Spotted Dolphins of the White Sand Banks

from the Ray I. Doan Photographic Collection

Beautiful Places | Wildlife Photography | Home-What's New | Site Map

I photographed these Spotted Dolphins underwater in the Bahamas.
They're searching by sonar, for small Flounders buried in the white sand bottom.

I have traveled to the Bahamas on two separate occasions on the live aboard dive boat 'Dream Too' in order to swim with and photograph the Spotted Dolphins.

Spotted Dolphins are a different species than the more common Bottlenose Dolphins. There is a group of approximately 125 Spotted Dolphins that frequent an area called 'The White Sand Banks'. This is an area in the open ocean about 40 miles north of Grand Bahamas Island. The area is about a mile wide and four miles long with a white sandy bottom that is 30 to 40 feet deep.

Some years ago a group of divers spent an entire summer working on the 'Banks' salvaging a 1500's Spanish Gallon. Over the course of that summer the Spotted Dolphins, but not the Bottlenose, exhibited a curiosity and a willingness to interact with the divers. Since that time boaters have been visiting the 'Banks' and swimming with these wild dolphins.

The 'Banks' are a dolphin photographers delight because of the clear water, the beautiful white sand bottom and a group of cooperative dolphins. The area is fairly remote so it's difficult to make day trips to the area. Most people going to swim with the Dolphins do so from 'live aboard' boats that stay for a week or so. Many of these boats operate out of Rivera Beach, Florida just north of West Palm Beach.

Note Cards | The Art Show Scene | Frequently Asked Questions | Cameras Ray Uses | Educational Use of Photos

This page was last updated: March 15, 2008