Patches The Dolphin, Rare Sea Life Enjoy The Orange County Coast

DANA POINT, CA — Visitors who have boarded whale and dolphin watching tours this week have not been disappointed, according to Captain Dave Anderson of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari tours.

On Monday alone Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari encountered:

13 Blue Whales (including a mother and calf), 2 Minke Whales, 700 Common Dolphins, 2 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mako Shark, 1 Swordfish (estimated to be about 8 feet), 1 Mola Mola (sunfish) and a bunch of jellyfish, Anderson told Patch.

"It was absolutely amazing! The waters off Orange County are teeming with wildlife," he said. "Right now is a great time for locals and visitors to get on a boat and connect with nature."

Over the weekend we also encountered 2 loggerhead sea turtles and the famous bottlenose dolphin, “Patches."

Capt. Dave’s first recorded sighting of Patches was in 2006.

"The dolphin’s uncommon color variations, the result of a condition called leucism, range from dark gray to light pink and white, making Patches very special and instantly recognizable among bottlenose dolphin," he said.

For more information, visit: www.dolphinsafari.com

Photos, courtesy Captain Dave's Whale Watching & Craig DeWitt