POD CAST

HOLIDAY-MAKERS got a remarkable opportunity to swim with wild dolphins yesterday when a large pod came within yards of a West Cork beach.

Dozens of people swam with about 20 or so of what are believed to be bottlenose dolphins in the shallow waters just off Cockleshell Beach, opposite Barleycove Caravan Park near Crookhaven.

Diarmuid Kenneally, who has owned the caravan park since 1970, said it was one of the most remarkable sights he has ever seen. “We’d often see a dolphin or two off shore, but never anything like this.”

Ciaran Cronin, who runs Ahakista Escape holiday homes in Bantry, was driving home from Barleycove Beach when he saw dozens of people standing on Cockleshell Beach and stopped. He said it was an amazing sight and he posted several pictures on Twitter of people swimming with the marine mammals.

“You’d often see dolphins in Dunmanus Bay, but I’ve never seen them as close to the shore as that before,” he said.

The pod, which onlooker Brian Murphy said appeared to include several juveniles, first appeared close to the shore around noon.

They were swimming in circles and playing with each other before onlookers, including several children, waded out slowly to join them.

The animals then began to swim among the people, brushing against their legs. The interaction lasted for several hours.

Several boats arrived on the scene and helped shepherd the animals out to deeper water as the tide ebbed.

Pádraig Whooley, an expert with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, encouraged people to enjoy observing the dolphins, but he urged caution.

“I would always suggest that people enjoy watching them from the shore — it is one of nature’s wonderful little treats,” he said. “But dolphins are wild animals and there is always a risk of injury in circumstances like this to the people or the animals.”

He urged people not to harass the dolphins and to be respectful.

Mr Whooley, who was giving an IWDG course on Cape Clear on dolphin and whale-watching, said they had several sightings of harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins in the waters around the area over the weekend.

“It just goes to show the fantastic marine life that is here in West Cork.”