Head bumping

Two male bottlenose dolphins bumbing their heads real hard as they fight in the offshore waters of Veneto, Italy.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Mother and calf

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Surfacing in tight formation

Bottlenose dolphins surfacing in tight formation off the Adriatic LNG terminal.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Good light

Bottlenose dolphin photographed in a stunning evening light.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Silvia and Marco

Silvia with Marco Bregoli, a Marine Biology student at the University of Padova, Italy.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Concealed dorsal fin

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Bottlenose dolphin calf

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Adriatic sunset 2

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Adriatic sunset 1

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Breach and wash

Breaching right in front of our boat... and getting us wet :-)

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Dead sea turtle

An adult male loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta, found floating adrift in open waters off the Po river delta. Fortunately we also see many sea turtles alive and well, including several juveniles.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Approaching bottlenose dolphin

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Trio

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Mussel farm buoys

Mussel farm buoys in open Adriatic Sea waters. These farms have been expanding in recent years, and they cover amazingly large portions of sea.

(Photos by G. Bearzi Northern Adriatic Sea)

Late sighting 2

A bit too late for good photo-identification. But always exciting to watch dolphins under unusual light conditions.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Late sighting

Getting back to the port in the late evening.

(Photos by G. Bearzi Northern Adriatic Sea)

Breach

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Calf

A bottlenose dolphin calf, looking healthy and well-fed.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Worn dorsal

Front view of a bottlenose dolphin's worn dorsal fin.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Individual photo-identification

Silvia in action, photographing a large group of bottlenose dolphins encountered 11 nautical miles offshore.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Those eyes 2

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Those eyes 1

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Four encounters at sea

Today we encountered several water toys drifting offshore, probably swept away by sudden wind on a beach with many children. We 'rescued' all, and these are some. We loved the pink flamingo.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Dolphin silhouette

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Unfriendly glance

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)