A team of Fife RNLI volunteers were treated to an amazing spectacle when a 30-strong pod of bottlenose dolphins decided to join them on a training exercise.
Anstruther Lifeboat Station members Graeme Lumsden and Becci Jewell and a small group of other lifeboat volunteers were about a mile off the coast of Largo when they spotted some fins bobbing in and out of the water beside their boat.
“We saw the fins and at first thought there was maybe one or two of them but then they all started leaping out of the water and we counted at least 30,” said Graeme.
“They came right up to the boat and were swimming alongside us, then some of them went under the boat and began swimming at the bow.
“I have heard that they like to swim at the bow because the bow pushes water in front of it so it’s kind of like a surfer riding the wave before the crest.
“They certainly seemed to be having lots of fun and were extremely lively. It was really humbling to watch.”
Becci, who is a marine biologist said she also felt lucky to have witnessed the super-pod of dolphins.
“It was just wonderful,” she said. “Although the dolphins are often seen by fishermen in the area, we don’t see them from the lifeboat that frequently.
“And when we do, it tends to be smaller groups of around 10 that we see. This was definitely more than I have ever seen in one group here before and it was brilliant to be able to watch them from the lifeboat.”
Bottlenose dolphins measure up to 12ft long and weigh around 62 stones when fully grown and are usually seen in social groups of three to 10 animals.