Hello, Adventurers! Welcome back to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If this is your first time visiting our blog, we’re happy to have you here. We are all about nature, adventure, and making the most out of the beautiful outdoors of South Carolina. If you enjoy all things hiking, paddling, kayaking, and spending time outdoors, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the blog, we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts, and nature programs. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Since the weather is incredibly warm, we want to help you get out there and take advantage of all that the Lowcountry has to offer! We offer guided tours of the beautiful Lowcountry by kayak, paddleboard, ferry, boat, and private charter. We also have hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, and camping. Anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. In our last post, we discussed the fun field trips we offer. Today, we’ll be turning our attention to some of our marine friends: Dolphins! These are truly amazing animals that can be spotted right here in Lowcountry waters! If you are interested in learning more about dolphins, you’re in the right place! Let’s get right into it.

Dolphins are aquatic animals within the infraorder Cetacea, which includes whales and porpoises. Among the 79 species of cetaceans, one of them is the bottlenose dolphin, which belongs to the family Delphinidae, which includes oceanic dolphins. The bottlenose dolphin is the species you are likely to see when out exploring coastal waters in the Lowcountry. Bottlenose dolphins are silver-gray on top with pale gray, white, or pinkish undersides, but colors can vary. The color along their backs is often darker, and is a form of camouflage called countershading, which is seen in other marine animals such as sharks, but can be seen in other mammals including reptiles, birds, fish, and insects. The bottlenose dolphin gets its name from its snout, known as a rostrum, which is formed by its elongated upper and lower jaws. They have a streamlined body shape that tapers at both ends, allowing them to move through the water quickly. The lateral, or pectoral, fins of a dolphin are known as flippers and are used for steering and movement. The fin located upright on their back is known as a dorsal fin, and helps the dolphin maintain stability while swimming. The dolphin’s tail is known as a fluke, and it is used for both movement and communication. The fluke does not contain bone or muscle and is instead made up of dense connective tissue. 

Perhaps one of the most interesting features of the bottlenose dolphin is the hole, or spiracle, located on the top of its head. This is known as a blowhole, and functions as a nose for the dolphin, as they do not have nostrils. Dolphins breathe air into their lungs, just like humans, but cannot breathe underwater like fish, because they do not have gills. Instead, when dolphins go underwater, a thick layer of muscle covers the blowhole to close it and prevent water from getting in. Then, when the dolphin reaches the surface, the blowhole opens and allows them to breathe. The location of the blowhole conveniently allows dolphins to take a breath without lifting its head out of the water. Dolphins are able to hold their breath for several minutes as they swim underwater, but they generally take a breath about 4 to 5 times every minute.

The average length of a bottlenose dolphin is 8 to 9 feet, but they have been known to grow up to 12 feet in length. As for weight, they weigh an average of 660 pounds! It has been discovered that bottlenose dolphins can live up to 40 years at least, with females often outliving males. In fact, female dolphins tend to live 5 to 10 years longer than males, but some have been found to outlive males by 60 years or more! 

Bottlenose dolphins can be found in both temperate and tropical waters around the world. They are known to inhabit a wide variety of habitats, including bays, harbors, gulfs, lagoons, and estuaries. Some dolphins remain residents of coastal waters, while others travel long distances across the world’s oceans! In the United States, dolphins can be found along the east coast from Massachusetts to Florida, and on the west coast around California, Oregon, and Washington. They can also be found in the Gulf of Mexico and as far as the Caribbean. In South Carolina, the bottlenose dolphin inhabits estuarine habitats and open water, being the most common mammal to do so. They can be found most abundantly in estuarine areas of the ACE Basin. 

When it comes to diet, dolphins feed on a variety of prey including crustaceans like crabs or shrimp, fish, and squid. They use different techniques to pursue and capture prey and can search for food individually or cooperatively. One of the other interesting features of a dolphin is their ability to use a form of sonar known as echolocation during their hunt for food. Echolocation is the process of making sounds, like clicking noises, and listening for the echoes. The sounds travel underwater until they encounter objects, and then bounce back to the dolphin, effectively revealing the location, size, and shape of the prey. Talk about efficiency! Dolphins have anywhere from 72 to 104 conical-shaped teeth. Unlike some other marine mammals, dolphins have the same set of teeth for life. Interestingly enough, they do not use their teeth to chew. Instead, they grip their prey with their teeth and swallow them whole. 

Currently, dolphins are not endangered, but they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which was passed in 1972. Despite not being endangered, dolphins do face threats, much like other mammals. Most of these threats are human-caused. For example, one of the most prominent threats to dolphins is fishing gear. Dolphins can become entangled or trapped in commercial fishing gear such as netting. Additionally, bottlenose dolphins are susceptible to habitat destruction, especially if they live near the shore. These areas are prone to degradation by contaminants and oil spills. Another concern is increased boat traffic, which can cause injury or prove to be fatal. 

If you are interested in seeing a bottlenose dolphin up close in its natural habitat, Coastal Expeditions has you covered! We offer a variety of guided eco-tours and excursions that give you the chance to spot dolphins and other wildlife. For example, our Beaufort Dolphin and History Boat Cruise departs from the downtown Beaufort marina and takes guests to the Beaufort River. Our knowledgeable captain will share stories of local history, all the way from Native Americans to English colonization. Along the way, you are likely to see bottlenose dolphins and other wildlife such as nesting bald eagles and ospreys!

For those wanting a bit of a more hands-on experience, and the chance to see dolphins even closer, we recommend our Bulls Island Paddle and Hike! This is one of the best ways to explore Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll begin with a guided kayak tour until making landfall on the north end of Bulls Island. Here, you’ll get the chance to hike through Boneyard Beach and our guides will provide information about the ecosystem of the barrier island. Then, you’ll enjoy a boat cruise back, riding on the Bulls Island Ferry! This sea kayaking adventure gives you the opportunity to learn and have your own encounters with playful bottlenose dolphins!

As you can see, dolphins are absolutely magnificent creatures, and some of our guided eco-tours can give you the chance to see them in their natural habitat! We would like to take this time to remind you that if you happen to encounter a dolphin, or any other wildlife, please be respectful and keep your distance. This makes things as safe as possible for both you and the animals. We hope that you found this article informative and helpful. As always, we thank you for reading and we hope to see you back on our blog soon! If you have any questions about our guided tours, reach out to us! At Coastal Expeditions, we are committed to introducing people to the wonders of the ecosystems of the Charleston area by providing guided tours and educational opportunities. If you’re looking to explore all that the Lowcountry has to offer, check out our offerings on our website to find the adventure which suits you best! We also offer kid-friendly tours as well as kids programs, camps, and kayak lessons. Our tours are led by knowledgeable, approachable naturalists and sea captains who are eager to answer your questions! Until next time, readers. Get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!