A STUNNING video shows the moment two dolphins were caught playfully leaping from the water just metres from the shore.
Stuart McLean-Fowler was out enjoying a dip on the summer solstice last Tuesday in Blyth, Northumberland when he spotted the pair playing about in the water.
The 35-year-old musician quickly grabbed his phone to film the impressive scenes as he lapped up the early morning acrobatics of the dolphins.
The video shows an overcast beach at Blyth just moments before the two dolphins leap out of the water, with one lone person looking on in tranquility as the waves lap up against the shore.
Further out into the waves, a break appears in the water and two slick, dark dolphins erupt forth in one fluid motion.
The two cross over each other, and dive headfirst back into opposite sides of the water, disappearing below the waves again in the blink of an eye.
As the dolphins leap out of the water, Stuart’s wife Lezlie can be heard saying: “Stu, oh my God.”
Stuart, delighted with his timing and patience, can be heard behind the camera replying: “Got it.”
Stuart from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear shared his short clip online earlier this week, writing: “They were pretty close in at Blyth this morning, majority of them seemed to head back south.”
His post received hundreds of likes and dozens of comments from fellow enthusiasts who were quick to share their congratulations on capturing the sight.
Carrie Ringrose said: “Oh wow, fantastic footage.”
Lisa Belcher said: “Fantastic.”
Emma Alderton said: “Mint that.”
Speaking today, Stuart said: “I was getting set up for the day working on music from home.
“I keep an eye on a group for dolphin activity and had seen earlier that morning that a large pod was heading north from Tynemouth.
“I kept checking in on the group to monitor their journey so I went with my wife to view them coming past at Blyth.
“I didn’t know where to look as there were so many of them and they were feeding in Blyth for 20 or 30 minutes.
“It was just pure luck, it’s just a matter of being patient and hoping you get to see something as incredible as dolphins, let alone capture them on camera.
“I feel very lucky to live by such an active dolphin area and be able to look out the window and see them almost every day.”
Bottlenose dolphins are very intelligent and sleep with one half of their brain active at a time, allowing them to keep one eye open to keep a look out for predators.
