Watch Dolphins Stampede Off Orange County Coastline

DANA POINT, CA — Whale watchers got an eyeful Thursday as a pod of dolphins began to "stampede," according to Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari whale watching tours.

The act known as "porpoising" or leaping from the water in a group, is a totally spontaneous action, Capt. Dave Anderson said. The pod of several hundred common dolphins leaped from the water at a high rate of speed in what is known as a dolphin stampede.

"It is thought that stampeding dolphins may be racing to catch a food source or maybe to meet up with another pod of dolphins," Anderson said. "The dolphins are not scared of the boat."

According to Anderson, porpoising is the fastest mode of travel for dolphins because there is less resistance in air than water.

"Capt. Dave’s whale watching passengers were able to experience the beautiful dolphins from above and below the water with the catamaran's unique Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pods, which gave guests the opportunity to experience what if feels like to swim with wild dolphins without getting wet," he said.

Many residents of Dana Point have seen dolphins in the area this week, as paddle boarders reported multiple dolphin sightings to Patch Thursday morning.

Southern California has the greatest density of dolphins per square mile of anywhere else on earth. This includes nearly 450,000 common dolphins, the species in this video, as well as several other species of dolphin. 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.

Photos, video courtesy of Craig Dewitt, Capt. Dave's Whale Watching Safari: