Swimming with Wild Dolphins
@DeborahDiane (40847)
Laguna Woods, California
July 5, 2016 11:33pm CST
Experts say that we have a pod of about 200 dolphins that live off the coast of Laguna Beach.
We rarely see them in the winter, but we do manage to get glimpses of them in the summer. They are usually quite comfortable around people and will swim in the same area as humans.
This weekend, we got to see the dolphins and some of our family members swam out to be close to them. It was really exciting for all of us! Our oldest daughter, who lives just outside New York City, said she had never seen dolphins in the wild ... so she was thrilled to be swimming just yards away from a group of them.
I'm not a strong enough swimmer to attempt to go out past the waves, but two of our daughters loved the experience.
It was a wonderful July 4th weekend! 
12 people like this
15 responses
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 16
@just4him - Amazingly, dolphins are naturally very friendly towards humans ... at least the ones I have seen are.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@just4him - Dolphins are amazing. They seem incredibly comfortable around people and they have even been known to save people from sharks. I always feel that my grandchildren are a little safer in the water when I know there is a pod of dolphins around!
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
7 Jul 16
@DeborahDiane All I know about dolphins is from TV and the movies - namely Flipper. He always looked like a loveable tame dolphin, but I thought they had to be trained that way. It's good to know they are that way by nature.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59761)
• Philippines
6 Jul 16
I've swam with dolphins, not in the wild though but rather in an oceanarium. I agree that it was a wonderful experience.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@allen0187 - How wonderful that there is an oceanarium where you can swim with dolphins!
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59761)
• Philippines
11 Jul 16
@DeborahDiane yes.
I do consider myself blessed. I bet swimming with the dolphins in the wild is a better experience though.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jul 16
@allen0187 - I am still in awe every time I see a wild dolphin!
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Jul 16
On a rare occasion, we might see a glimpse of a dolphin - somewhere on the shores of the Malibu area - but never pods. We went on a whale watching cruise last year off of Long Beach and out in the sea we saw a gazillion dolphins - we've never experienced seeing oh so many like that all around us! I couldn't go past the waves either, but how nice your daughters were able to go . . . did they actually get super close to them?
2 people like this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Jul 16
@DeborahDiane Wow! That is pretty close! I would love swimming with the dolphins, that is if I were a better swimmer 
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 16
@much2say - Yes, you have to be a good swimmer to get out that far, past the breaking waves.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
One of our daughters is the one who's head you see in the center of the picture, just above the man's head. I think she is about three or four yards away. Our other daughter is not in the picture, but she estimated she was five or six yards away from some of the dolphins. She was really excited!
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77184)
• Philippines
6 Jul 16
In May we went to an island where we could get close to dolphins in the wilds. It was a great experience.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (77184)
• Philippines
7 Jul 16
@DeborahDiane yes I loved them. I wish to swim with the whales next time.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@toniganzon - That would be wonderful to visit an island where you could get close to the dolphins. They are such joyful creatures!
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jul 16
Wow that is so cool you got to swim near the dolphins! Great experience I bet!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
Our daughters were so excited to get that close to the dolphins. I was very happy for them!
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
7 Jul 16
@DeborahDiane That is awesome! I live about 2 hours from that beach, hope I can experience that sometime too. Glad your daughters had a blast!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 16
@infatuatedbby - July always seems to be the best month to see the dolphins, but no guarantees. I was at the beach today, and they were nowhere around.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
I have seen the dolphins come even closer to shore than this. I have been maybe 10 or 15 yards from them, while just wading in the water. That is an exciting experience, too!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
6 Jul 16
Wow, that is quite amazing. I have seen dolphins but only at a distance.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@BelleStarr - Dolphins amaze me. I have seen them swim right up to people standing in the water. Incredible!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@jstory07 - Our daughters and grandchildren loved having the dolphins swim so close to shore!
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
6 Jul 16
that's wonderful they were able to 'xperience such, perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime thingy :) i'd feel most humbled to do the same. told'ja many great memories were gonna happen fer y'all this holiday weekend :D big hugs! i'm giddy jest readin' 'f such!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@crazyhorseladycx - I agree that this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'm glad our family got to be here for it.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jul 16
What a thrill for them that must have been!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@JamesHxstatic - I think this is one memory of Laguna Beach that our daughters will have for a very long time!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@DianneN - I'm glad to hear you have had the same experience with dolphins. I'm happy they weren't sharks, too! Fortunately, sharks and dolphins are rarely in the same place. So seeing dolphins usually means that sharks are not around ... because dolphins will attack them and drive them off!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 16
@DianneN - I don't know if there are always sharks around when dolphins are absent, but the risk is certainly higher!
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
7 Jul 16
@DeborahDiane Good to know. So when one doesn't see dolphins, there just may be sharks in the H2O.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@JudyEv - I am amazed by how comfortable dolphins seem to be with people!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Jul 16
I would have gone closer, if I could swim that well. I have seen them swim right up next to the hotels at high tide, so that is the closest I have ever been to them.
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Jul 16
@paigea - Yes, the dolphins are so friendly that it almost shocks me!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Nov 17
@Hannihar - I wish I were a stronger swimmer, too. I would love to swim with them!
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Nov 17
@Hannihar - It sounds like a wonderful place to visit!
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
10 Nov 17
@DeborahDiane
We have a city here in the South called Eilat. It is warm in the winter so like Florida people like to go there. They have dolphins and you have to buy tickets for their show but it is late so I could never go. I would have to stay over night and I will not leave my cat alone over night.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jul 16
@skysnap - I'm glad you like the picture. I took about two dozen shots to get one that was timed right, with the dolphins above the surface of the water.
1 person likes this
