Orlando Dolphin Swim
Discussion
Taking the family to Orlando, and one thing I really want them to experience, is a swim with dolphins.
Now I'm no PETA member and animal cruelty isn't a major concern in my life, but after researching a lot about Seaworld and their sister park, Discovery Cove, I think I've decided against supporting them by giving them my money.
So what I'm really after, is a dolphin swim that couldn't be considered cruel. I went on a dolphin cruise in New Zealand 5 years ago which was amazing, it was a day trip on a boat and finding dolphins wasn't guaranteed. The crew were about to give up on our trip but then found a school of whales, I can't remember what type they were but they were only small (a bit bigger than a dolphin) and after getting permission through the radio, let us snorkel with them. Then to top it off we found 2 schools of dolphins on the way back to port.
So I'm after something similar but Google doesn't seem to find anything. I can only find other parks that keep the animals in captivity or short boat trips (30 mins - 1 hour).
I did find a website for the 'Dolphin Research Centre' and it looks a lot better than Seaworld's Discovery Cove but I still question the morals of viewing dolphins that are kept in captivity for the purpose of human entertainment.
Now I'm no PETA member and animal cruelty isn't a major concern in my life, but after researching a lot about Seaworld and their sister park, Discovery Cove, I think I've decided against supporting them by giving them my money.
So what I'm really after, is a dolphin swim that couldn't be considered cruel. I went on a dolphin cruise in New Zealand 5 years ago which was amazing, it was a day trip on a boat and finding dolphins wasn't guaranteed. The crew were about to give up on our trip but then found a school of whales, I can't remember what type they were but they were only small (a bit bigger than a dolphin) and after getting permission through the radio, let us snorkel with them. Then to top it off we found 2 schools of dolphins on the way back to port.
So I'm after something similar but Google doesn't seem to find anything. I can only find other parks that keep the animals in captivity or short boat trips (30 mins - 1 hour).
I did find a website for the 'Dolphin Research Centre' and it looks a lot better than Seaworld's Discovery Cove but I still question the morals of viewing dolphins that are kept in captivity for the purpose of human entertainment.
As far as I'm concerned Sea world should not exist. Hubby struggles with this as he went as a kid and would want to take our son but he understands why I disagree with it so much and realises it's never going to happen.
The only way it is ok to 'swim' with dolphins is on there terms and should never involve touching them unless they go to you.
There are excursions that will take you to wild dolphins but avoid the ones where loads of boats surround them so they cannot swim off when they want to.
It won't be easy but I'm sure you will find a suitable and ethical company to go with
Sorry just read your last paragraphs properly and see that you've already experienced the wild approach. I'm not sure where else you can try looking if Google isn't bringing up anything.
The only way it is ok to 'swim' with dolphins is on there terms and should never involve touching them unless they go to you.
There are excursions that will take you to wild dolphins but avoid the ones where loads of boats surround them so they cannot swim off when they want to.
It won't be easy but I'm sure you will find a suitable and ethical company to go with
Sorry just read your last paragraphs properly and see that you've already experienced the wild approach. I'm not sure where else you can try looking if Google isn't bringing up anything.
Edited by bexVN on Monday 13th May 12:28
We did the discovery cove thing about 12/13 years ago. It was okay I guess but an awful lot of money and I wouldn't be rushing back to swim with the dolphins. So you pretty much have the right idea!
I can't comment for swimming elsewhere with dolphins but there are one or two places you can swim with manatee. You absolutely cannot actively touch the manatee unless they engage with you first but it's suppose to be an amazing experience.
I can't comment for swimming elsewhere with dolphins but there are one or two places you can swim with manatee. You absolutely cannot actively touch the manatee unless they engage with you first but it's suppose to be an amazing experience.
So I've heard back from my friends (sorry it wasn't sooner, they are currently in the Smoky Mountains so their internet connection is very patchy!) and they've told me that it wasn't actually Orlando but instead just North of Tampa at a place called Crystal River.
The company they use is called Birds Underwater and they've used them at several times throughout the year and apparently they always manage to find them Manatee to swim with. It turns out that another friend of ours uses them when he visits Florida and his experience of the company is much the same. It comes highly recommended.
So it may not be ideal for you but if you're able to travel then it could work out quite nicely.
The company they use is called Birds Underwater and they've used them at several times throughout the year and apparently they always manage to find them Manatee to swim with. It turns out that another friend of ours uses them when he visits Florida and his experience of the company is much the same. It comes highly recommended.
So it may not be ideal for you but if you're able to travel then it could work out quite nicely.
Anthony Micallef said:
Have been to Discovery Cove twice and we're going again next March. I think its brilliant.
^^^ This - it IS however very expensive (and once you add in the, virtually, obligatory pix and the new semi dive experience I think for 2 of us last year it came to $750ish). Mind you I think we were one of the 1st 6 people in there and the last to leave 
I too have been to DC. Whilst I can respect the opinions of those that are against DC, it is a sort of once in a lifetime thing. I think if you've been once, there's not much need to do it again. I really enjoyed swimming in the tropical lagoon too, and the bird avery is good fun as well.
I'm sure some of my friends have had a better Dolphin swim experience in Cancun, Mexico IIRC.
On a side note, I went shark cage diving in Port Lincoln, South Australia at the end of last year. Now that was an eye opener!!!!
I'm sure some of my friends have had a better Dolphin swim experience in Cancun, Mexico IIRC.
On a side note, I went shark cage diving in Port Lincoln, South Australia at the end of last year. Now that was an eye opener!!!!
bexVN said:
As far as I'm concerned Sea world should not exist. Hubby struggles with this as he went as a kid and would want to take our son but he understands why I disagree with it so much and realises it's never going to happen.
The only way it is ok to 'swim' with dolphins is on there terms and should never involve touching them unless they go to you.
There are excursions that will take you to wild dolphins but avoid the ones where loads of boats surround them so they cannot swim off when they want to.
It won't be easy but I'm sure you will find a suitable and ethical company to go with
Sorry just read your last paragraphs properly and see that you've already experienced the wild approach. I'm not sure where else you can try looking if Google isn't bringing up anything.
I believe it depends on where they were born. I agree with you if they were captured dolphins, but if they were born in captivity, and know no other (or could even survive in the wild), then I'm ok with them being looked after. The only way it is ok to 'swim' with dolphins is on there terms and should never involve touching them unless they go to you.
There are excursions that will take you to wild dolphins but avoid the ones where loads of boats surround them so they cannot swim off when they want to.
It won't be easy but I'm sure you will find a suitable and ethical company to go with
Sorry just read your last paragraphs properly and see that you've already experienced the wild approach. I'm not sure where else you can try looking if Google isn't bringing up anything.
Edited by bexVN on Monday 13th May 12:28
We took the family to Discovery Cove and everybody loved it although it was very expensive. My wife did the Dolphin thing but that was the least impressive part of the day (aside from any conservation considerations). It was short and just wasn't that much fun.
I have also been to Crystal River many times (golfing with the lads staying at the Plantation Inn).
http://www.plantationoncrystalriver.com/
Last time we took the short boat ride from Plantation out to the Manatee lagoon. We stayed in the boat but others went swimming with them. They are very friendly and willingly swim right up to you. I got to stroke several noses.
Plantation Inn is a lovely place to stay but it's the back end of beyond so the opposite end of the spectrum to Orlando. It's Golfing and Fishing country. Oh and there's a nuclear power plant just down the road!
But if you're after interacting with sea creatures in a natural environment, I would recommend it.
I have also been to Crystal River many times (golfing with the lads staying at the Plantation Inn).
http://www.plantationoncrystalriver.com/
Last time we took the short boat ride from Plantation out to the Manatee lagoon. We stayed in the boat but others went swimming with them. They are very friendly and willingly swim right up to you. I got to stroke several noses.
Plantation Inn is a lovely place to stay but it's the back end of beyond so the opposite end of the spectrum to Orlando. It's Golfing and Fishing country. Oh and there's a nuclear power plant just down the road!
But if you're after interacting with sea creatures in a natural environment, I would recommend it.
thought I would put my 2 pence in here.
I have swam with the dolphins in discovery cove twice. both times the dolphin part was the same size area, quite a bit area and you really need to swim quite far out into really deep water to take a ride back holding on to the dolphin, but since they changed the layout for the rest of it where you can swin with fish and rays, that part isnt anywere near as good.
before there was a smaller ray pool where there were small rays swimming around (i think for the kids to paddle in and see them up close, last year my 9 year old niece really s
t it bad whenever a ray came close to her, as they scared her for some reason and tryed to climb up which ever family member was standing near her.
there is a larger pool with fish in, and a few larger rays, not that deep but deep enough so you cannot stand and have to tread water in some parts, before they changed it the water was deep enough for me to swim straight down for about 15-20 seconds and not even reach the bottom on a couple of parts, and there was a GIANT rays in that part, probably bigger than 8 feet long body.
plus there used to be a rapid river type thing going around the place before they got rid of it.
better the way it used to be, but still ok now.
but onto the dolphin part, I liked it, you stand about waist deep in the water (which is freezing cold, and i mean nut receding cold) and the dolphin swims around you doing things like jumping out of the water, coming up to you and you touch it on the head and it makes a farty noise, you being about to feed it a small fish stroke it to see what it feels like (sorta wet rubbery foam btw) and other things which include doing tricks with the other dolphins like synchronised jumping and noise making and stuff. then you swim out into the really deep water and tread water for a bit, and then the dolphin comes up to you, and you hold onto its back fin and side fin and hitch a ride back to the shore. does a few other bits and then thats that part over.
for the animal activists saying that they shouldnt be there and its cruel to keep them there as they are used to the open ocean and huge open spaces, well, yes, it is a bit small compared to what they are used to, but they are intelligent animals and they know they have it pretty good, doing tricks for people, and you get fed the food they like the most, plus they dont have to hunt for there food. plus I dont think they would actually do anything for the trainers if they didnt want to.
I have swam with the dolphins in discovery cove twice. both times the dolphin part was the same size area, quite a bit area and you really need to swim quite far out into really deep water to take a ride back holding on to the dolphin, but since they changed the layout for the rest of it where you can swin with fish and rays, that part isnt anywere near as good.
before there was a smaller ray pool where there were small rays swimming around (i think for the kids to paddle in and see them up close, last year my 9 year old niece really s
t it bad whenever a ray came close to her, as they scared her for some reason and tryed to climb up which ever family member was standing near her.there is a larger pool with fish in, and a few larger rays, not that deep but deep enough so you cannot stand and have to tread water in some parts, before they changed it the water was deep enough for me to swim straight down for about 15-20 seconds and not even reach the bottom on a couple of parts, and there was a GIANT rays in that part, probably bigger than 8 feet long body.
plus there used to be a rapid river type thing going around the place before they got rid of it.
better the way it used to be, but still ok now.
but onto the dolphin part, I liked it, you stand about waist deep in the water (which is freezing cold, and i mean nut receding cold) and the dolphin swims around you doing things like jumping out of the water, coming up to you and you touch it on the head and it makes a farty noise, you being about to feed it a small fish stroke it to see what it feels like (sorta wet rubbery foam btw) and other things which include doing tricks with the other dolphins like synchronised jumping and noise making and stuff. then you swim out into the really deep water and tread water for a bit, and then the dolphin comes up to you, and you hold onto its back fin and side fin and hitch a ride back to the shore. does a few other bits and then thats that part over.
for the animal activists saying that they shouldnt be there and its cruel to keep them there as they are used to the open ocean and huge open spaces, well, yes, it is a bit small compared to what they are used to, but they are intelligent animals and they know they have it pretty good, doing tricks for people, and you get fed the food they like the most, plus they dont have to hunt for there food. plus I dont think they would actually do anything for the trainers if they didnt want to.
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