Why are dolphins coloured the way they are?

Do you know why dolphins are generally dark grey on top and light coloured below?  Keep reading and you will find the answer below.

Great dolphin sightings on our 1 hour dolphin and canal scenic tour this week again! The coat skipper and crews have been having loads of fun leading happy customers on our cruises.  Lots of dolphin sightings again this week. Dont be put off by the weather that has turned a little wet of late.  Hot drinks are available on most of our vessels and don't forget that wet weather does not effect the dolphin population here in the estuary as they love the water! Please see below for all our reported dolphin sightings this week and to get the answer to the above question.

Reported Dolphin Sightings

Friday 4^th May

6 dolphins chasing boat

6 fishing off stingray point

3 in the Mandjar bay

Thursday 3^rd May

2 dolphin fishing outside marina

4 dolphins fishing sth entrance to Port Mandurah Canals

4 dolphins chasing fish outside marina

Wednesday  2^nd May

No reported sightings

Tuesday 1^st May

3 very playful dolphins

Lots of dolphins jumping

2 very playful, jumping out of water chasing the boat – BIG SPLASHES!

2 dolphins, Beaky and friend jumping and chasing the boat

Monday 30^th April

2 dolphins swimming near old bridge

3 dolphins playing near marina entrance

2 dolphins cruising next to boat near bypass bridge

Sunday 29^th April

4 dolphins swimming in marina

3 dolphins playing with boat near the canal entrance

5 dolphins swimming near war memorial

Big pod of dolphins playing with boat wake in estuary near tree

2 dolphins near bypass bridge

Saturday 28^th April

3 dolphins swimming in boat wake

2 dolphins fishing in estuary

3 dolphins being cheeky with boat near canals

4 dolphins splashing about near marina entrance

Answer to earlier question:

The colours of the dolphin helps to camouflage the animal so when potential predators look up from the deep, the light grey belly blends in with bright surface waters. When seen from above, the grey back blends in with the deep dark waters below.

See you on a cruise soon!

Mandurah Cruises :)

Happy on the water!

A great week of cruising here in Mandurah!  The national ANZAC day holiday had a lot of people cruising on the waterways and we are happy to say the dolphin sightings were excellent during this time.  Big numbers of dolphins were spotted all around the bay and canals.  Here are the reported dolphin sightings from our 1 hour dolphin and scenic canal cruises.

Reported dolphin sightings!

Monday 23^rd April

3 dolphins in Mandjar bay

4 dolphins near Mary street bridge

2 dolphins fishing in ocean entrance

Tuesday 24^th April

5 heading toward old bridge in estuary channel

5 in channel near marina

4 resting and sleeping circling in channel near marina

9 at ocean entry

2 at old bridge

Wednesday 25^th April

Dolphins everywhere all day! In bay at the marina, south of the bridge and at the ocean entrance.

9 dolphins at playing with boat wake.

Mother and calf feeding off wall in marina

7 in front of war memorial

2 in mouth of marina

5 in Mandjar bay going for a run with the Supercat

Thursday 26^th April

4 in estuary channel heading toward old bridge

2 looking for fish on canal walls

8 playing with boat, heading to sea and playing with Sammy seal

Friday 27^th April

4 dolphins in cruise mode under Mary street bridge

Happy cruising!
Mandurah Cruises.

Learning To Surf Video

This is a beautiful video features Nikki and her new baby calf "Giggles" and Lucy and her calf "Shambles" being taught to ride the wake and surf for the first time on our wash.

Dolphin Magic Video

Here is a fantastic video video showing a pod of Mandurah's dolphins have a great time playing on our wake during one of our cruises.

CRAB FEST 2012 - A BIG HIT!

It’s been a huge fortnight here at Mandurah Cruises and we are happy to report that the local dolphins were not scared away by the international water sport athletes that took over the waterways through the Chanel Seven Mandurah Crab Fest! In fact, talk to some of our boat crews here and I think they would fill you in on the jumping techniques they (the dolphins) may have picked up from the pro’s. If you believe the dolphins have taught us to jump or we have influenced the dolphins jumping technique is entirely your decision, and is a good topic to discuss while out and about on our cruises!


Please check out the reported dolphin sightings!

Friday 23rd March

• 1 dolphin carrying large fish playing with boat

Thursday 22nd March

• 1 dolphin swimming alone in canal

• 3 dolphins near the quay. Nikky / giggles and scar.

• 8 playful dolphins at over pass. Stayed with boat through estuary and into the entrance of the canals

Wednesday 21St March

• 3 males found near new bridge

• 2 near boat in Mandjar Bay

Tuesday 20th March

• 2 dolphins (mum and calf feeding near marinas cove.

• 3 dolphins swimming in bay towards new bridge

• 1 in Mandjar bay

Monday 19th March

• 3 dolphins near inlet.

• 2 dolphins swimming near entrance to canals

Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th – Crab Fest Ferry Rides

• No official dolphin reports due to amount of customers over the weekend. Dolphins were spotted near inlet towards the late afternoon on each day.

Friday 16th March

• 12 dolphins jumping and playing with boat from Boundary Island all the way through the canals!

• Pod of dolphins, very playful. They were rolling around on the surface, they were all adults and all fat!

Thursday 15th March

• Pod of 2 in ocean entry

• Pod of 6 near ocean entry

• 4 dolphins feeding and mating

• A new dolphin has been identified and named ‘Linkin’!

• 3 dolphins at stingray point

• 1 jumping next to boat!

Wednesday 14th March

• No dolphin sightings today 

Tuesday 13th March

• Pod of 12 swimming the bay most of the day! Nicky, bubbs and Benfin hanging out between the fig tree and the ocean inlet.

• 7 feeding along the eastern bank of main channel

• 2 in Mandjar bay and Stingray point

Monday 12th March

• 2 dolphins near the inlet

• 4 dolphins – Nicky , Giggles and other mum and calf


See you on a cruise soon!

Riding The Wake!

The local dolphins have been enjoying riding the wake of our vessels here at Mandurah Cruises. Check out the above photo of the local dolphins having some fun!

The wild dolphins have been spotted most days this week and continue to impress our staff and customers while cruising the scenic Mandurah waterways. Check out our dolphin sighting below.

Sunday 4th March

• 6 dolphins playing/fishing in Mandjar Bay including Nikky and calves

• 6 dolphins very protective as many boats were around.

• 15 dolphins, different pods swimming with boat

Monday 5th March

• 1 at Entrance of marinas cove

• 3 swimming under the bypass bridge riding the wake southbound

• 1 under the bypass bridge riding wake northbound

• 5 hanging out at the marina

• 4 swimming in Mandjar Bay with babies

• 4 mums and calves very playful heading out to sea – A GREAT SHOW!

• 3 dolphins heading south below old bridge

Tuesday 6th March

• 4 dolphins fishing in Mandjar Bay

• 2 dolphins at different time

• 1 at the marina

Wednesday 7th March

• No sightings

Thursday 8th March

• 4 playing outside of marina

• 2 on fairbridge bank

Friday 9th March

• 4 dolphins including newborn near war memorial

• 6 dolphins in canals

• 3 female dolphins around Mandurah Quay

• 6 dolphins swimming with boat

• 2 feeding in shallow waters

• 2 near marina rock wall

• 4 South channel heading towards old bridge

It’s going to be a hot week this week according to weather reports. Remember to slip slop slap and keep the fluids up! We look forward to seeing you and your friends on a cruise this week!

Mandurah Cruises 

Dolphins here dolphins there!

WOW! What a magic week it has been here at Mandurah Cruises!  The dolphins have been out and about this week with loads of sightings and dolphin encounters had by our customers.  The boat crew have now counted 3 mothers with 1 calf each.   



Here are some of the mighty dolphin sighting this week!


 2nd March
• Loads of dolphins riding the wave of the boat today including the two calves
 • 3 Dolphins in marina near the old bridge
• 10 friendly dolphins including 3 mothers and calves near old bridge and the ocean entrance.
 

1st March
• 8 dolphins feeding and mating
• 6 dolphins in estuary and throughout canals
• 4 dolphins in Mandjar Bay
• Dolphins spotted on every cruise today!


29th February
• 6 dolphins at 12pm including mother and new calf. 
• 4 female dolphins feeding
• 8 dolphins swimming on bow of boat. Including Nicky and her calf ‘giggles’.
• Dolphins swimming casually in canals near Mandurah bridge
• More dolphins on the bank having a frenzy!
• Four dolphins in the marina


28th February
• 2 dolphins in Mandjar Bay in entrance of the canals
• 42 mothers and their babies in Mandjar Bay
• 1 mother and 2 calves were swimming and jumping alongside the vessel. 


27th February
• Loads of dolphins swimming about today! The calves were out near the boats!
• 4 Dolphins in marina and they met back up with us in the main channel.


26th February
• 1 dolphin swimming on bow of vessel in the Estuary near the marina
• 2 friendly dolphins swam with the Mandjar vessel for a long time today!
• Nine dolphins frolicking in the main channel, possibly heading out to the ocean. 
• 1 dolphin in the canals fishing
• 7 dolphins playing/riding wake, including one calf


25th February
• 1 dolphin in the marina
• 1 dolphin jumping with the vessel near the bypass bridge
• 3 dolphins swimming alongside the vessel. 
• 1 dolphin feeing alongside canal wall
• 4 dolphin feeding and resting near the new bridge. Female pod with mother and calf


24th February
• 3 new calves seen on all trips just out of Mandjar bay near ocean opening . 
• 7 dolphins spotted in estuary
• 5 dolphins spotted in estuary
• 5 dolphins in Mandjar Bay


Contact the Mandurah Cruises office to have yor chance to be a part of the magic here on the Mandurah Waterways!

   

Mandurah Cruises & Gift Shop
73 Mandurah Terrace
PO Box 1148, Mandurah WA 6210
Ph: (08) 9581 1242
Fax: (08) 9582 9534
www.mandurahcruises.com.au