Tag Archives: Ocean Shore

Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, Wildlife

Using The Shoreline, Dolphins

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This series of a Dolphin strand feed was photographed at a great angle to see how they use the shore to their advantage.

Pushing Fish On The Shore, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Pushing Fish On The Shore, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Photographed at almost dead low tide the steep sand incline is clear. Fish can be forced right up the side.

It’s also easier for the Dolphin to roll over on their side to fall back in the water.

Click, or double tap, any image to view the gallery.

Pushing Fish On The Shore, Dolphins – click to enlarge
Pushing Fish On The Shore, Dolphins – click to enlarge
Pushing Fish On The Shore, Dolphins – click to enlarge
Pushing Fish On The Shore, Dolphins – click to enlarge
Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, This and That, Wildlife

First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin

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It’s not easy to photograph an animal underwater, from the shore. Most all the images I capture are a dorsal fin sticking out of the water. Hardly exciting, unless you are there.

You don’t typically see much of Dolphins feeding, or even stranding, until the last few seconds. However a lot happens up to that point.

First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin - click to enlarge
First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin – click to enlarge

The first clue is the huge exhale, breathing through their blow hole. In this place it is loud, and close. Dolphins first swim close, along the shore looking up to be sure there is no danger on the sand where the fish will be stranded.

First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin - click to enlarge
First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin – click to enlarge

They also move as a group. Above there are 2 in this soft light swimming just feet off shore.

First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin - click to enlarge
First Sighting Of The Day, Dolphin – click to enlarge

In the last image there is a little more happening. The dorsal fin close to me shows a Dolphin slowly gliding by. The back fin is not the same. Compare that fin to all the photographs in this article.

Several of us noticed sharks following the schools. Most likely this was a shark moving along with the Dolphins.

Charleston, Ocean Shore, Wildlife

Ghost Crab

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He was far from any hiding places, or his sand hole.

Ghost Crab - click to enlarge
Ghost Crab – click to enlarge

They are common shore crabs in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, inhabiting deep burrows in the intertidal zone.

Ghost Crab - click to enlarge
Ghost Crab – click to enlarge

The sand made for a strange pattern in the photograph. At first I didn’t like the texture at all. Then I decieded to ‘play’ with the finishing.

Ghost Crab - click to enlarge
Ghost Crab – click to enlarge

Shadows and textures turned them into interesting images.

Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, This and That, Wildlife

Dolphin Stranding A Fish

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Nothing short of explosive. I could see the water start to be worked, almost a whirlpool effect directly in front of me.

Dolphin Stranding A Fish - click to enlarge
Dolphin Stranding A Fish – click to enlarge

The charge was still unexpectedly swift. Look at the vast waves created by the animal. This was a full size adult so perhaps 12 feet (3.6 m)  in length.

It was a good day of footage for the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network video projects by Ramage Productions. I’m still not sure how many stills I came away with.