Wild Dolphins

of Cocoa Beach

Wild dolphins live 30 to 35 years and due to their territorial nature,

the individuals we see may have been around for quite some time.

Imagine a dolphin you saw as a child can still be seen today.

Imagine a dolphin your child sees today could be seen when he or she is a adult.

A complex network of intelligent marine mammals right at our door (dock) step.

Fin Expeditions Wild Dolphin sighting techniques

introduces you to these marine mammals of Cocoa Beach.

"Notch"

Notice the unbroken laminar flow of water over Notch's body interrupted only by the dorsal cuts. This is an example of how our photos bring out the detail you would not normally see.

Sometimes after we down load photos Notch can be seen in the back ground (see below).

Notch also can be seen visiting other dolphins in other territories from week to week.

Notch really gets around.

Very few areas have this embayment (lagoon area) in which localized populations of dolphin inhabit.

Dolphins can be seen congregating in deep water areas

and foraging into the lagoon flats for prey.

Mothers teaching hunting techniques to their calf within mangrove habitats

and individual dolphin traveling to and from specific areas of mangrove

are some of the behaviors you may see.

The connection from observing and photographing wild dolphin behavior

is quite different than what you might get in a aquarium setting.

The activities that Fin Expeditions provides will give you an

appreciation of the uniqueness of 

Dolphins in the wild.

The Dolphins of Cocoa Beach

follow existing navigational channels while hunting, traveling.

We do not rush upon a pod of dolphins and call it an encounter,

but they may rush in on us.

Watching dolphins in their natural environment is exciting & enjoyable.

However, without due care watching dolphins may disturb or harm dolphins by introducing underwater noise, pollution or even causing

physical injury, like the dolphin we call

"Notch" (See Above).

Undue stress to the dolphins can result in disruptions to their behavioral patterns.

When considering the fact that these dolphins have a specific areas of habitat in the Lagoon, Fin Expeditions feels it is essential and a necessary requirement, that dolphin watching in Banana River

Lagoon follows Viewing Guidelines established by; 

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS),

the U.S. federal agency responsible for administering the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,

for the conservation and management of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

These guidelines describe a cautious way to watch dolphins without disturbing them.

Level A

Harassment means any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which
has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild.

Level B

Harassment means any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which
has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in
the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not
limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering but
which does not have the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine
mammal stock in the wild.

Fin Expeditions makes it our business to place you in a position to view and enjoy these dolphins in a way that ensures their wildness remains.

We admire from a distance...for their safety and protection.

Fin X Cocoa Beach