Who doesn’t love a good belly rub? And who says you have to be stationary to enjoy the sensation?
For whale watchers out of Oceanside, Calif., on Monday, it was fun just watching Pacific white-sided dolphins swim beneath the 50-foot Oceanside Adventures catamaran. The mammals are a fairly common sight during the winter, according to Donna Kalez, owner of Oceanside Adventures.
But suddenly, in a rarely observed behavior, one dolphin turned upside down and rubbed its white belly against one of the catamaran’s pontoons for nearly two minutes, as though it were relieving an itch.
“We love them and they’re super cute and fun, but normally not that playful,” Kalez said. “But that dolphin was having blast!”
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Most dolphin species, including killer whales, are known to swim near and beneath fast-moving vessels, and to surf and leap in their wakes. But physical contact, such as the seemingly effortless belly rub shown in the video, is not commonly observed.
Pacific white-sided dolphins are named because of the light coloration that runs along their sides and into the facial area. The mammals have black beaks and and a black ring around each eye.
The footage was captured via iPad by Oceanside Adventures first mate Chris Fairbanks. Capt. Shane Hansen was driving the boat.
–Top image courtesy of Oceanside Adventures; generic Pacific white-sided dolphin image courtesy of NOAA Fisheries
