Welcome to the home of Angie's Dolphin Diaries. Here you will find the in-water records of encounters had with the local Dolphins of Ponta during March 2022 in the Maputo National Park (MNP).. Please scroll down to find your encountour date. We would like to say a heartfelt thanks for joining us on the Dolphin Boat in Ponta! Without you we would not be able to do what we love most. Thank you for your support which helps us keep track of the local #DolphinsofPonta.
Remember to check back every week to get updates on what our finned friends are getting up to!
310322 - A large mixed pod of bottlenose nose was observed heading south this morning through Ponta Bay. Visibly was somewhat down however this did not deter from a really great encounter which saw bouts of circle swimming with various members of the group including females Tatti, Beijo and Maria as well as adult male Theo!
290322 - This morning there our finned friends were far and few between. After making our way all the way up to Ponta Madajanine, it was only on our return to Ponta Bay did we observe two youngsters making their way to our boat for a bow-ride. In-water were were welcomed by a juvenile male and female that were keen for a bout of conscious interaction!
280322 - 8am By mid morning the large mixed pod had moved off, however there was still much bottlenose dolphin activity in the coastal shallows with three small pods observed! It was however our last sighting that found us in the company of female Tatti and one other who were keen for a human visit.
280322 - Our Sunrise encountour observed a mixed pod of adults and sub adults surfing and socialising in Ponta Bay. It was however adult male Cholo and Gandalf that come in to engage while the rest of the pod headed south.
270322 - After trekking all the way to our northern rage up in Madajanine - a mixed pod of adults was observed in Ponta Bay off backline heading south.
250322 - Dolfriends in the bay! Not long after we launched did we observe a large pod milling in the bay. In-water it was Ritz, Lucy and Ginger who chose to break away from the resters to come and engage!
230322 - After yesterdays bountiful dolphin day - we were blessed to have the local Dolphins of Ponta still chilling in Ponta Bay. The mixed pod of bottlenose dolphins was sighted as we launched surfing and socialising in the coastal shallows!
220322 - American International School Maputo
Today we had the pleasure of taking the Grade 6 students from the American International School in Maputo to sea to meet the local Dolphins of Ponta who were very kind to us and graced us with in-water visits on all four tours!
Thank you to the AISM and Parents for trusting us with the ocean experience and thank you to the Grade 6’s for your enthusiasm, questions and willingness to participate and face some fears!
Launch 1
Notable observations:
00:22 Direct approach and conscious interaction with adult female Maria
01:05 Females Maria and Lucy arrive for a bout of circle swimming
Launch 2:
Notable observations:
00:57 Conscious interaction with adult male Chucky
02:41 Little girl Ginger comes for a visit
Launch 3:
Notable observations:
00:41 Direct approach and conscious interaction with female Ginger and juvenile male
01:31 Rocha and little Rona approach
04:11 Adult male Beever passes through
Launch 4:
Notable observations:
00:04 Direct app arch and conscious interaction with females Switch and O2
210322 - 8am Encountour
Our second encountour of the morning found two pods of resting bottlenose dolphins just south of Ponta Madadajanine. This time however there was no-one up for a bout of interaction so we simply floated calming in the surface and watched them silently pass by.
210322 - Sunrise Encountour
After two days of no sightings we were all relieved to have the local Dolphins of Ponta back!
Not long after we launched Mitch saw some bottlenose dolphins heading inshore. Slipping in we were met with a cacophony of whistles and buzzes as mums SheShy and O2 arrived on the scene with babes and a bunch of youngsters who were seemingly enjoying the human visit as much as we were enjoying them!
Notable observations:
00:11 Direct approach from females SheShy and O2
00:56 Young female Switch - conscious interaction
02:03 Young female vertical hang in water
10:17 Sub-adult males coming through
120322 - Dolphinville in Ponta Bay again this morning with a large mixed pod of the local Dolphins of ponta surfing and socialising in the Bay. Great to connect with Blossom once more - you can check out her healed up broken jaw in the images AND we got multiple visits from Daisy and her newbie!
Notable Observations:
01:13 Direct approach by adult female Tatti
01:26 Direct approach and conscious interaction with Blossom (damaged jaw)
02:49 Adult male approaches followed by Ivan 02:53
03:11 Belly up circle swimming and conscious interaction with young females
06:16 Daisy and her calf of the year
100322 - Another amazing morning spent in the company of the local Dolphins of Ponta. By 06:30am we had located a large mixed pod of some 20 bottlenose dolphins surfing and socialising inshore.
Notable Observations:
00:06 Direct approach by bottlenose dolphins
00:21 Elvis singles out Candice for a circle swim
00:40 Theo joins for a bout of conscious interaction
00:47 Direct approach by Elvis
01:07 Female Tatti
03:01 Direct approach from female Ritz
03:07 Little girl Ginger - poop plume
070322 - Our second Encountour of the day found two pods in the Bay, the large nursery pod observed heading offshore some two hours earlier, were now snugly hugging backline resting.
Notable observations:
00:04 Bottlenose dolphins bow-riding
00:53 Direct approach by young mother and calf of the year
01:00 Young female slows for a bout of conscious interaction
070322 - Sunrise Encountour Great conditions greeted us this morning as did friendly dolfriends on our sunrise encountour with two pods of the local dolphins of ponta observed in the bay. Little girl Ginger was in the company of mum Adot and her babe chilling in Ponta Bay, seemingly waiting.…
Some 20 minutes later, the three of them merged with a large mixed pod and stated heading offshore.
Notable observations:
00:00 Dolphins waiting on the bow
00:28 Conscious interaction with Ginger and Adot’s offspring
01:00 Adot arrives and babe resumes the position
01:18 Ginger stays for a visit and lets out a big bubble @ 01:42 *could she have been using the silky smooth waters surface as a mirror to check herself out?
050322 - As we launched this morning there were bottlenose dolphins in Ponta Bay.
Little girl Ginger was observed in the company with Freddy, Adot’s little boy and slightly older female.
Notable observations:
00:35 Belly up from male Freddy
00:55 Ginger with a fish
01:01 Freddy son with remora
01:13 From left Adot’s son, female Ginger, male Freddy, Uni’d female
01:30 Males dive, Ginger stays to engage
02:46 Direct approach from bottom
03:16 Freddy mouthing Ginger
04:00 Pec petting after circle swim
04:23 Ginger clearly want s to stay and visit, he he
05:30 young male Freddy getting impatient with the encounter and cuts off Angie
05:52 Ginger poop plume *possibly signalling the end of the encounter
040322 - This morning two small pods of bottlenose dolphins were observed in the bay - one of which had Herme the humpback in their company! Dolphins of Ponta Elvis, Theo and Snap were accompanying Freya and Adot with their babes before they joined up with Herme who was in the seemingly escorting Freddy, Ginger and another young female.
Notable observations:
00:35 Direct approach by adult male Elvis
00:59 Adult Male Snap
02:08 Elvis poop plume
02:57 Herme the humpback dolphin
04:49 Conscious interaction with Ginger and Freddy
030322 - A mixed pod of bottlenose dolphins were observed in Malongane Bay heading inshore. Amongst the local dolphins of ponta seen were adult males Skellitor and Avalon with ladies Sheshy and Lucy!
Notable observations:
00:16 Direct approach by females, including Beetrix, SheShy and Ritz
01:28 Adult males including Avalon and Skellitor approach popping
01:37 Same males start jaw clapping
Rest of the pod passes with adult males