
Bottlenose dolphin bull (Tursiops truncatus) courting Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Bahamas.

Two Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) up close in beautiful, clear blue water. Bahamas.

A Hawaiian spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) pod swims over sand. Hawaii.

Sea lion pups play on the surface in a cave at Los Islotes.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) pup. Galapagos Islands.

Curious Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) swims over rocks off the Big Island, Hawaii.

A curious harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) swims out from the kelp forest.

Galapagos Sea Lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) pup. Galapagos Islands.

Sea lion pup plays with a starfish in a cave at Los Islotes.

Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) swims over rocks in shallow water. Hawaii.

Sea lion pup at the surface in a cave.

Two peas in a pod. Bottlenose and Atlantic spotted dolphins spend lots of time together in the Bahamas. They play and forage together, babysit each others calves and even hybridize on rare occasions. Bahamas.

A California sea lion bursts out of the green water on a deep reef in the Channel Islands, California.

California sea lion plays in the distant kelp.

Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) getting playful. Hawaii.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) pup. Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus californianus) surface reflection. Galapagos Islands.

A small pod of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) over sand in Hawaii.

Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) on an Easpanola Island beach. Galapagos Islands.

Hawaiian spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) cruise on the glassy ocean surface infront of Diamond Head, Oahu on a picture perfect day.

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf fully breaches out of water. Tonga.

A sea lion swims by with a stick in its mouth. Los Islotes, Mexico.

A spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) plays fetch with a leaf. Hawaii.

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) off Oahu. In 1998, the the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin was recognized as a separate species. Before then, the genus Tursiops was monospecific. The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin is generally smaller than the common bottlenose dolphin. Hawaii.

Head on shot of playful Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). Hawaii.

A sea lion pup nips my fin in a cave. Los Islotes, Mexico.

Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) reflection. Hawaii.

A young Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) blowing bubbles. Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus californianus) surface reflection. Galapagos Islands.

Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) swims by curiously in the shallows. Hawaii.

Two spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) break the surface in slow motion. Hawaii.

Close up of two Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) above sand bottom. Bahamas.

A pod of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris ) cruises over sand bottom in Hawaii.

Head shot of Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) off Oahu. She popped her head out of a cave while I was photographing fish with my 100 mm macro. I had back off quite a bit just to get just even a head shot. She danced upright for several minutes (no doubt ridiculing me for my poor lens choice) and then gracefully swam off alomg htr sea cliffs.

A sea lion bull cruises underneath a school of sardines at Los Islotes. Baja, Mexico.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Galapagos Islands.

Silhouette of two spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) under clouds and blue sky. Hawaii.

Two playful sea lion pups at Los Islotes, Mexico.

Juvenile sea lions play in the shore break at a rookery on Santa Barbara Island, California.

An Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) swims toward the surface over white sand in clear, blue waters of the Bahamas.

Four Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) playing with a gorgonian branch above sand bottom in the Bahamas.

Humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays on the surface in Tonga.

An Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) swims over white sand. Bahamas.

Two Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) up close in clear, blue water of the Bahamas.

A small pod of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) cruise over sand in Hawaii.

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and sunrays from below. Tonga.

A large pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) over rocky bottom off Oahu, Hawaii.

Two sea lions play on the surface above a California kelp forest.

Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) pod over sand in Hawaii.

Free willy:) Bottlenose dolphin bull (Tursiops truncatus) courting Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Bottlenose and Atlantic spotted dolphins spend lots of time together in the Bahamas. They play and forage together, babysit each others calves and even hybridize on rare occasions. Bahamas.

Three spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris). Hawaii.

An Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) torpedos by in clear turqoise waters of the Bahamas.

A huge pod of hawaiian spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) swims over sand in clear waters off Oahu. Hawaii.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki). Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) diving down from the surface. Galapagos Islands.

Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) pod reflection in Hawaii.