Patches the Dolphin By Brenda Cash
Photo credit: Michelle Velasco
About ten years ago and easily 100+ trips out on various whale watching boats, I first heard about a Bottlenose dolphin that was white and pink and grey and beautiful. ‘What are these people talking about?’ I’d question. So it began: my hunt for this elusive dolphin nicknamed Patches.
He was spotted on a trip I was on about two months ago but as quickly as he was seen, he disappeared again. Then, it happened. On July 11th while out with Newport Coastal Adventures on one of their fast zodiacs captained by Rich, he was spotted with his pod. Rich spun that zodiac around and we approached cautiously.
Yes. There he is. Patches the Bottlenose dolphin. My quest had been fulfilled!
Photo credit: Brenda Cash
Patches was first seen and reported to HappyWhale.com in 2006 by naturalist Mark Tyson (who recently passed away and has left a hole in many of our hearts). Happy Whale engages scientists, naturalists and whale watching enthusiasts to identify individual marine mammals, for fun and for science. With their extensive database, you can submit a photo of a whale you’ve spotted and can see where in our world this whale has been.
Photo credit: Brenda Cash
Patches has been seen at the Mexican border up to the Santa Barbara channel. He is a leucitic dolphin. This condition causes him to have the uncommon color variants, ranging from dark gray to light pink and white. It is incredibly important for Patches to be in the large pod he is usually seen with. His unusual, lighter markings make him easier to spot so safety in numbers is crucial. It is assumed that Patches is a ‘he’ since he has never been spotted with a calf. He appears to be an amazing uncle and babysitter.
Photo credit: Brenda Cash
Now that I have seen Patches, I feel like I can close that chapter in my ‘adventures at sea’ book. I’m hoping one day soon another mystery whale will have the whale watching community buzzing with excitement. So get out on a boat! Because even a bad day out on the water is better than a good day inside.
Bio
Brenda Cash was born in Palos Verdes, making her local creative edge razor sharp at an early stage in her photography.
As Brenda grew up, her understanding of the beauty that Palos Verdes holds grew. Her wishes to capture it and the many forms of wildlife came at a steady pace, leading her to dedicate her professional career to photography. Brenda is currently a Palos Verdes resident.
