Amount of stranded dolphin finally takes a dive

The relentless string of dolphin strandings that nearly overwhelmed the Cape Cod Stranding Network in January has quieted down.

Despite Sunday's furious nor'easter, no dolphin strandings were reported over the weekend.
"Knock on wood. Thank goodness," said stranding network director Kate Tuohey. "We were really watching before that last storm. We've had some seals strand, harp seals. The last dolphin [stranding reported] was Feb. 9; it was a single dolphin. Things are better."

Well over 100 dolphins stranded on the outer shores of Cape Cod Bay in January with half of them surviving. Necropsies have been done but the results won't be in for some time. The prevailing theories remain: they were chasing bait fish in too shallow water; illness; high tides; and or bad weather.

"We were each able to have a couple of days off, a normal weekend," Tuohey said. "We're happy with that. But March is the big month for mass strandings, so we could have them any time between then and now."