Written by It’s time to celebrate one of the coolest marine mammals on the planet with National Dolphin Day! I think they’re cool because I totally envy their ability to stay awake for more than two weeks at a time. This would be extremely helpful in getting a lot of things done, so I’m totally jealous of this skill. You see, dolphins can sleep by resting only half of their brain at a time. The other half remains “awake” so they can keep a constant lookout for sharks. And if that weren’t cool enough, they have a built-in natural radar called echolocation to find food and navigate.
Also, dolphins are super sweet animals who live by an altruistic creed. They have been known to help other injured dolphins including bringing them to the surface to breath. But they don’t just help their own kind. There are tons of accounts of dolphins helping humans and even whales in need. This kind and helpful demeanor extends to raising their young as well. They will teach them to use tools and place pieces of sponge on their noses to help prevent abrasions while foraging for food.
Depending on what research you run across, when it comes to brain power, dolphins rank behind only humans in intelligence. Well, most humans anyway. This is, of course, when applying “human” measures of smarts created by the humans themselves. So by this logic, it’s also equally possible dolphins are actually smarter than we are and we’re just too dumb to realize it. In this case, it’s quite comforting to know that they’re so incredibly nice! Unless, of course, that’s also part of their ingenious plan to take over the world. Being mere humans, though, I guess we’ll just never quite know for sure.
Join me any and all days you like during April by celebrating a National or International Day with a doodlewash! Tag your image #doodlewashaday and I’ll feature everyone who played along on doodlewash.com at the end of the month!
About the Doodlewash
M. Graham watercolors: Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Cobalt Teal, and Nuetral Tint. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon blue ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal
Yay!! Cool doodlewash Charlie! Wonder who’s dolphin is happier? 🙂
Thanks Susan!! 😃💕Hehe…I think yours is…mine looks a little mischievous!! Lol
They both have a mischievous look about them. Dolphin ish!! Lol
A noble animal and a worthy painting.
Thanks so much Sharon!! 😃💕
Super cute doodlewash, a planet taken over by the dolphin, that’s a great thought, better than the one I had ranked at top take over position….. The cockroach…..yuk!
Thanks Rebecca!! 😃💕 Ugh! Yes…sadly it’s probably more likely to be cockroaches left standing in the end! Or crawling around and being generally gross!! Ewww!! Hehe
Okay, I mentioned it at Susan’s blog so I have to mention it here, too: dolphins always remind me of Douglas Adam’s “So Long and Thanks for All the Fish”! 🙂 I love the beautiful blue-green you got on him and he looks so sweet! <3 I definitely think they're smarter than people in many ways.
Thanks so much Teresa! 😃💕 Douglas Adams is the best!! Hehe…and that’s probably the best book title ever isn’t it? Hehe
It *is* one awesome title! 😀
This is a day worth celebrating. Your dolphin captures the wonderful spirit of the dolphin. My neighbor has dolphin’s painted on her garage door. In fact her whole driveway is an aquatic theme. I’ll send you a photo.
Thanks for posting today Charlie, you brought some big smiles!
Thanks Sharon!! That photo was amazing!! Such an ambitious undertaking and the results are really breathtaking! Thanks for sharing!! 😃💕
I love dolphins and he is lovely Charlie I wanted to make mine but I lack of time 🙁 maybe later if I get some time!
Thanks Carolina!! 😃💕I’m late replying so I see you did it!!! Yay!! Your doodlewash is amazing! Love it!
Nobody can doodlewash a dolphin like you Charlie O! If they do take over the planet – you will be the first human they save by the beautiful way you represent them! Not to be outweighed by your equal wit and charm! 🙂 xo
Again just trying to make me blush and succeeding!! 😊😊hehe…thanks so much Jodi!! 💕😃
Wow, lovely colours on your dolphin! I can’t work out whether he looks sweet or a bit naughty. Perhaps both? They are definitely fascinating – I didn’t know about the two weeks awake though! Imagine! Although to be honest, I think I’d miss sleep. 😉
Remember Ecco the Dolphin? Probably not 😛 If I’d known, I’d have fired it up today! But finally factoring in this echo-location business, is explaining why I had no idea at all what was going on in that game as a kid.
Thanks Jacob! 😃 I was going for a bit naughty…but subtle.. Like one just couldn’t be sure, so sounds like it worked! Yay! Lol I DO remember Ecco! And I did play that game too. Well not yesterday, but I guess I should have to celebrate properly!! 😊
Haha, yay! I’m totally going to play it later, if only to see if I’m as bewildered as I was twenty years ago (probably even more so!)
I’m glad you did the dolphin Charlie! its lovely, with the gorgeous cobalt teal blue and blue/greens mixed!! Its important we know more about them 🙂
Thanks Debi!! 😃💕 Gotta love that Cobalt Teal!! Hehe😉 Glad you liked this one!
CTB club rocks !
Haha! It does!! 😉👍🏻
They are truly remarkable creatures! My girls were crazy about the movie, “Dolphin Tails”.. Or was it tales.. They really seem to empathize. I too wished I had its ability to rest half of my brain.. Lol. Great doodlewash!!
Thanks Kari!! 😃💕 I think it was Tale and I keep wanting to see that movie, but never have! Putting it on the list! Yeah… their resting seems crazy efficient, but I have seemed people wandering around that appear to only be using half their brain, so who knows…maybe some humans can too! Lol
Wasn’t it in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” where the dolphins were definitely smarter than humans? Not too hard in some cases! Your dolphin looks both wise and friendly. (K)
Thanks Kerfe! 😃💕Yep! It was in Hitchhiker’s Guide…but in that one instead of taking over, they departed the world just before it was demolished with just a lovely note to humans, “So long, and thanks for all the fish.” Adams was awesome!!
You’re right, I remember that now! Hope we don’t end up there!
Me too!!
You have drawn in there intelligence and sweetness. It looks like he’s jumping right out of the water.
Awww thanks Teri!! 💕 I didn’t have much time for this one so I really appreciate that! 😃
I like how you outlined your Dolphin with blue ink. It is swimmingly well done, Charlie! 🐬💖😄
Awww thanks Jill! 😃💕I don’t get to use my blue pen as much so it’s always fun to play!! Hehe Glad you liked it!
Wow! Great! (y) Keep it up! 🙂
Awww thanks so much Francis!! 😃💕
I wouldn’t mind dolphins taking over the world, better than some of the people who run it now! Can we vote for them? In Greece dolphins enjoy mythical status and have been credited in ancient writings with saving people from shipwrecks etc
I’m sure if there was a dolphin rubbing in the current US presidential election it could win hands down!! Lol And yeah…the saving humans thing is so cool…perhaps one day we’ll actually pay them back for that. 😉
A bit late but I made it! Join you on this one Charlie 🙂 https://yesterdayafter.com/2016/04/15/national-dolphin-day/
It’s awesome!! Yay!!! I’ll comment there properly later. But yay!!!! So thrilled!! 💕😃
too cute painting of my favorite Dolphin! Yet to see one in real! 🙂 I knew about intelligence part but wasn’t aware of that cool sleeping part. thank you sharing the info. enjoyed it!
Thanks so much, Jui! 😃Really? You haven’t seen one in real yet? You need to fix that!! They’re awesome!
I think you’re making these days up! 🙂
Couldn’t possibly! Hehe…. the link is in my posts because I’m inviting others to play with me in celebrating them! 😉
Beautiful dolphin :-). I didn’t know they put sponges on their little ones noses. More awesomeness points for dolphins!
Hehe…yeah…they are just super awesome creatures. thanks, Myriam!! 😃💕
lovely!
Thanks! This was my first dolphin doodlewash. hehe 😊
favourite day
hehe… glad you liked it! 😃