Atlantic Spotted Dolphins off the coast of Delray Beach

It's days like this that I have an overwhelming love for my job. I'm a divemaster aboard a boat that takes people about a mile offshore of Boca and Delray to do some underwater exploring. Some of the wildlife that divers experience on board daily, include sharks, rays and turtles. But this particular day we were lucky enough to interact with something other than fish.

While watching for surfacing divers I noticed a commotion on the surface. Captain Tony drove the boat over to the splashing surface only to discover a pod of playful dolphins. But these weren't just any dolphins they were Atlantic Spotted dolphins a species known for their playful bow riding and acrobatics. And that's just what these dolphins did.

The video speaks for itself, so enjoy watching these brilliant mammals that share just as much a desire to interact with us as we did with them.

An American Bulldog in Delray is in need of a home after being rescued from a Miami Shelter

A canine disease called distemper has broke out in a north Miami animal shelter this past Thursday. The large shelter housed around 500 dogs that were either infected with the mostly lethal disease or susceptible to catch it in a short amount of time. The shelter evacuated any dogs that weren't infected to other shelters and foster homes and the ones that were unable to be taken were euthanized.

With dogs of my own I wasn't a candidate to foster in the event that one of the dogs from the shelter could pass on the disease to one, or both, of mine. So I turned to my bachelor friend James who has a house all to himself and no animals what-so-ever.

Hours later a beautiful American Bulldog mix was delivered on to James' doorstep. She thankfully licked everyone there awaiting her arrival (and mystery breed) and made her self at home. Though James is fostering "Mimi" she will still need a permanent home in order to not go back to a shelter.

  Please contact if anyone is interested.

Fresh and Best Sushi in Delray Beach-affordable too!

Sushi is, hands down, my favorite meal;breakfast, lunch or dinner. What makes this fact so inconvenient is that sushi is usually expensive and both difficult and time consuming to make-it can be expensive as well. So where on earth, or in Delray at least, can you find reasonably priced, most importantly fresh and delicious, sushi?

Sushi Yama in Pineapple Grove (that's 2nd Street for those of you who haven't caught on yet) is possibly the freshest and least expensive sushi I have had in all of South Florida.

Sushi Yama has a lunch special Mon-Sat where some of their most popular rolls are only $5. Some of the select rolls include the Mexican Roll, Cream Cheese Roll and Lobster Roll. The only catch--In order to take advantage of the lunch special you have to dine in or order your meal for take-out by 2:30.

Tar washes up on Delray Beach

While taking a Friday afternoon stroll on the beach I suddenly felt a sticky substance attach itself to my foot. Jelly fish, you might ask? Bubble gum? Nope, tar.

During my 30 minute stroll I came across about four or five different tar balls about the size of a harmonica. While we have experienced a migration of fish and other marine organisms from the Gulf of Mexico to our Atlantic coasts, it's not certain that the oil from the Deep Water Horizon spill could have made it's way this far.

After doing some research I came across a story that Fox 29 had debuted the day I came across the tar. Tar Balls Wash up on South Florida Beaches, the article was titled. The tar that Fox 29 was referring to was found off Boca Raton's beaches only miles away from Delray.

While the article gives no explanation for the tar, further research suggests that it's from rock or ocean topography. Apparently much of the rock off the coast of California produces naturally occurring tar and it's presence at the beaches is no surprise to residents. Let's hope that's the case in Delray.

Remnants of tar I found on Delray Beach, 3.18.11

The 18th Asian Food Fair Visits Delray Beach

This weekend the Asian Food Fair and Cultural Show will visit Delray Beach's Old School Square. The fair will include a diversity of vendors that will present anything from Asian inspired jewelry to Bangladeshi food.

A variety of artists, both regional and national, will perform concerts with singing and dancing. Because a third of the festival's budget is contributed to visual  and performing arts, it's bound to be entertaining.

Admission to the Asian Food Fair is $10 and will be open both Saturday and Sunday 12-10 p.m. Old School Square is located on the corner of Atlantic Ave. and Swinton Ave.

A Chinese vegetable stir-fry dish

Delray Beach hosts the 43rd St. Patty's Day Parade

Delray Beach's 43rd annuual St. Patricks Day parade reached an audience of 85,000 people this year. From A1A to Swinton Ave. Atlantic Ave. was flooded with fire trucks, floats and marching bands.

Some of the floats included a Monster Energy truck that handed out energy drinks and the Delray Delivery Dudes float that tossed koozies while their sponsored band Small Town Gypsys rocked the Ave. The band performed the national anthem at the Grand Stand in front of the Old School Square where parade-goers crossed their hand over their heart.

The weather ended up bein ideal for a parade and everything went smoothly....even with 85,000 people.

(picture to follow)

The Colony's Cabana Club; The Best Lunch in Town

As step into The Colony's Cabana Club on Linton and A1A you are greeted with a caribbean landscape of palm trees blowing in the wind and waves crashing on shore. Just as you thought you might be in paradise the smell of fresh, mouthwatering eats confirms that you are no place like home.

The Colony is Delray Beach's historic hotel with a cabana located on the beach for hotel guests and members only. If you have any hesitation about joining, the food served at the beach club is enough of a reason.

Experienced chef, Angus Brown, is constantly perfecting the lunch menu with organic meat and only the freshest seasonal fish. The kitchen is sunny and airy with a breeze blowing through the windows and a wooden chopping table where the food is prepared; I never imagined a kitchen could be so clean.

So next time you're in Delray and think about becoming a member of The Colony, take a tour of the Cabana Club and schedule it right around lunch time.

Buy Fresh and Local Produce at Delray's Green Market

Live in the Delray area and crave fresh, local produce? Contrary to popular belief, it's not impossible to come by and in fact, it's even so attainable you can stock up on nutritious food weekly and have it handed to you straight from the grower/harvester/farmer themself.

Delray Beach's Green Market is a community of local residents that sell their home grown peppers, free-range eggs and fresh baked goods in an open air, grassy location on SE 4th Ave. (just around the corner from the Green Owl).

The market, open Saturday mornings from 8-11,  offers everything from just cut flowers to home cooked gourmet treats. Visit the Green Market on Facebook.com for weekly updates.