ocean across the globe, mostly in warm temperate and tropical waters, and is the most abundant dolphin species in the Mediterranean Sea. The Adriatic Sea is home to a large population of this beautifully active animals with over 20,000 individuals. Because this species is so abundant, it has been extensively studied and much is known about it. The unique coloration is similar to that of the common dolphin and since they are often found in large groups alongside the one another, identification of the two can be easily mixed up.
Diving with Spinner Dolphins
One of the most acrobatic dolphin species, the spinner dolphin is famous for its acrobatic displays, specifically the way in which it spins multiple times longways as it jumps through the air. They are commonly spotted racing alongside boats and are a beautiful, exciting site to see. These agile mammals are among the smallest of the dolphins and are found in tropical waters all around the world. The largest populations seem to be near Thailand, the Central American Pacific coast, and the Hawaiian Islands.
Dive Sites with this Animal
★★★★☆ Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary
This spur and groove reef formation sitting 5 miles off of Big Pine Key, in the Florida Keys, is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Due to its protected status reef life is very healthy and active here.
★★★★★ Batu Bolong Komodo
Batu Bolong is a world class dive sites. Suitable for advanced and/or experienced divers due to its strong currents, Batu Bolong offers some huge schools of fish, many pelagic fish, and different kinds of sharks in the deeper parts of the dive.
★★★★★ Manta Point, Nusa Penida
Located in the south of Nusa Penida Island and facing the Indian Ocean, Manta Point can often have big waves. This dive site has large rock mounds which are often visited by manta rays for self cleaning, giving this site it’s name.
★★★★★ SS Thistlegorm (Wreck)
This is one of the most famous wrecks in the world. This site is suitable only for advanced divers and EAN is highly recommended. on a trip there you do at least 2 dives, inside and outside around. The bridge rises up to 17 m.
★★★★☆ Palm-mar Cave
It´s also known as the moray Cave. It can be a bit difficult depending the current and visibility. To get the dive spot you need to by boat. Possibility to do Full Cave.
★★★★☆ South Sands
South Sands consists of a large sand patch surrounded by reef structure. Maximum depth is 14m with an average depth of 11m. This is the perfect dive site to spot large groups of Rays or Guitar sharks.