Dolphins at night
Anastasia
Phil May and Andrea Twigg
Fri 14 Sep 2012 06:19
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9:2.0S 115:58.6E 50 miles to go
Normally you can't see much of dolphins at
night. The odd snort and splash are the only clues that there are dolphins
playing around the boat. Last night was different.
The Indian Ocean is noted for its bright
phosphorescence. It is the brightest we have seen so far, certainly.
The usual "star drive" that trails behind each hull has turned milky, with the
phosphorescence from tiny animals making two long milky streaks behind us that
are dotted with bright flashes from the bigger jellyfish.
Imagine what happens when a dolphin comes to play
around the hulls. You still can't see the dolphin itself, what you can see
is an envelope of phosphorescence around a dolphin shaped hole, with a long
streamer stretching out in the wake of each dolphin. As the glittering
dolphin shapes dart around, so their streaming light trails twist and turn
around each other. It is a truly magical sight. It is another of those unexpected scenes of nature that we have
encountered on our trip.
Our only regret is that, while the
phosphorescence seems bright, there is not enough light to capture the
experience on photo or video. You will just have to use your
imagination.
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