Borth RNLI was called out by the coastguard on Monday, 3 June, following reports of an overturned boat and a person in the water.
The crew launched the lifeboat and made the short journey to the location, just off Borth headland.
They looked for the boat but, upon arrival, they discovered that the object was, in fact, a deceased dolphin.
After a further thorough check of the area to make sure there was no boat or person in the water, the crew stood down and returned to station.
Dave Reynolds, Borth RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: “Despite the object at sea not being a boat or person this time, the members of the public who noticed something in the water, did the right thing in calling for help so the situation could be investigated.
“If you’re out at the coast and you suspect someone is in danger, you should always call 999 in an emergency or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
“If you ever find yourself in difficulty in the water remember Float to Live, so you are able to control your breathing and retain energy until you can either get yourself to safety, or call for help and wait for it to arrive.”