White Sand Ridge, situated in the Bahamas, is renowned for its rich history of Spanish gold ships that are believed to have left behind treasures in the area. Along with the lure of hidden riches, the location is also known for its diverse marine life, including bottlenose dolphins, tiger sharks, barracudas, and the occasional hammerhead shark.

The weather at White Sand Ridge is characterized by calm and hot conditions, with the refreshing scent of salt in the air from the nearby Atlantic. Taking advantage of the post-lunch siesta, I decide to take a dip in the warm waters, armed with my trusty camera to capture the beauty of the surroundings. The water temperature is a comfortable 80 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the perfect place for a swim.

The Atlantic spotted dolphin, scientifically known as Stenella frontalis, bears some resemblance to the bottlenose dolphin, rather than the pan-tropical spotted dolphin. Its body shape is intermediate between the two, with a moderately long, chunky beak, and a clear crease between the melon and beak.

The color pattern of Atlantic spotted dolphins varies significantly during development. Newborn dolphins have an unspotted background coloration, with a dark cape, light grey sides, a variable spinal blaze, and a white belly, resembling slender bottlenose dolphins. As they age, they develop large spotting on both dorsal and ventral surfaces, with some individuals becoming heavily spotted and obscuring the cape margin and spinal blaze. However, some populations have essentially unspotted adults.

White Sand Ridge is home to two main groups of “spotties”: the Northern and Southern groups, which sometimes congregate in the center of the ridge near the Angle Iron wreck. These dolphins return to the ridge early in the morning after spending the night feeding on flying fish and squid in the deeper waters just off the bank. They come to the bank to play, socialize, and sleep, taking advantage of the shallow, clear waters (with an average depth of 20 feet) and lack of reef or growth on the bottom, making it difficult for predators to approach undetected.

The ridge, which is about ten miles long and two miles wide, is a submerged sand spit that runs from the southwest to the northeast at the far end of the Bahamas island chain. The water clarity at the ridge is typically more than 100 feet, providing an excellent opportunity for ambient light photography.

In a remarkable display of interspecies cooperation, a pod of dolphins saved a British swimmer from a potential shark attack off the coast of New Zealand. Adam Walker, a swimmer from Nottingham, had set out to fulfill his dream of swimming with dolphins in 2014. However, little did he know that he was about to encounter a 6ft shark in the Cook Strait.

Fortunately for Walker, a group of dolphins came to his rescue by forming a protective circle around him, scaring off the predator and guiding him back to safety. The incredible moment was captured in photographs and has since gone viral.

Dolphins are known for their intelligence and sociability, and this incident highlights their ability to cooperate and protect one another in the face of danger. While dolphins are often targeted by sharks in the ocean, they have evolved ways to defend themselves and their pods, such as using their large snouts to prod predators and ramming them.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) organization notes that the main advantage dolphins have against shark attacks is safety in numbers. They tend to stick together in pods and defend one another from a shark’s attack by chasing and ramming it. This behavior not only protects vulnerable members of their pod, such as young or injured dolphins, but it also demonstrates the complex social bonds that exist among these intelligent animals.

For Walker, the experience was a dream come true. In a Facebook post at the time, he wrote, “Open-water swimming doesn’t get any better than this! I’d like to think they were protecting me and guiding me home. This swim will stay with me forever.” However, he also admits to being less than pleased with his friend who assured him that there were no sharks in the area.

This incredible incident serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our oceans and the diverse array of species that call it home. As climate change, pollution, and overfishing threaten the health of our oceans, it is essential to work towards sustainable practices that ensure the long-term health and well-being of marine life, including dolphins and sharks.

Escape from the chaos of modern life and enjoy a blissful week only 70 miles away from Florida’s east coast. Bask in the warm glow of the sun during the day and gaze at the spectacular starry sky at night while experiencing a thrilling adventure in the company of playful dolphins. The dolphin grounds are calling out to you for a week-long retreat that you won’t want to miss.