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Cook Strait Swimmer and Dolphins.....and Sharks


wheels

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The fellow that just swum Cook Strait has an interesting tale to tell. He was surrounded by Dolphins for pretty much most of his trip across. Somebody told him he wouldn't have to worry about Sharks in the Strait. I am not quite sure in what context that was said. It's probably the one place I would most worry about sharks. There have certainly been some monsters spotted out there. But anyway, part way into his Swim, he looked down to see a Shark, but it stayed away from him. Most likely the Dolphins kept the Shark away, but of course there is no way we can ever really know for sure, although the story of the Swimmers off Ocean Beach a few years back showed that Dolphins will indeed protect people from Sharks. Actually as soon as I heard there were Dolphins around him, I instantly thought that they may be protecting him from Sharks. Just whether the Dolphins purposely protect Humans or not is going to be any ones guess, but it's kind of neat to think that they are. I suppose that when an animal like a Dolphin is easily just as smart as a Dog or maybe even more so, that it's highly likely they are protecting us in purpose.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-expr ... nd-a-shark

My other thought on this Swim is, why the heck did the guy choose this time of the year. It must have been so cold out there and it wasn't particularly calm either.

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What a load of croc. Its a heading to get people to read it.

Shark actually. But why bbay??

Certainly there will be no way of ever knowing if the Dolphins presence actually kept that Shark or any other possible Sharks away, but it's happened before.

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Well it would be rather difficult to prove so its a statement that reeks of sensationalism to me.

 

Probably doesn't reek as much as your proposed plywood composting toilet will bbay.

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Being a vegetarian its a lot like horseshit BNG. But this brings up an interesting point in that dolphins are supposed to like people and look after them. I wonder if thats true or if they use our yachts to sneak up on prey. Of course they look like they are smiling but thats bullshit for sure.

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bbay, I don't know if it's on Youtube, but have a quick search for a Vid on there about a bunch of Swimmers (Some or all were Surf life savers) at Ocean Beach. It is a fantastic story and there was no doubt that in this instance, the Dolphins were deliberately protecting the group from a very large Shark.

I also have some incredible pictures of Dolphins purposefully playing with our Boat. I don't know why, but several actually put their Fin against the Bow and let the boat push them through the water, as in one of these pics. The other pic is showing a "sign of submission" by turning upside down and showing is belly.

P4140091.jpg

P4140120.jpg

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Apparently the Australian Aborigines around Sydney used to bash the water with spears and the dolphins would come about and they would herd fish to shore where the People would spear them. They held the dolphins to be sacred friends. I love seeing them myself. The above comes from the book "The worlds largest Estate" and I can't recall the Author....great read.

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Speaking of dolphins. We got attacked buy a big pod (20 or 30) on the way to coramandal on Easter Monday

 

We were about 2 miles west of te kuma and spotted a big pack of them. There was a bit of wind and we were doing about 7-8 knots

 

They came straight up to us and before long started smacking the keel and throwing the boat around. They were also on the rudder steering the boat. This went on for a little while befor I heard a crunch from the rudder. We managed to turn the boat into wind and waited for them to move on. Scary sh*t. Nearly lost the rudder.

 

I will never go swimming with them again!

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Wow Royal thats freaky. We got nudged in the rudder early april in the huraki by a dolphin. I've been scared by them when surfing, paddling out in large waves and a pod comes straight for me and splits around me at the very last moment and man they are big heavy critturs.

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I have read of a Story of Orca "playing" with a Yacht. Unfortunately one punched through the Hull and the yacht went down within 60seconds and the story becomes one of the most incredible survival stories you could ever possibly read. But never heard of Dolphins doing something like that. The Male Bottlenose are surprisingly very big animals.

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Long time listener.. First time caller. We were moored in double cove, Queen Charlotte Sound over Xmas. Around 60 dolphins came right up to the head of the bay around us... Amazing. One had a small calf that got stranded on the rocks. All adults tried washing the calf off to no avail. After a few moments, I went over in the dinghy to help... Scary with so many adults around. Amazing thing was, they backed off while I got the calf off the rocks. Circled around me and swam off. Amazing moment and amazing animals.

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I guess that show they are not aggressive crittures if they will let people handle their young. That would be a test indeed.

We saw a lot of younger dolphins off the East Cape in april. Delightfully lively and playful.

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I think it depends what mood they are in

 

When they are hunting, stay away.

 

They can be very playful but they are still a wild anamal

 

These were about 3 or 4 meters. Biggest I have seen

 

I have heard that dolphins eat there own. Maybe they were hunting another pack and took shelter under our boat?

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They can be very playful but they are still a wild anamal

Yes exactly, they are indeed Wild Animals and they are hunters and Meat eaters and are just like any other Land Animal that hunts and eats Meat.

In saying that, there has not been any known Deaths where the Dolphin has purposely attacked to Kill a Human.

The Big Males have been known to kill newborn Calves, but not eat them. Apparently they will Kill the newborn because the Mother becomes fertile again when she loses a Calf. Like most Wild Animals, it's all about getting their offspring into the Gene pool and the Males will kill to ensure that happens.

Nor have they been known to eat another Dolphin species, but they have been known to Kill Porpoise's and seemingly done so just for the hell of it. Which is unlike most other Animals whom tend to Kill for food or because they are threatened.

I have heard of some Human Females having some very scary close encounters with Horny Male Dolphins, whom can be quite Violent. I for one would think twice about jumping in with Bottle nose, but I would not be worried about the little ones like Hectors etc.

I would not consider jumping in with Orca either.

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sharks eat dolphins

 

dolphins don't like sharks

 

dolphins tend to swim in groups to protect themselves from sharks

 

dolphins seem more curious about people than sharks

 

dolphin groups often swim towards and around people who are away from shore

 

and do tend to protect those people when they are within the group

 

killer whales also eat dolphins

 

dolphins don't muck around when killers are about

 

they simply clear out

 

fast

 

whale_attacking_a_640_03.jpg

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In the sounds, and especially Port Hardy about xmas hols, the dolphins come in to breed. They stay for a few weeks with the new calves, often just a pair or a small pod. Seen it personally, and a local resident says they are there every year....

 

They like to play with the people. About 6-7 years ago we had a big raft up in Port Hardy, and they were there then. While towing a biscuit with the dingy, one of the adults jumped directly over the biscuit! Really wished we had that on film!!

 

I really like dolphins, and have swum with them, including the bottle nose. Also been boatman when divers were surrounded by orcas.... Never seen them threaten anyone, quite the opposite.

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