Visitors to the Welsh coast were greeted with a spectacle over the bank holiday weekend when a pod of bottlenose dolphins put on a display.
Boat trippers in New Quay Bay, Ceredigion, watched in amazement as the mammals leaped from the sea in extraordinary scenes on Saturday.
The dolphins took turns showing off their best moves, jumping out of the water in full view of the tourists.
Sarah Michelle Wyer, marine zoologist and wildlife guide for Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips, told the Mail: ‘We don’t see them (bottlenose dolphins) on every trip we take, but when we see them “performing”, it never gets old.
“They are frustrating because they are so unpredictable, but visibility is better when the sea is better, like on Saturday.”
Bottlenose dolphins put on a show at the weekend, leaping out of the sea at New Quay Bay in west Wales on Saturday afternoon, entertaining people on a boat trip.
Sarah Michelle Wyer, marine zoologist and wildlife guide for Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips, told the Mail: “We don’t see them (bottlenose dolphins) on every trip we take, but when we see them ‘performing’, it never gets old.
Bottlenose dolphins are commonly found along the west coast of Wales, but are found throughout the UK.
Ms Wyer, 30, described how the pod of around eight bottlenose dolphins was visible to those on the beach and to spectators from the pier.
On the ship Ermol VI, Mrs Wyer was taking a walk in the bay when the dolphins began to “go crazy”.
As a zoologist, she described bottlenoses as “playful creatures” who “love to interact with boatloads of tourists.”
He added: “One guest said they had crossed a dream off their bucket list – it’s really special to be part of the experience.”
Across Britain, the bank holiday weekend saw a typical mix of sunshine, showers and some longer spells of rain.
Saturday was the best day of the weekend, with dry conditions and temperatures reaching 20 degrees.
However, heavy rain on Sunday put an end to the sunny streak.
The dolphins took turns showing off their best moves, jumping out of the water in full view of the tourists.
Marine zoologist Sarah Michelle Wyer took the photographs while working as a wildlife guide for Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips.
While conditions in the south were drier on Monday, the north of England and Scotland recorded heavy rain.
Bottlenose dolphins are commonly found along the west coast of Wales, but are found throughout the UK.
Cardigan Bay in west Wales is home to bottlenose dolphins all year round and the summer months offer the best opportunity to spot them.
Estimates from the UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy suggest there are 700 coastal bottlenose dolphins in the UK, with four separate pods in Wales, south-west England and the east and west coasts of Scotland.
Identified by their short beaks and large sickle-shaped dorsal fins, bottlenose dolphins are known for their boisterous behavior, often splashing and jumping to show off in front of the tourist boats that flock to see them.
