Weekly Photo Challenge: Everyday Life – Among the Dolphins
“I would maintain that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”
Gilbert K. Chesterton
Years ago my husband and I left the busy streets of the great northeast and moved to a beautiful barrier island in South Carolina. Instead of street scenes my everyday life is typically full of beach scenes, bicycles and boats. This week my days were filled with dolphin encounters.
GOTCHA !
The photo above shows a pod of dolphins engaged in “strand feeding”. Stranding is a behavior unique to dolphins along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. Scientists find it interesting because it demonstrates learned behavior passed from mother to calf. Basically the dolphins form a group which corrals a school of bait fish and forces them onto the shore, where they feast on as many as they can devour. During season they will eat up to 20 lbs of fish per day.
CYCLIST ONLOOKER
Here, a bicyclist watches as the dolphin gets lucky with a jumping mullet. Stranding is very active this month due to the large numbers of mullet in the rivers and creeks. It’s thrilling to see the dolphins charging the beach in a group of 10 or 12 with tremendous bursts of speed and grace. The melee is made more frenetic because the pelicans have an uncanny sense of when and where the strike will happen and are always there to work for their own piece of the action.
SEARCHING FOR SCRAPS
And of course, everyday life here on Kiawah involves photography. Here, one of my compatriots gets up close and personal with a pod of dolphins strand feeding literally at his feet.
PHOTO OP
Those who follow my blog know that I try to include a quote (or several) that works with my images. This week I chose Gratitude as my featured quote because it is the primary emotion I feel when I think about my everyday life. That I can spend my days surrounded by incredible beauty, and experience such magnificent creatures up close and personal, is indeed “happiness doubled by wonder”. A picture really is worth a thousand words – I know just how these guys feel :-).
HAPPY FELLOW I
HAPPY FELLOW II
WOW. Great pictures. Thumbs u ! 🙂
Thanks! And thanks for visiting 🙂
your photos are terrific and i love the captions and the quote!
Thanks Gin! Come to think of it, the quote IS right up your alley 🙂
Your photos are terrific
Tina, the dolphin do look happy don’t they? Makes me anxious to get back home.
Sharon Buehler 843-442-9602 (cell)
We miss you! When do you get back? Is it getting cold there?
WOW….these r fascinating…I especially LOVE Happy Fellow II….u have a great eye!!
Thanks April! They sure look like they’re smiling, don’t they?!
Wow Tina these photos are so amazing. Well actually all of your photos are amazing! Where did you see these dolphins and was it low tide?
Sent from my iPhone
Hi sandy. We were on a boat with captain chad out by Captain Sam’s between Kiawah and Seabrook. You can walk to it from beachwalker state park. They seem to be most active about an hour after high tide, when the tide is moving out. Its really a “must-see”. Chad says they’ll be at it as long as the mullet are running, into mid October probably. And thanks for the lovely compliment 🙂
I have done it! I am enjoying your blog. Thanks, Tina.
Yay! Welcome Toni 🙂
Great shots. Must have been exciting to be there.
Thanks Jane. It’s fascinating. You must get out there to see it. Ronan would LOVE it!
Truly mag, Roo! Amazing talent you have and your sharing is glorifying to the higher being..!!
Hey there Roo! Thank you for your beautiful compliment. I think the glory belongs more to the dolphins than to me but I’ll take the lovely praise anyway!
Wow – love the photos. Glad you had such a great day on the boat.
Thanks Leslee!
When i grow up I want to take the great pictures you and Jane take! I’m never quite sure I was on the same boat! Mary Lynn
LOL–I’m sure you have some wonderful shots ML! You don’t see our non-keepers 🙂