Kayaking is a magical experience, but for one group of friends, a kayaking trip turned into an unforgettable adventure. While kayaking in Falmouth Bay near Falmouth, U.K., Harvey Gorst and his friends came upon a massive pod of friendly dolphins. The dolphins are known for swimming in the area, so the friends hoped they would get to see them.
Not only did they see the dolphins, but aquatic mammals also came right up to the kayaks. After a quick greeting, they proceeded to swim around looking for fish to eat. The group didn't expect the pod to come up to the kayaks, nor did they expect to see the dolphins for so long.
"There were around six pods, and each one had around 30 dolphins," Gorst told CornwallLive. "They were really inquisitive and didn't seem scared of us at all. Some of them came up really close to us, close enough for us to be able to touch them, but we didn't. We all know as cool as it is to see wildlife up close, it's best not to interact with them, as tempting as it may be."
Gorst continued, "They stayed for a couple of hours and swam around eating the fish. I've seen dolphins before but never this close; you can usually see them swimming around Pendennis Point." He told the outlet it was an "emotional" experience, and they were all surprised by the gentleness of the pods. But the interaction also raised a few concerns, namely speed boats in the bay.
"Speed boats around the area need to slow down; it's no wonder dolphins get hit and killed so easily," he said. "One passed while we were there, and the dolphins swam away. It's a real concern; some people have a different view of marine life, but we really need to protect it."
Gorst said, "The dolphins were so gentle and such lovely little creatures. It was like experiencing another culture because they're all so different up close. It was quite emotional for us to see them so close."
