Dall's Porpoise & Spinner Dolphin Photography, Photos, Pictures

Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli)is a species of porpoise with a unique body shape that makes it easily distinguishable from other cetacean species. The animal has a very thick body and a small head. The coloration is rather like that of an orca Ñ the main body of the porpoise is very dark grey to black with demarcated white patches on the flank. The dorsal fin is set just back from the middle of the back and sits up erect, with a light grey "frosting" at the upper part of the dorsal fin and fluke. The adult fluke curves back towards the body of the animal, which is another distinguishing feature. Dall's Porpoises are hugely active creatures. They will often zigzag around at great speed on or just below the surface of the water creating a spray called a "rooster tail". The fastest of all small cetaceans, Dall's porpoises can swim at up to 55 km/h. They are found throughout the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

The spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its acrobatic displays in which they will spin longitudinally along their axis as they leap through the air. Spinner dolphins are dark gray, with darker patches in the tail stock, back and throat. Usually they have a creamy-white patch on the belly though this varies considerably. Their beak is distinctively long and thin, with a dark tip. The fins too are lengthy for dolphins of this size. The dorsal fin is erect and even leans forward in older males found in the eastern Pacific.

Spinners congregate in groups that vary from just a few dolphins to great schools numbering in the thousands. They are consistently acrobatic and keen bow-riders. The reason for the animal's spinning is not known. One suggestion is that the great cauldron of bubbles created on exit and re-entry may act as a target for echolocation by other individuals in the school. It may also be simply play-acting. Individuals have been spotted completing at least 14 spinning jumps in quick succession.

Photographing Dall's porpoise, spinner dolphins, and other small ceteceans usually involves a boat and a lot of time on the water. On a cruise up the Inside Passage, Dall's porpoise can be seen almost every day. Spinner dolphins in Hawai'i frequently rest each day in their favorite shallow lagoons after a long night of hunting in the open ocean.