Boaters have often marveled at the sight of bow-riding dolphins, but in the accompanying video Mark Peters provides a beautiful perspective of what these encounters look like from underwater. He and some fishing buddies stumbled upon a large pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins recently while trolling for albacore off Santa Cruz, Calif. (Pay special attention after the 1:35 mark.)
Peters then deployed a GoPro Hero 2 camera with a flat lens in a dive housing, placed inside a custom-built torpedo-shaped housing to keep the camera stable as the boat was underway.
The mammals seem close enough to touch as they follow beneath the boat. Viewers probably will agree that the footage is exceptionally vivid and spectacular.
Pacific white-sided dolphins are found in temperate coastal waters of the North Pacific and can measure to about seven feet and weigh 300 pounds.
There have been no documented instances of dolphins being struck by boats during their bow-riding forays.
What a magnificent video. Incredible. Thank you for posting such unique material.
Posted by: Linda Mokbel | Aug 17, 2012 at 06:33 PM