Watch: Patches The Dolphin Greet Dana Point Whale Watchers

DANA POINT, CA — Blink, and you could have missed it! On Sunday, Dana Wharf Whale Watching Capt. Kenny caught sight of Orange County's beloved dolphin, Patches, while out on a private charter. That quick video was just a moment in the story of this dolphin who has swam off Orange County's coast for over ten years.

The rare bottlenose dolphin is nicknamed "Patches" due to the unique discolorations on his skin.

Though Dana Wharf Whale Watching only caught sight of Patches for a quick minute, Sunday, it was enough for Dana Wharf Whale Watching to share over Youtube.

"Patches always returns to Dana Point he’s a frequent visitor to Dana Point , you can always spot him in the pod of 30-50 bottlenose dolphins he is a member of, according to a local naturalist, Dave Beeninga.

Though some say Patches looks like a Calico cat with his splotches, however Beeninga shared the real story behind his spotty appearance.

"Patches is a leucistic dolphin," he says. "The skin cells in the white areas lack melanocytes or the black pigment that is found in the black skin."

"We consider him a good luck charm," Dana Wharf spokeswoman Dona Kalez told Patch. He was last seen in September, when the group reported the famed fellow "alive and well."

"He's a rare treat for wildlife watches to see," they said.

The first recorded sighting of Patches the dolphin was in 2006, and according to Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching, they see him "every couple of years, on average."

Patches is known for his uncommon color variations, which range from dark gray to light pink and white. These make Patches uniquely identifiable compared to other bottlenose dolphins, according to local dolphin and whale watchers.

In Orange County, most of the dolphins spotted are light to medium gray on top with white, or even pinkish tones on their belly, Capt. Dave Anderson says.

Southern California has more dolphins than anywhere else in the world. In recent days, hundreds of dolphins—what some call a "megapod," have been seen in the area.

Naturalist Robin Lowe captured the below video of Patches in 2017. After hundreds of trips, Lowe—at last—saw Patches in person at that time.

He often is seen traveling with other bottlenose and common dolphins, But, as far as we know, there's only one Patches.

For more information on whale watching and dolphin sighting in Dana Point, visit: www.danawharf.com or www.dolphinsafari.com