About the Programs

The purpose of our educational dolphin swim program is to stimulate awareness about the delicate balance of the marine environment. We do not sell a thrilling experience using trained animals, we show you the real thing by giving you the opportunity to encounter wild dolphins on their territory in their own terms. It is illegal to harass, feed, chase and touch marine mammals in the wild and also detrimental to them. We will brief you on guidelines of interaction with dolphins in the wild and then take you out in the Gulf of Mexico, where the in-water encounters usually take place. For more information about the legal issues related to contacts with marine mammalsclick here.

It is essential to organize, before any dolphin encounter. We will help the participants prepare for the complexity of the dolphin's world. The ocean is their home and their environment. Basic education about dolphin physiology, social habits and environment is important in order to protect their lifestyle. While we observe them, dolphins could be hunting, courting, nursing or teaching their young. These behaviors must be understood and respected. A strict code of conduct, accompanied by clear guidelines is established and followed during all trips.

We observe and interact with the wild bottlenosed dolphins around Shell Island, a nature preserve, which is part of the Florida State Park network. Too often, swimmers are unprepared, anxious to get what they came for. They are overconfident, impatient and aggressive. We teach patience and respect, which are the ingredients for this intense and beautiful experience.