Common dolphins visit the Gower during the warmer months and one family were lucky enough to see an incredible display from the ‘most playful duo’
Dolphins spotted swimming off the Gower
A lucky group of locals spotted several pods of dolphins off the south Wales coast on Saturday evening when they took a boat out. Ben Whitehouse and his family captured impressive photos and videos showing a number of dolphins swimming alongside their boat just two miles off the Gower coast.
Ben said he had regularly spotted dolphins in the area, but he described these as the “most playful duo” he’d ever seen. In one incredible picture you can see one of the dolphins jumping right out of the water.
Ben and his family were out on his uncle’s boat on Saturday, May 10, in the evening, when they saw the dolphins.
“We just went for a spin around Gower and anchored off Rhossili for some food, And on the way back thought we’d head out two-to-three miles off shore to have a look for some dolphins.
Ben spotted the dolphins around two miles off the Welsh coast(Image: Ben Whitehouse)
He added: “We spotted them off the Helwick Bank. There were 3 pods in total at various spots along the Helwick Bank.
The video has been shared 130 times on Facebook and people flocked to the comments to express their disbelief at the breathtaking shots. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.
One person wrote: “I need to go here.” Others described the footage as “stunning” and “beautiful”.
The family spotted the dolphins on Saturday evening(Image: Millie Steadman)
Dolphins are more common in Wales than many people realise and are often spotted in the warmer months, between May and October.
Locals and tourists can try and spot one of the aquatic mammals on various organised wildlife spotting trips but weather conditions and time of day are crucial factors.
Dolphins are most active in the early morning and late afternoon, but strong winds might also make a sighting less likely.
The Gower Peninsula is home to a diverse array of sea creatures and alongside common dolphins, you may also spot Atlantic grey seals, harbour porpoises and sea birds like gannets and razorbills.
Common dolphins are known for being sociable and playful, often happy to swim alongside boats meaning you can get a good look at the remarkable animals.