For four days the wind blew strong from the north pushing the southerly migrating mullet offshore , and the dolphin had followed . They clearly didn ’ t get the script , and I was getting nervous . But things were looking up . On day five the wind had shifted , and schools of large corncob mullet were streaming through the inlet . Tethered to what amounts to a high-tech car battery , I positioned the Phantom camera within range of two preferred stranding areas well back from the waters edge to not interfere with the behavior . All we needed now were the dolphin .
For this documentary , I had spent a great deal of time tracking tigers , lions , vipers , and many other predators all over the world . Our goal was to focus on the challenges they face in their secretive worlds with an emphasis on unique behavioral solutions to those challenges . I thought the 100 or so resident dolphin along our coast that strand would be a perfect fit for this series . Strand feeding is a world-class behavior and every bit as exciting to witness as any other wildlife spectacle across the globe . If only I could get the shots in time .
There was a haunting beauty to the chaos that unfolded over the next few days . Dolphin came crashing through schools of mullet sending them airborne in a panicked attempt to escape . Pelicans scrambled to grab the odd fish that was flung too far up the beach . Wing crashed into wing , fish thrashed chaotically , and there in the center were four fully beached dolphin , their bellies flushed pink with excitement , waiting for mullet to flop down the slope to their waiting mouths . To the naked eye , it played out in two or three seconds . In high speed , you can see all of the coordination and split second timing at play . You feel dread for the mullet that ’ s floating five feet above the dry sand with predators in all directions . Numerous pelicans clamber over each other comically racing after fish in a way wholly unnatural to their bodies ’ design . All of it is bizarre — fish on land , dolphin deliberately beaching themselves , and pelicans hunting on dry sand . It definitely takes on an other-worldly aspect in high speed .
It was challenging to have a telephoto shot ready , sharp , and rolling in the right spot for those initial moments as the first fleeing mullet broke the surface . The rich estuaries along our coast hide the dolphin from sight , and it comes down to a gut feeling as to where they are going to strand . There were some incredible moments and a few heartbreaking misses , but all of it was great fun and such a privilege to watch .
The Phantom camera opened our eyes to the beauty and grace of those first critical seconds and added perspective to what we all know . Strand-feeding dolphin are an absolute treasure , and we are fortunate to share this stretch of coast with them . NK
34 Naturally Kiawah