3 Feb 24 - ORCA Saga Caribbean Calypso Day 17 - Some Caribbean Dolphins Off Bequia

As we left Bequia, we had time for some final surveying before it was dark. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to see that much as we would only have an hour or so at sea after clearing the immediate coastline before it was dusk.

I thought Bequia would be a good backdrop for a new photo for my ORCA profile: It certainly looked better than the one I took at home with the living room wall as a background

St Vincent in the distance: It was a pity we didn't visit there as there is an endemic Parrot and an endemic New World Warbler on the island

Initially, we saw parties of Brown Boobies and Red-footed Boobies flying past the ship. Then I picked up a couple of distant Dolphins jumping high out of the water. I initially though they might be Spinner Dolphins, but they didn't leap again to allow confirmation and they were a long way off. A few minutes later, a party of at least a dozen Dolphins pasting the ship & we could clearly see they were Fraser's Dolphins. They spent most of their time swimming past lust under the surface, but occasionally one surfaced.

Fraser's Dolphin: Fraser's Dolphins are a medium-sized Dolphin growing up to 2.7 metres with a stocky body and a distinctive short and stubby beak. The upperparts are light brownish-grey, with creamy coloured lower sides with a broad darker line from the eye to the anus and a pinkish belly. They have a slightly falcate dorsal fin

Fraser's Dolphin: They occur in the Atlantic from as far North as South Carolina to North Africa and South to Southern Brazil to Angola. They occur throughout the Indian Ocean as far South as South Africa and Madagascar across to central Western Australia. They continue through South East Asian waters and across the Pacific as far South as Sydney, Australia to North Peru and as far North as Southern Japan to Baja California

Having seen Fraser's Dolphins leaping high out of the water in the Banda Sea, then it's possible that was what the distant jumping Dolphins had been. However, with only a couple of very distant breaches to go on, they had to be recorded as unidentified Dolphins.

Fraser's Dolphin: Jumping between Pantar & Kalaotoa in the Banda Sea, Indonesia (10 Nov 22)

Just over ten minutes later, another party of ten Dolphins passing down the side of the ship. Fortunately, I managed to get some photos of them, as we were struggling to identify them as they raced alongside towards the stern. At the time, I thought they were Pantropical Spotted Dolphins, but Terry raised concerns when he saw the photos. Both species Pantropical Spotted Dolphins have a noticeable beak, which is separated from the melon by a distinctive crease. Additionally, both species have a dark cape which extends from the upper face to low under the dorsal fin before it curves up to the top of the back just behind the dorsal fin. The spotting isn't a help as youngsters of Pantropical Spotted Dolphins are unspotted and some populations also have unspotted adults. However, Clymene Dolphins have a dark-tipped beak, whereas Pantropical Dolphins have a white tip.

Clymene Dolphin: Clymene Dolphins are shorter and more robust than Spinner Dolphins with a shorter and stockier beak, which is separated from the melon by a distinctive crease. Note the dark-tipped beak

Clymene Dolphin: This photo shows the dark cape which extends from the upper face to low under the dorsal fin before it curves up to the top of the back just behind the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is erect and slightly falcate. Clymene Dolphins are restricted to the Atlantic, where their range is broadly similar to the range of Fraser's Dolphins

Sadly, the Clymene Dolphins were the last Dolphins we saw that evening and within a half hour or so, we lost the light. But it had been a good end to the day and those passengers who had joined us on deck had enjoyed the show the Dolphins put on.

Clymene Dolphin: This photo was taken at sea between Ascension & Cape Verde and shows the dark cape and dark-tipped beak. They are clearly an acrobatic species (28 Apr 18)