Megapod Of Dolphins Race OC Whale Watching Vessels On Christmas Eve

DANA POINT, CA — On Christmas Eve, dolphin and whale watchers venturing out before sunset received a rare treat in Dana Point, according to our friends at Dana Wharf Whale Watching Tours and Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari.

A dolphin "megapod" showed up and showed off in a stampede, diving and jumping at the bow of multiple whale-watching vessels.

Dolphin sightings and whale watching go hand in hand, as you may see many amazing creatures when you set sail with a tour boat, according to Gisele Anderson of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari.

Seeing the ocean froth and full of diving dolphins is something you'll never forget, she said in a recent news release. The behavior is known as a dolphin stampede. This one, caught and shared on TikTok by Dana Wharf Whale Watching.

When a large pod of dolphins moves at high speed across the water, it creates a mesmerizing display of synchronized movement and splashes, according to Anderson.

The Christmas Eve stampede involved a "megapod of common dolphins," estimated to number around 5,000. The dolphins raced through the waves, with witnesses describing the scene as both "exhilarating" and "humbling."

"It was thrilling to be surrounded by thousands of these sweet, beautiful animals. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more—us or the dolphins," Loriannah Hespe, a passenger and wildlife photographer on board a whale-watching vessel, said.

What causes dolphins to display stampeding behavior is unknown, and these stampedes happen spontaneously. According to Anderson, common theories suggest that the dolphins could be meeting with another pod nearby, racing to catch food, or evading natural predators such as orcas. Dave's.

"Dana Point has always been home to the dolphin stampede," she said."Seeing these dolphins in their own habitat, free and wild, racing through the water is heartstopping and thrilling. So glad our passenger, Loriannah Hespe, was able to capture this moment."

"Southern California has the largest density of dolphins per square mile of anywhere on Earth, thanks to nutrient-rich waters that make a perfect environment for marine life. Dana Point remains one of the best places in the world to see huge pods that can number in herds of up to 10,000 animals just a few miles from shore.

"With a variety of year-round whales, more dolphins per square mile than anywhere in the world, pristine coastline, calm seas, the first and longest-running annual Festival of Whales, and a captivating harbor minutes from the open ocean, Dana Point, California, is the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World," they said.

Whale-watching tours are still open if you're looking for something magical to do with the family before the end of winter break. Visit www.danawharfwhalewatching.org or www.dolphinsafari.com for further details on sportfishing or dolphin and whale-watching adventures.