A DOZEN dolphins were harassed by jet skiers and powerboaters as they passed close to the Swanage coast over the Easter weekend, Coastguards have revealed.
The large pod, a relatively rare sight for Dorset waters at this time of year, attracted scores of sightseers.
Most people were well behaved, but according to Portland Coastguard, a number of concerned calls were logged, on Saturday, reporting jet skis and power boats were chasing the dolphins and causing them distress.
Coastguards were eventually forced to broadcast a warning that it is a criminal offence to harass marine animals.
A coastguard spokesman explained: “A VHF broadcast was made reminding boat users that it is an offence under the 2000 Wildlife and Countryside Act to harass marine animals.”
Earlier, on Good Friday afternoon, the same pod of dolphins wowed well-behaved boaters close to Old Harry Rocks.
Sandi and Chris Garner, who were moored about a mile off the coast, were just two of the onlookers who spent 20 minutes being enthralled by the dolphins.
Chris said: “We were out in our boat and somebody came along and said there was a school of dolphins coming our way.
“We thought he was joking at first, but then we saw them all breaching the surface.
“We decided to have a look and for some time we were just floating around and they were all around us. I don’t know if they were feeding or what but it was amazing.
“It was very unusual to see this many dolphins, even in this climate. We’ve been boating for several years but have never seen anything like this.”
The large pod, a relatively rare sight for Dorset waters at this time of year, attracted scores of sightseers.
Most people were well behaved, but according to Portland Coastguard, a number of concerned calls were logged, on Saturday, reporting jet skis and power boats were chasing the dolphins and causing them distress.
Coastguards were eventually forced to broadcast a warning that it is a criminal offence to harass marine animals.
A coastguard spokesman explained: “A VHF broadcast was made reminding boat users that it is an offence under the 2000 Wildlife and Countryside Act to harass marine animals.”
Earlier, on Good Friday afternoon, the same pod of dolphins wowed well-behaved boaters close to Old Harry Rocks.
Sandi and Chris Garner, who were moored about a mile off the coast, were just two of the onlookers who spent 20 minutes being enthralled by the dolphins.
Chris said: “We were out in our boat and somebody came along and said there was a school of dolphins coming our way.
“We thought he was joking at first, but then we saw them all breaching the surface.
“We decided to have a look and for some time we were just floating around and they were all around us. I don’t know if they were feeding or what but it was amazing.
“It was very unusual to see this many dolphins, even in this climate. We’ve been boating for several years but have never seen anything like this.”
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