Question for you guys. Normally on Sundays, I surf in Atlantic City south of the last casino. For the past few months like clockwork, I always see a group of dolphins out anywhere between 7 and 8 am. They usually just cruise past me and get about as close as 10 feet from me. More than likely, they frequent this spot because the food is plentiful there (I usually see fish jumping out of the water). There are usually between 3-4 in their pod. I'm not sure if it is the same group every week but I suspect it is. Last weekend was a little different. I was out with a few friends and I started to paddle away from them to head towards another bar that was handling the small swell a little better. As I approached it I noticed a dolphin that had breached the water and was in mid-air when I happened to see him. I sat up on my board and then noticed that there were about 8 or 9 fins in the water splashing around. I was about 10-15 feet from the pod. Then I watched as a few of them caught a wave. Very cool to watch. After the wave passed the ones that were riding it swam back over to the rest of the group. At that point all of them started swimming towards me. I just sat there and they ended up coming over to me and swimming underneath and around me. They were brushing up against my legs and although I have never heard of anyone in NJ getting attacked by dolphins...haha...I decided it was best to move on as they are in fact, wild animals and I was by myself at that point (my friends were a good 50 yards away at least). So a wave started to build behind me and I decided to paddle to catch it. As I looked behind me before I stood up, I didn't see any dolphins riding the wave so I figured I was good. I stood up and rode towards the shore rather then down the line as I wanted to give the animals as much space as possible. As I was riding, I looked behind me and there were two riding along side of me. I couldn't help but smile as I had never surfed with dolphins before. So here's what I would like to know. 1. Has this ever happened to anyone else here 2. Has anyone ever experienced dolphin aggression I only ask because I do plan on heading back this weekend and it would be good to know if dolphin aggression should be a factor to consider if I get approached again. Thx.
i surfed ac for 3 yrs when i went to stockton and never saw one dolphin. i've seen dolphins at many other places, and never once did they come closer than 20-30 ft. i think you're totally full of crap.
I surf in ocmd and I have never had any problems with aggressive dolphins. I have seen plenty of them and been faily close to them (5-10 feet). I would be careful if you see babies
Motion: I can assure you that I most certainly not full of crap. It happened exactly as I said it did with no embellishment whatsoever. As I said, I believe they are around AC because there is now an overabundance of food there. We all know that dolphins follow food. Most animals do. Sorry you never got to see any while you were there.
I was kayaking in south jersey once when three started following me and they kept poking outta the water looking at me. They would zig-zag underneath me, but eventually swam away with the pack. I'd stay away if any babies were around though, otherwise I think your alrite.
They are attracted to surfers cutting through the water just like they do with boats. Ive ridden waves in Pacific Beach and Costa Rica with them on the same wave just a few yards down the line. I've ducked dived many a times into waves where ive seen them shoot down the line.
They're not aggressive unless provoked. When they are... they can be more vicious than sharks (bottle nose, not sure about others).
wow, thats an experience. Usually when they are thrashing around, they are feeding, but it sounds like they were playing more than anything. I've been pretty close to dolphins, and I must say it is kind of freaky to have such a huge mammal hovering around you.
dolphins Out at assateague about two years ago I had one come up with 4 feet of me. Scared the living sh*t outta me. Had no idea what it was just this big grey thing coming up from the deep. It was one the freakiest expiriences of my life. If any of you guys know about the penn and teller show called bullsh*t on showtime, they have an episode about "dolphinatics" it is f'n hysterical. Check it out on youtube.
well, when i lived in MD, in OC, I would see dolphins every now and again, but they would stay quite a bit off shore. In SD, I see them all the time. They are all over. I have some cool video of me paddling around la fonda alone with a school of dolphins. It looks like they jump over my head at one point from the angle of the video... In mission and PB, they will surf the waves a lot. At blacks they will circle you a lot. On the cliffs they will come up and check you out. But they never show aggression. And after you get close enough to the dolphins a few times, there is no fear factor anymore. I have had them bump my legs, and they float up to the top, roll on their side and look you right in the eye, They are just curious. That is the only way they can figure out what you are. They didn't think you were food, they were just playing with you basically. They are far smarter than you may think. I have gotten off my board and tried to reach out and touch them, but they are so agile and fast, they move right away... Ive been paddling out in PB when i notived like 10 dolphins riding a 5 foot beach break wave right at me. I duck dove and expected to get slammed into by a bunch of huge fish. They came right at me, I ducked under and braced, and not one of them even touched me. I felt a lot of water moving, but those things can turn on a dime... Point is, any large sea creature will freak you out, but if its not something your used to, it can be strange... especially if they take a closer look. But trust me, you will never be bumped off you board and forced under water by a dolphin, and that is really all they can do... They are cool as a fan.
Up here on the north end in VA Beach, I see dolphins just about every time I surf. And I've ridden a few waves with dolphins. I remember one time I was out surfing, and the waves were kinda big by VB standards. Probably 5 or 6 feet. Well this bomb set came in, and seriously like a whole pod of dolphins were surfing this thing. I had to duck dive the wave, and I was sure a dolphin was gonna run straight into me. I went under, and could feel these 2 dolphins effortlessly dodge me. They are agile as hell, and super super smart (hello... echo location). From my experiences with them, I would say that they like surfers, so any time you see some dolphins around DONT BE SCURD!!!
Never shared a wave with one but did see them catch a few while I was out there....the closest encounter came when yak shark fishin at night from the beach. Paddled out, dropped the bait and started to head back in when one jumped right next to the yak...no more then a couple feet away. I nearly had a heart attack.
In the summer you can see hundreds of dolphin around crickets, it's suppose to be a nursery for them, and on bigger swells you can watch them playing in the waves on the shoals, I've seen them riding waves with surfers, even watched one giving birth, and chances are if its rubbing your legs its trying to round up some food,it was most likely a rockfish or a bunker rubbing against you, the dolphin where probably just following the same school of bait fish.
When I was a kid and my dad was a game warden down in the Florida Keys I befriended a dolphin. He was a good pal and even got me outta a few jams, one involving a smuggler. Never saw him get aggressive.
yeah man, i see them all over the place up there. they have never ridden a wave with me but they have popped up close enought to give me a good startle.
i haven't ridden any waves with them, but they've come pretty close over at pavilion ave in long branch, i've only seen them a couple times though
one time when i was really little i was swimming in the ocean during the summer and i swam up real close to some but then nonother than the OCBP made me get away.............F***ING buzzkills
