Caught on video: Thousands of dolphins stampede next to whale watching boat
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NEWPORT BEACH, California (KCAL/KCBS) — A whale watching trip off Newport Beach got lucky Monday when it came upon thousands of dolphins stampeding right alongside their boat.
The sight of thousands of common dolphins swimming fast alongside a fast raft boat with Newport Coastal Adventures was captured it on video.
The shaky video showed dolphins as far as the eye could see, jumping in and out of the water. Porpoising out of the water is the fastest way for dolphins to travel because there is less resistance in the air than in water, according to Jessica Roame, education programs manager with Newport Landing Whale Watching.
The reason why the dolphins were stampeding was not known, but there are theories that they are evading predators, such as orcas or sharks, possibly catching up to a food source, or meeting with another pod of dolphins, Roame said.
Southern California is one of the best places in the world to see a mega-pod of dolphins because they can be spotted off Newport Beach all year round, according to Roame.
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