I’ve never been to Sea World…

so dolphins in the neighborhood are pretty exciting… life mammal!

They’re not supposed to be here, certainly not in the river where they’ve been seen for the last week or so. Given the odd geography of Sandy Hook Bay and this summer’s early warm water temps, it’s thought that they took a detour into the Shrewsbury River by mistake. Fish and Wildlife is concerned with the upcoming 4th of July holiday (and the 20,000 plus boats it brings to my neighborhood) that the dolphins may need to be ushered back into the bay so they can safely find their way back to the open ocean.

13 thoughts on “I’ve never been to Sea World…”

  1. Oh, I hope they get ushered back to their usual haunts safely.
    I am not a big fan of power boats churning through water where other creatures live (and get hurt by humans).

  2. I’ve seen dolphins at sea world. It’s more exciting to see them in their own element. We see them constantly while body boarding off Emerald Isle near us. No matter how many times we see them it is a treat.

  3. Dolphin are as common as pigeons around here …(actually, there are very few pigeons around here, but you get my drift) … powerboats are no problem for them and they won’t need any human guidance to find their way.

    Now if they were manatees …

  4. These are beautiful creatures! Anybody would be happy to see them incidentally — not in an amusement park. I see that you write about different goings on in NJ. Have you heard of http://www.kangalope.com? It’s an event posting website that features different things going on in New Jersey — you might find a thing or two to write about there. Plus if you have events you can post them for free. I know this because I work with Kangalope – and just wanted to give you a tip.

  5. KGMom: I don’t know… people enjoy their boats are most are responsible, I think.

    Lynne: Yeah, me too.

    Dave: Yes! I only wish they’d come closer for pics.

    Cedrorum: Yeah it was a treat. Even nicer was overhearing some of the local kids clapping and being so excited with the sight of them, too.

    Bobbie: I’d read that Cape May and Wildwood have near to 600 dolphins each summer? Ever get out to see them?

    FC: I’m inclined to think the same, but the *experts* at NJ’s Marine Mammal Stranding Center are concerned for them. I think the issue is that they’re feeding and hanging out in the busy channel of a narrow river that leads to nowhere. They’ll have to swim north to reach the bay and the ocean.

    They’ve not had good luck with helping dolphins here in the past. Years ago, a pod had spent the summer and fall in the river and then were almost stranded by ice that winter. They went about ushering them back to the open water of the bay (the river had partially frozen) – but somehow the dolphins ended up drowning under the ice.

    I think the main concern now is the huge number of boats that’ll be here for the fireworks on the river for the 4th.

    NCMountainWoman, Delia, Liza: Yes… it was really neat to see them. I’m sure they’ll be okay… I hope at least.

    Abby C: Right. Thanks.

  6. I saw this story on the Nightly News again tonight and wondered if you were close enough to go see these dolphins and now I know that you were! I hope they eventually find their way back to the ocean.

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