Swiming with Dolphins

[jewel]

Hi!
Does anyone know if there is a more natural way of swimming with dolphins rather than at Discovery Cove? Don't get me wrong, I LOVED every second, but I would love to be in the water and see if they swim over of their own accord rather than be in a staged setting as in DC (wonderful as it is!)
Cheers :)

[Dawn]

Think you're gonna have to head down to Miami or the Keys if you want to do this. I'd guess even then, there's going to be some staging involved - dolphins best interests and all that.

Check out some of these.

http://www.floridakeysbest.com/families/florida_keys_dolphin_swims.htm

http://www.pennekamp.com/dolphins-plus/

http://www.dolphinworld.net/

http://www.swimdolphins.com/structuredswim.htm

[OKWTink]

Dolphins in the wild are not the engaging cute creatures you will interact with in a controlled setting. A dolphin protects itself by ramming with it's very hard "nose" and can do serious damage to a swimmer/diver that it perceives as a threat.

Additionally, there are any number of wildlife protection laws that are meant to prevent people from getting to close to animals/mammals in their natural setting.

To interact with any species it is best (legal and safest) to do so in a controlled, or staged setting.

Wouldn't want your holiday ruined by a tragic accident or unfortunate run in with the legal authorities.

:ears: :ears: :ears: :ears:

[jewel]

Hi Dawn :)
Thankyou for your reply! It was just something I was curious about - never dreamed I would actually touch a dolphin let alone swim beside one! I will treasure that day forever and maybe just enjoy looking at them in the wild from a distance!

[jewel]

Hi OKWTink :)
Thankyou for your reply! Discovery Cove was so special that nothing else could beat it, plus my kids swam aswell, I think to keep an eye on me so I wouldn't sink! I think I will just enjoy watching dolphins in the wild from a distance and let them be :)

[Shellyamc]

I'm so glad I took the time to read these posts. I was wondering why in the world someone would want to swim with dolphins naked? :blush: Time for a vacation! LOL

[PsychoAlice]

Originally posted by Shellyamc
I'm so glad I took the time to read these posts. I was wondering why in the world someone would want to swim with dolphins naked? :blush: Time for a vacation! LOL

hahaha Shelly i thought the same thing!

[Tinker]

When I went on the disney cruise, I took the dolphin excursion in Freeport, Bahama's. I only got to stand in the water with the dolphins, but they came right up to me . I've always loved dolphins and have one tatooed on my ankle. I wanted to swim with them , but didn't have the time limit allowed being on a cruise . How long do you actually get to interact and swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove ? I would do it , clothed or naked. LOL LOL

Tink , My father told me that when he was in the Navy that he fell off the ship and was saved by a dolphin. Dad fell on the ship striking is head before going into the water which rendered him unconscious . Upon awaking, he was being pushed upward by a dolphin's nose . He said it was the most incredible thing he ever experienced . His fellow sailor's were in awe . The dolphin actually hung out until my father was back on the ship safely . A stray trained dolphin or a wild mammal defending a human in trouble .

[jewel]

LOL :D :D :D :D :D tears rolling down my cheeks.....

Crossed wires folks...................not 'swim naked' :rolleyes: A bit of french for swimming with the dolphins in 'THEIR' natural habitat - PHEW, glad we got that straight - I can't even swim, let alone go in the buff, not exactly the little mermaid :lol: :lol:
It seems my french isn't any good either :D

[jewel]

OK, OK! This is soooo embarassing:blush: :blush: :blush: :blush:
Can I change the title to this thread...perlease :blush: :blush:
I DO NOT want to swim with the dolphins in the buff :D :D I am not a mermaid!!!!!!!!!!!! I will not explain myself anymore.. I am exhausted and going back to the craft section...it's safer there ;)

[wdwgrandma]

Or maybe you meant the dolphins were swimming naked????? LOL

[jewel]

Hi Donna!
I'm beginning to wonder what I meant and beginning to think I may have lost the plot completely! I thought I had a reasonable thread going <g> but now I'm wondering :blush: I've gone off dolphins now and I'm sticking to the Craft section - at least you have to 'wear' clothes for that, wouldn't want to sit on any pins :D OUCH!

[DisneyFreak]

Originally posted by Shellyamc
I'm so glad I took the time to read these posts. I was wondering why in the world someone would want to swim with dolphins naked? :blush: Time for a vacation! LOL

LMAO Shelly! That was the same thing I thought. :D

[gizmo]

:bounce: hey!!! i'd just love to swim in the buff with the little fishees. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it (though I haven't YET!) :eek: Hello Jewel - from the other J.

[Whitequeen]

Lol!!:lol:

Dolphins & Crafts in the Nude!!!!! Bet you don't find those at the 'Craft Fair'!!!;) :hehe:

Gizmo, Jewel, everybody is going to think we are very 'strange' here in Kent!!:hehe:

I have swam with Dolphins, but I did keep my clothes on (animal rights would have been after me for torturing the poor things!) I did this in the very 'Tropical' Margate in the 70's!!! Not quite the same as 'The Keys'!!:D

Dare somebody to 'phone 'Discovery Cove' and ask if you can swim in the nude!!!!! :hehe:

[jewel]

Hi Giz :D :D :D Hey watch it.....I am still feeling sensitive about the teasing I have had :blush: :blush: :blush: so don't you start ;)

Have you had a look around the sites yet? There are some great ideas for your WDW trip next march! Don't forget to look at the info about Discovery Cove Trainer for a day.....( clothes on of course!)
TTYL,
The other J :bounce:

[jewel]

Hi Whitequeen :D
You swam in the sea off Margate? I live just down the road - and strictly stay on land now :p don't go near the water!!! Well, not if there are dolphins about :D :D

[UKduck]

Hi gizmo!
Welcome to the boards.
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Uk-Kid]

You can't swim with the dolphins at Sea World but you can get really close to them. For about $4 we got to feed the dolphons and stroke them and everything. None of that was staged, it was up to the dolphins who they went to and thy were even playing with everyone, splashin them etc. It was amazing!

[jewel]

Hi Uk-kid :)

Sounds like you had a great time at Seaworld! When we went I remember seeing a lot of people feeding the dolphins, but didn't realise you had to buy the food - we had spent all our cash so had to enjoy watching everyone else feeding them. This is the sort of info that's good to know because if you don't then you are missing out on a fun experience - wish I had known BEFORE I had blown my last dollar (probably on some plasticky gimmicky thing!!)

[Whitequeen]

Lol! Jewel,

No they weren't in the sea I'm afraid. There used to be a 'Dolphinarium' in the 'Queens Hotel' in Cliftonville, was a Butlins before that!
It was a 'pokey' little pool with 2 Dolphins & 2 Sealions in it! They wouldn't get away with it now!!
Very memorable experience for a 12 yr old though!:D

[jewel]

Hi Whitequeen :)

I was going to say, that was a long time ago and Butlins have since reopened again over the years as I worked there (self employed, not through Butlins!) as a face painter during the summers of 95 - 2000! I really enjoyed it, didn't have to dress up as a redcoat of course :D but would show the children how to do plate spinning and make them balloon animals :hehe: I did get invited once by Robin (who was manager at the time) to judge a Glamerous Gran competition :D but had to decline as I was booked for a children's party! I had great fun there and miss it, however moved onto other (bigger and better) things - one door shuts, another opens ;)

[Whitequeen]

What a small world!! (No Dawn, don't sing it!!):p

I worked at the Butlins you are talking about for a season (long time before you though! '79-80 I vaguely remember) I spent my daylight hours looking exactly like this Smiley :cool: and surviving on 3 hrs sleep every night!!;)
I was a Waitress by day and in the local 'Night Club' every night!!!! I learned an awful lot about LIFE that summer!!! (Good, bad & totally outrageous!) ;)
Don't think anybody went on to the next Season, burnt out by August!!!:hehe:

The Butlins that held the Dolphinarium was knocked down in.....?? (memory blackout alert!!):hehe:
They probably demolished it one night and I didn't notice!!! Bit like my 21st Birthday!!! Not a clue what happened there!!! :rolleyes: :D