Ahoy, Followers –
Bottlenose dolphins are keeping cadets and crew members entertained. They have been accompanying the TS Kennedy, both during the day and at night. Often, the bottlenose dolphins are bow riding. That’s right, they are surfing in the wave created by our training ship. The bottlenose dolphins are propelled forward by the wave, twisting and turning like acrobats as they glide through the water. Sometimes, the bottlenose dolphins will even turn upside-down, much to the delight of their TS Kennedy fan club.
I am excited to share three dolphin video clips that the cadets have taken just for you. Remember, it isn't easy taking a video of moving dolphins from a moving ship.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/176vGkogZSa-eqV6foBjSIBHMayhR2kTc/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15tNweTMkQmWoY0vh5HK_jy5x04rkNIeN/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jlvfK3VjadUEUR0Nec9wjZSgRCCLa3Ay?usp=sharing
Weren't the bottlenose dolphins fun to watch?
Since it is Friday, I want to share some of my favorite dolphin jokes with you. I’ve also included some fun facts related to the jokes. You can learn and laugh at the same time.
Q: Why did the dolphin feel grumpy?
A: He ate too many crabs.
Little Buc’s Fun Fact: Bottlenose dolphins eat fish, squid, crabs, clams, and shrimp. Sometime they search for food on their own. Other times, bottlenose dolphins work together to herd fish into groups and then take turns charging through the school of fish to gobble them up. Sometime they trap schools of fish against sand bars and seawalls for a quick dinner. Pretty clever, don’t you think?
Q: What do dolphin use for money?
A: Sand dollars!
Little Buc’s Fun Fact: Sand dollars are related to sea stars and sea urchins. You may be surprised to know learn that sand dollars aren’t white when they’re alive. Instead, their pigment can vary from a rich reddish-brown to a bold shade of purple. The white sand dollars that people collect along the beach are their skeletons.
Sand dollars get their name from their resemblance to coins. Of course, they can’t be used to make purchases in a store.
Sand dollars have different names around the world. They may be referred to as sand cakes, sea biscuits, cake urchins, sea cookies, and snapper biscuits.
Cadets may find some sand dollar skeletons while exploring the beaches of Aruba, but they should not take them home as souvenirs. It is illegal to take shells, coral, and beach sand from the island.
Q: What birthday party game do dolphin like to play?
A: Salmon Says.
Little Buc’s Fun Fact: If the bottlenose dolphins that have been accompanying the TS Kennedy want to play Salmon Says with a salmon, they won’t be able to do so in the Caribbean. Salmon are not native to the Caribbean.
Q: Why don’t dolphins play tennis?
A: Because they’re afraid of the net.
Little Buc’s Sad Fact: This isn’t a fun fact, it’s a sad fact. One of the main threats to bottlenose dolphins is getting caught in commercial fishing gear.
Q: Why don’t dolphin do well on school tests?
A: Because they work below C-Level.
Little Buc’s Fun Fact: On average, a bottlenose comes to the surface three times per minute to take in air through its blowhole. They can hold their breath for extended periods of time when feeding.
Q: Do dolphins ever do things by accident?
A: No, they do everything on porpoise.
Little Buc’s Fun Fact: Our cadets will not see porpoises during Sea Term 2023. There are no true porpoises in the Caribbean. If a dolphin and a porpoise were side-by-side, you would have to look closely to tell one from the other. Dolphins have longer snouts, bigger mouths, more curved dorsal fins, and longer, leaner bodies than porpoises.
Would you like to share these videos with your family?
Remember, you can log onto the Follow The Voyage-Share The Experience Program website when you are at home. Introduce it to your family and friends to everything happening aboard the TS Kennedy. Write down the website address: maritime.edu/ftv and bring it home.
Have a great weekend!
Your favorite bottlenose dolphin-loving pirate,
Little Buc