Captain gains popularity due to pink dolphin sightings

Capt. Erik Rue of Calcasieu Charter Service, south of Lake Charles, La., has become a celebrity, not because of a fish he caught rather one he has no intention of catching.Rue has photographs of a pink dolphin.Rue and his charter guests spotted the young dolphin on a charter trip on June 24.

Since then he has been bombarded with requests from the media to talk about it. ESPN, Fox News and others are clamoring to hear more about the dolphin after he posted photographs of the pink dolphin on his Web site.In a telephone interview last week, Rue said he has seen the extraordinary dolphin again."He is in a channel," said Rue. "Our dolphins tend to stay (in our estuary)."Rue said the area in which the dolphin has been spotted is rich in food sources for dolphins and the same ones tend to inhabit the area.

In the commentary on his Web site, Rue said, "It appears to be an uncanny freak of nature, an albino dolphin, with reddish eyes and glossy pink skin. It is small in comparison to the others it is traveling with and appears to be a youngster traveling with mama."Rue has posted a series of photos at his Web site and said he hopes to have video of the mammal soon. You can see all the photos at www.calcasieucharters.com.