Meeting DOLPHINS in FLORIDA and BAHAMA.

In March 2001 the trip was first Florida and after Bahama.In Florida I wanted to meet wild dolphins at Key West. From home I had booked two dolphintrips, one with "Dolphin Watch" captain Ron Canning. The other with "Wild about Dolphins". Both captains should have fine knowledge about wild dolphins. Both boattrips were cancelled because of too much wind.That is the way it is with "meeting wild dolphins", it is always a chance. The only dolphins you can be 100% sure always to meet are dolphins in captivity.And for me it hurts deep in my heart to look at these beautiful animals in prison. Dolphins deserve to swim free and wild in the ocean.
Miami Seaquiarium. Lolita show.


MIAMI SEAQUARIUM.

For me it was a horrible experience to visit Miami Seaquarium, but I forced myself to do it. I can not talk against dolphins and orcas in captivity, if I don't dare to feel myself what it does to me.The orca is called Lolita, and she is in a pool much too little and no company with other orcas. More is not necessary to say. Orca are very social animal and stays together in groups the whole life. Lolita is put into prison mostly to satisfied the human desire for money.


Entrance at Dolphin Research Centre
 Dolphin Research Centre.

The place is situated in 1958. It is a very traditional place for tourism. All together 3 acre with souvenirshop and 11 pools for dolphins. There are 16 dolphins for all the pools, so many dolphins are swimming alone.The place make show for the tourist, and you can orde "structured" swim with the dolphins. Again it is very short time (10 to 20 min.) in water and the cost is 125 US$. Disabled individuals can also meet the dolphins..
Dolphin Research Center is situated 4 hours drive south of Miami at Grassy Key.

Pax swimming alone in Dolphin Reaearch Centre.


Theater of the Sea.

Theater of the Sea is the second oldest marine mammal park in the world It was established in1946 by the McKenney family, and they still owns the park today.The park cover seventeen acre with a varity of marine life. Beside 9 Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, there is Sea Lions, sea turtles, sharks, stingrays and tropical fish. Two of the dolphins do show, and the seven dolphins are swimming with people. Only "structured" swimming can be asked. About 30 min. teaching and 30 min. in water. Cost 125 US$. It is a beautiful park for people who like to look at animals in captivity. Theater of the Sea is situated 2 hours drive south of Miami at Islamorada.
Theater of the Sea. Show...
Two "dolphin-swimming-pools" from Dolphin Plus.

DOLPHIN PLUS.

Dolphin Plus was the place where I experienced the most comfortable atmosphere. The place is called a "research and education center" The place offer in cooperation with "Island Dolphin Care" dolphin assisted therapy, special for disabled individuals, and they have special program for children with family. Others can ask for "Structured" or "Natural" swim with the dolphins. There are 13 dolphins, all bottlenose at the place. Dolphin Plus is situated about one hour drive south of Miami at Key Largo.
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From "Structured Swim" at Dolphin Plus..


BAHAMA

In March 2001 the trip was going from West Palm Beach with the boat "Dream Too" towards Big Irland, Bahama.It is about 7 hours sailtrip. "Dream Too! has room for 12 passengers, three captains and one cook. The plan was sailing 6 days, but the first three days was the wind blowing too strong for sailing. The days we were sailing were wonderful. Captain Scoot has developed a 15 years friendship with two pods of wild dolphins. To look at him in the water with dolphins is great. The dolphins were playful.
Captain Scoot had a little handscooter in the water, and he had a scarf, which the dolphins loved to play with. They took the scarf from one another and from us.It was an experience beyond description to meet pods of wild dolphins. They were full of confidence and curious. They loved to play with the people, who could dive, dance and move quickly in the water. The dolphins were not paying much attention to people only laying in the surface of the water.

One of the dolphins with scarf on the tail.


Three spotted atlantic dolphins.

Four spotted atlantic dolphins.

To travel out and swim with dolphins is rather demanding, but also very rich. The dolphins first of all teach me ACCEPT, RESPECT, JOY and PRESENCE.

My wish is, that dolphinpeople all over the world support each other and in this way more and more people will learn to love dolphins and live in the "dolphinway", which for me is "living from the heart", and in that way treat both animal, human and nature with honesty, acceptance, responsibility, respect and love.