Mysterious white dolphin spotted off Belgian coast after Netherlands visit: 'Could be the same one from the 80s'
Remember that dazzling white visitor cruising along the Dutch coast a few weeks back, getting everyone into a flutter of excitement? Well, grab your binoculars again, because the white dolphin has now been spotted off the Belgian coast. Off Blankenberge, to be precise. And honestly? This creature has more wanderlust than a backpacker with a Eurail pass.
It all started with whispers among Zeeland fishermen. Then it showed up near the mouth of the Western Scheldt, where dozens of day-trippers captured it on their phones. Now it's the famous Chinese white dolphin? Wait, hold on, let's clear that confusion up quickly. This isn't a tropical species, but a genuine beluga, one that normally calls the icy Arctic home. Yet, it clearly feels right at home in our waters. And if you ask me, that's the best news we've had all month.
An old friend?
What makes this story even better? I reckon this isn't the first time this white giant has hung around here. Old hands in the game – by which I mean the seasoned bird wardens and marine biologists I occasionally share a beer with – are whispering that it might just be the same beluga that popped up back in the 80s. Word has it we're looking at an exceptionally old-timer, one that's been around for decades. That old fella would be well into his forties by now. For a beluga, that's getting on a bit, but not impossible. Just imagine: this old boy has been visiting our coasts for forty years, swimming past wind farms and container ships, thinking to himself: "Well, it's no Greenland, but the herring's just as good."
Of course, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. But the fact that it's reappeared now, exactly in the spots it frequented back in the 80s, sets all my nostalgia alarms ringing. Insiders tell me that seeing a beluga like this here is exceptional, but not unthinkable. And as that old fisherman from Zeeland said recently: "I know every fin in these waters, and I know that white one." Who am I to argue with that?
From muse to wall art
His popularity, at least, is unstoppable. Wherever he goes, people are stopping their boats for a glimpse. And the real fans go one step further. I saw someone recently who'd brought home a massive tapestry featuring a white dolphin illustration. You know the type, an XXL-sized print, 180x120 cm, showing it swimming through blue water. It's like they want to bring a piece of the sea onto their wall. And I get it. Once you've seen such a majestic creature in the flesh, you want to hold onto that feeling every day. There are even canvas paintings of it now, a white dolphin in a blue circle. Art on the wall, inspired by nature. That's pure emotion, right there.
Where might you spot it?
If you're thinking of heading out yourself, here are the hotspots where it's been seen lately:
- Off the coast of Blankenberge: This is where it was last spotted, swimming northwest.
- Mouth of the Western Scheldt: A favourite spot, probably because of the nutrient-rich currents.
- Between Zeebrugge and Cadzand: In the border area where the Netherlands and Belgium meet at sea.
So, jump in the car, or better yet, hop on your bike, and keep an eye on the horizon. Who knows, that white dolphin might be swimming off your coast tomorrow. And if you see it, give it a wink. Maybe that old sea dog will wink back.