UPDATE
THE 1.3 metre dolphin taken to the Phuket Marine Biological Centre died within hours of care commencing there.
Original Report
PHUKET: A warning to small boats not to put to sea continues for Thursday with three dolphins among those affected by the Phuket region's wild weather.
A mother spinner dolphin and her offspring were washed close to shore at Nai Harn, Phuket's southernmost beach, today.
Lifeguards managed to help the pair back out to sea. The female dolphin was about 1.2 metres in length while the youngster measured 60 centimetres.
Later today, a third dolphin was spotted at the western end of the same beach.
The dolphin was not able to head back out to sea so rescuers packed it onto an air mattress in the rear of a pickup to carry it to the Phuket Marine Biological Centre at Cape Panwa, on Phuket's east coast.
Biologists there said the female was aged between eight and 10 years old and bore the marks of having been beaten against rocks. They hope the creature will recover with care in a pool.
On the weather front, forecasters at the Phuket-based Southern Meteorological Centre (West Coast) said that small boats should not put to sea from Phuket, Phang Nga and Ranong provinces on Thursday.
Similar warnings for Tuesday and Wednesday were ignored by some speedboat ''captains.''
The forecast is for 80 percent chance of rain in Phang Nga and Ranong. With the possibility of boats from Phuket heading into the same storm, small vessels are advised not to put to sea, whatever their departure point.
The present wet weather is not expected to clear until April 29.
Waves of just one metre can be encountered close to shore but these rise up to three metres once boats are 20 kilometres out, a centre spokesman said today.
Even dolphins can't fight the rip tides and strong waves that are starting, I hope this goes to warn tourists that swimming in these conditions is hazardous no matter how strong a swimmer you are.
Posted by May on April 17, 2013 16:12