Watch: Poole paddleboarder’s ‘jackpot’ encounter with dolphins

Ben Felton said he had “never experienced anything like this before”

A paddleboarder who spent an hour on the water with three dolphins has described the encounter as “like winning the jackpot”.

Ben Felton and his friend Nick Woods, both from Bournemouth, were enjoying the water off Branksome, Poole, when they were joined by the small pod.

It appeared to be an adult dolphin – possibly a female – and her two calves, Mr Felton said.

In 12 years as an accomplished watersports’ enthusiast, he explained he had “never experienced anything like this before”.

Ben Felton (left) and Nick Woods spent about an hour with the dolphins off Branksome

Ben Felton Ben Felton (left) and Nick Woods sitting on a silver water scooter on the sea - which is a greenish, blue colour. The sky is blue with a couple of lines of very thin, wispy clouds. Mr Felton is taking the selfie image. He is wearing a brown bucket hat and a grey lifejacket. He also has a pair of sunglasses resting under his chin and he has a line of white sunblock going horizontally across each cheek. Mr Woods is also wearing a grey lifejacket. He has shoulder-length dark, curly hair and a greying beard — Ben Felton (left) and Nick Woods spent about an hour with the dolphins off Branksome

“Nick and I have SUP [stand up paddleboarding] racing boards and we like to get up early, and get some miles in for fitness,” Mr Felton said.

“As we were carrying our boards to the beach at about 05:30, we could just see the dolphins going up and down in the water.

“We paddled over in that direction and they started charging towards us.”

At this point, Ben said he and Nick stayed still and “floated along with them for about an hour”.

‘Cool manoeuvres’

“They were swimming under us and upside down, and doing some really cool manoeuvres,” Mr Felton recalled.

“It was incredible to be honest – like winning the jackpot.

“You go out on the sea and experience all these nice, natural things, like watching the sun coming up, but this was something else.

“I had never seen them close up before, only a glimpse as they passed by, but they were actually interacting with us.”

He added: “I didn’t fancy getting in the water with them – they were so big and fast.

“It was exciting but also a little scary.”

Dorset Wildlife Trust advises that if you spot any marine mammal whilst at sea to “maintain a distance of at least 100m (330ft)” and if they do approach you to “maintain a constant speed and allow them to interact on their own terms and leave at will”.

Several species of dolphin are found off Dorset, including the bottlenose and common.

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