We reported a month or so ago about a friendly dolphin in Ventry harbour. Ute Margreff came down to swim with her and seemed to make a good connection with her. The dolphin was interactive and was bringing seaweed and initiating games on the first day of their acquaintance. Ute named her Venus, which seemed a good name for a Ventry dolphin! Although we don’t actually know for sure that this is a female dolphin, Ute has a good feel for these things and she reckons it’s a very feminine dolphin, so we’re happy to go with that for now! Anyway the dolphin disappeared after a few days, coincidentally at the same time that Ute had to head back to Germany for a while. Since then we’ve seen nothing in Ventry, but we have been hearing that there has been lots of dolphin activity around the Blasket Islands. It now transpires that a dolphin answering to the same description has been seen often around there and fishermen say that she has been following them whenever they are hauling lobster pots – something which many dolphins have found interesting, including Fungie once upon a time.
During the fine weather at the end of last week, the dolphin was approaching swimmers right off the main Blasket island beach and near to the pier where the ferries land. Ute was able to go swimming with her for three consecutive days and reports that Venus was more and more playful and very sweet-tempered. Her last session lasted five hours of continuous interaction!
At times there were other dolphins close by as well, but only Venus was interacting with people - just like when Dony was out there 4 years ago.
On Monday the weather started to break and the ferries have been cancelled since then but we hope there will be a window before the end of the week and that Venus will still be there.
Once again West Kerry sets the pace as THE place to meet friendly wild dolphins!
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