Sunday 17 February 2019

It's a day for Dolphins




Today we were out in our boat after an absence of about a month or so. The forecast was for 20 knot winds and when we woke up this morning all was still in the air and the sea looked like a mirror but once we were out on the water the clouds came out and the wind came up.

After moving around different places trying to get bites while avoiding the choppy high waves and me feeling very sick (normally I don't get seasick) we finally stopped in once spot behind one of the islands.

We lost our berley twice, the 2nd time we let it go but this little bird seemed to find us fascinating. If you can see him he's brown with white feathers and was loving the little scraps of bait we were throwing out. Apparently he's a Fluttering Shearwater bird also known as Pakaha/Puffinus Gavia, feeds on small crustaceans and krill. They breed on offshore islands around the North Island and Cook Strait from September to February before migrating to Australia.

While we were out there we happened to witness a pod of about 30 dolphins chasing a school of Kahawai around us and 2 other boats that we were also out on the water. Just amazing to see these beautiful creatures.

Another subject - Valentines Day - did you celebrate it? We didn't and don't normally. Baz and I have been together nearly 4 years and we do things for each other throughout the year so we don't see that one day is really needed.

9 comments:

Graham Edwards said...

Sounds like an enjoyable, if fruitless, day out. I'd have been thrilled to see the shearwater so close up. They are usually only guessed at in unidentifiable flocks a long way off. Everyone loves dolphins but I've not seen them in the bay below my house on Lewis for a few years. They are still around the Island though people tell me.

local alien said...

How amazing to see the dolphins!
Beautiful creatures.
No valentine's Day here thank goodness.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Cool!! I have a coworker who got divorced and retired to a sizable boat that he took to the Bahamas until the weather warms up. He sent me a photo of dolphin surfacing just off the rear of his boat. It made me pretty jealous.
We celebrate Valentines Day but I acknowledge that it is a made up holiday that serves more financial gains rather than romantic.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Amazing seeing Dolphins out at sea, I've never seen them apart from an aquarium. You were lucky. Shame on you not selibrating Valentines day. we have been married 36 years and still celibrate even if I buy her thngs through out the year

Bill said...

I love the rear view from the boats. The hills/mtns look very pretty. It must have been amazing to see the dolphins swimming close by. We don't celebrate Valentine's Day either. My wife and I have been together almost 39 years and celebrate what we want when we want and that fine with us. :)

NatureFootstep said...

lol, I don´t think weather listens to the forecast :) Love the birds!

Sharon said...

How lucky you were to see the dolphins. They are such beautiful creatures.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Always such a treat to spot dolphins, you were lucky Amy. I agree with you re Valentine's, it's way too commercialized these days. Unexpected surprises through the year are much more romantic 😉

William Kendall said...

Yes, I do see the bird.

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