This footage, captured at a beach in Esperance, Australia, is breathtakingly beautiful—a huge pod of dolphins slides through the turquoise water, chasing the waves and darting back to leap into the air, over and over again. This performance was done for the dolphins’ own pleasure, but nevertheless they put on an amazing show.
Dolphins can reach speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour, and the video puts their athletic abilities on full display as the animals surge forward, only to pivot effortlessly and break through the backs of the glassy waves.
Esperance is home to many common and bottlenose dolphins, species that tend to live in warm, tropical waters. The dolphins live in pods that can number up to 10,000 animals, though smaller groups like this one often break off from the pod. Living in pods means dolphins are extremely social creatures. These playful mammals like to touch one another, communicate with various whistles and clicks, and can form strong bonds to other individuals.
After all, there is much we can learn from these animals. Dolphins are fun-loving creatures, and they love to surf—often even surfing in the waves created by ships. The dolphins in this video offer a valuable reminder of the pure joy of being in nature.