Dolphins in WA!

Giddy from down unda’!

It’s been six weeks since I arrived in Bunbury, Western Australia, (aka “The Dolphin City”), and I can’t believe how fast the time is passing.

I’ve been lucky to be doing my FVP at the Dolphin Discovery Centre, a volunteer-based organization on the coast of Australia. Because of the warmth and safety of this one small bay, hundreds of wild bottlenose dolphins roam free. It’s the Centre’s objective to educate the public about the dolphins, as well as allow them to observe, swim, and play with them in an eco-friendly way.

There are over 200 wild dolphins in the bay. By identifying differences in their dorsal fins, the centre has been able to identify and name almost all of them. For example, Eclipse, Shanty, Cracker, Cookie, Levi, and Aurora are our most common visitors.

Since the dolphins are wild, we never know when they will come into the beach. As a volunteer, one of my jobs is to stand on the boardwalk and watch for dolphin fins popping out of the water. If a dolphin comes in, we ring the bell, yell “Dolphin on the beach!!!!”, and everybody drops what they’re doing to run into the water.

I’ve also been training to be a Tour Guide, which is an option for any volunteer. I love this job because I get to feed the small marine animals in our indoor aquarium. This includes the seahorses, a stingray, a small shark, and my favorite crazy octopuses. 🙂

The very best part of my job is the option to lead swim tours. Because it’s not guaranteed that the dolphins will come onto the beach every day, we have a catamaran boat going out into the ocean twice a day for a “Swim Tour” and an “Eco-Cruise”. With a few training sessions, I’m able to take people out on the boat and swim with the dolphins as a guide!

My favorite thing about Bunbury is that 60% of the population isn’t from Australia. By living in a backpackers hostel and volunteering in a Centre with over 100 international volunteers, I have been able to make friends from all over the world. The town is also very accessible. I live 5 minutes from the beach, 2 minutes from main street, and everything I may need is within walking distance.

If you’re looking for an FVP with interesting work in marine biology and inspiring people, I would recommend the Dolphin Discovery Centre for you. And you wouldn’t believe the scenery, but here’s a few pictures to give you an idea: