FRIENDLY DOLPHIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22981, 8 March 1938, Page 12

FRIENDLY DOLPHIN

REGULAR APPEARANCES PILOT FOR NAPIER LIGHTERS JOURNEYS IN ROADSTEAD [by TEIiEGKArn —OWN CORItKHrONDHNT] NAPIER. Monday Operators of lighters in tlio Napier roadstead have as a guide a six-foot dolphin which acts in tho manner of the once famous Pelorus Jack, of Tory Channel, by meeting outgoing vessels and swimming ahead of them. Tho dolphin rarely shows more than its back, but its proscnce is betrayed to the men by a swirl in tho water sovoral yards ahead of tho lighter, At first the appronah of tho dolphin to tho lighters was regarded as a more coincidence, but coincidence soon became established custom, and it is rarely that a lighter goes out to work in the roadstoad without the guidance and company of tho dolphin. Sometimes growing tired of leading the way tho fish will venture close to ono side or other of tho vessel's bows, but it is wary enough not to approach too close —not that it need fear any danger from the men. Those who have seen the dolphin estimate its length as about 6ft., but owing to the fact that only on rare occasions does it approach close to vessels it is; not possiblo to give an accurate estimate. Generally tho dolphin moots tho lighters as they leave tho inner harbour channel, and after accompanying tho leading vessel to tho liner in the roadstead it returns for the remainder oi" tho lighters. When tho homeward journey commences the fish appears to lead the lighter fleet back. Some j'ears ago every season a mollymawk would appear aud fly abovo and ahead of the lighters. It did not fear tho vessels and would bask in tho sun on ono of the lighters when it had berthed alongside a liner in tho roadstead.