Dolphins With A Porpoise: Stampeding Dolphins Delight Onlookers

DANA POINT, CA — Whale watchers out for the glorious sunny day in mid-March experienced the amazing sight: A huge pod of stampeding common dolphins off the shore of Dana Point.

Both Capt. Dave Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari and Dana Wharf Whale Watching boats captured the glorious event on camera. You can hear the excitement in the air as watchers emote their delight!

Such dolphin stampedes occur when the animals porpoise out of the water at a high rate of speed, According to Giselle Anderson, of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari.

"Porpoising is the fastest mode of travel for dolphins because there is less resistance in the air than in water," Anderson said. "Dolphin stampedes happen spontaneously and can occur anytime throughout the year."

It's unknown for certain what causes this behavior.

"It's thought the dolphins could be evading a natural predator such as orcas, racing to catch a food source, or meeting up with another pod of dolphins," she says.

Southern California has the greatest density of dolphins per square mile of anywhere else on earth.

There are nearly 450,000 common dolphins, the species in this video, and several other types of dolphins in the Orange County area.

Dana Point is one of the best places in the world to see large mega-pods that can number in herds of up to 10,000, she says.

Common dolphins average about 6 feet in length and weigh about 170 pounds. Their diet consists of schooling fish and squid.

With a variety of year-round whales, more dolphins per square mile than anywhere in the world, pristine coastline, calm seas, the first and longest-running annual Festival of Whales, and a captivating harbor minutes from the open ocean, Dana Point, California, is the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World®.

It's a perfect time of year to go whale watching in Dana Point. Visit: www.dolphinsafari.com or www.DanaWharf.com to book your next adventure.