Dolphin Central

It's official. PE is the Bottlenose Dolphin Capital of the World. Not surprising really, considering the huge schools of them in Algoa Bay.

- Keri Harvey

The city of Port Elizabeth lies in our wake and is just stirring on this Sunday morning. We, however, have been awake since early, to head out to sea before the wind whips up. We're on a registered whale- and dolphin-watching trip to St Croix island in Algoa Bay.

Skipper Lloyd Edwards, owner of Raggy Charters, cuts the boat engine and we bob gently in the ocean on the lee side of the island. All eyes onboard scan the surrounds for dolphins, and the atmosphere is expectant. We're at one of their favourite haunts, where Lloyd sees them on 95 per cent of his trips —it's almost guaranteed.

"The huge schools of bottlenose dolphins patrol this side of the island," explains Lloyd, "probably because it's only six to eight metres deep and the big sharks can't attack the dolphins from beneath. The dolphins are sheltered and protected here, so that's why they are very relaxed —and why it's also called Lover's Lane, for obvious reasons."

Lloyd is still talking when a bottlenose breaks the sea surface like a rocket. It clears the water and dives back in with a splash. There's a synchronised gasp from all onboard, and full-face smiles. Within 30 seconds the sea starts boiling with bottlenoses. "There are at least 200 here, " I mutter under my breath.

"Not quite," corrects Lloyd. "There are always more below the surface as they don't all breathe at the same time. Those below the surface are echo-locating or looking out for sharks. A sight like this is very common in Algoa Bay. The smallest groups that we occasionally see are about 12-30 individuals." Research shows that the average size of a dolphin group here has increased over the past ten years from 20 to 75 animals on average.