Why you should go dolphin watching in Key West
When a pod of dolphins catches you by surprise in their natural habitat, it will take your breath away. And in Key West, chances are good for spotting these playful creatures.
Florida Keys boaters have long marveled at dolphins riding alongside the boat bow or playing in their wake, and while there are several dolphin species in Florida’s coastal waters, the Atlantic bottlenose is most common. This incredibly intelligent species loves to travel in groups, and like most humans, they love the waters of Key West. Adults, which can grow up to 13 feet long and live for up to 50 years, enjoy the year-round warm waters of these islands and can be found in abundance at the Dolphin Playground.
Where is that? Let Courage Charters show you!
The Dolphin Playground lies in the clear and shallow backcountry waters of Key West and is an abundant feeding ground. Mud ring feeding is a technique used by dolphins to forage for and trap fish. The strategy calls for a single dolphin to swim in a circle, creating a plume of sediment around nearby fish. This causes the fish to become disoriented and jump, creating dinner time for the pod to lunge and catch their prey.
In their spare time, dolphins travel, rest and socialize – the latter of which comprises a major portion of their daily activity. Their intelligence allows them to communicate on a level all their own. According to National Geographic, they “see” with sonar and do so with such phenomenal precision that they can tell from a hundred feet away whether an object is made of metal, plastic, or wood. An echolocating bottlenose dolphin can make up to a thousand clicking noises per second.
Make the memory of a lifetime watching dolphins in their natural habitat. Bottlenose dolphins are active both day and night, so whether it’s a morning cruise or a sunset sail, Courage provides a tranquil, comfortable setting for watching these animals.
Share your Key West Dolphin watching stories in the comments below!