The western side of the Galapagos Islands, particularly Roca Redonda, is an ideal place for those who love to see dolphins and have some close encounters due to their approach to our ship. During the spectacular bow riding show of the bottlenose dolphins, we were able to combine a genuine admiration and respect for these intelligent creatures.
My life has become bound up with dolphins, and over the years and throughout many exposures with dolphins I have become more concerned, curious about their bow riding behavior.
Dolphins riding the bow waves of the ship can be anywhere from 30 cm to 2 meters away from the ship, often stacked several layers deep and can frequently travel some distance to the side of the bow.
This is possible because dolphins are pushed along by burying their flukes in the forward position of the waves. Waves shapes are such that the water is not only being thrust forward, but upward, downward and outward so that a dolphin can roll on its side, front or travel out of the direct line of the ship and still enjoy its benefits.
Bottlenose dolphins, when bow riding, can move twice as fast as they can on their own, while expending 10% more of energy. In a choppy sea which sets the ship pitching, trust becomes too erratic to be useful and the cetaceans give up and leave the bow altogether.
I sincerely can say that what we offer in our trip is a true experience, fair to the best of what we see or know about natural history, geology, plants and sea life.
