Boats and Boating: Boating destinations - "Swim with Dolphins in Florida, Wild Dolphin Swims/Encounters, and Controlled Dolphin Swims/Wades" |
|
Home |
Dolphins hold a very special place in people's hearts and most people find swimming with a dolphin a very moving experience and cannot wait to do it again, despite the price. Florida offers many opportunities to swim with dolphins no matter where you are staying.
If you are staying in Central Florida near Orlando then you can simply head over to SeaWorld and watch the dolphin shows or visit the next door Discovery Cove where you can spend 30 minutes in the water in a controlled environment with an Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphin. Even if you are staying in Orlando and do not have a car, you can take a two day bus trip to the Florida Keys including a dolphin swim.
Alternatively you can head for the coast to one of a number of companies offering dolphin swims and dolphin encounters. Note that some companies offer therapeutic programs for special needs children.
It is illegal to harass, feed, chase or touch marine mammals in the wild and so a wild encounter is a different kind of experience to the controlled encounters that take part in marine parks. All reputable companies will take time to teach the participants the correct way to deal with wild dolphins in their environment.
Typically you are taken out by boat into the open ocean to meet wild dolphins in their natural habitat. Once the dolphins are found, you can either just watch them from the boat or go over the side and snorkel with them; you must be a confident swimmer to swim in the sea like this.
Obviously there is no guarantee that the weather will be suitable, that you will meet any dolphins or that they will want to spend time with you but if you want to experience as natural an encounter as possible then this is the sort of trip for you. It is worth checking if the company offers any form of 'no show' guarantee if no dolphins are found.
As well as a one day trip, some companies also offer extended programmes/workshops of anything from 2 days to 7 days if you want to spend more time with the dolphins.
Before making your visit check with the operator exactly what gear you need to provide yourself and what is supplied or can be hired; for example, snorkel, fins, towels etc.
If you do not want to go out into the ocean, then you can still either swim with a dolphin or even wade with a dolphin in captivity.
There are really two kinds of controlled swim, the natural swim where you typically free swim using a snorkel with captive dolphins and the structured swim where you are one on one with a trainer (much like the swim with dolphins experience at Discovery Cove, Orlando).
Generally you need to be a good swimmer, comfortable in water 10-15 feet (3-5 metres) deep without using any flotation device. If you do not like getting out of your depth then some companies offer a wade with a dolphin programme where you can still cuddle and touch a dolphin whilst standing in shallow water (up to your waist) or at places like Discovery Cove you can wear a flotation device for the actual swim.
One of the main reasons that White Water Rafting is such a popular adventure sport is because it is a highly exhilarating experience that can be shared with friends and colleagues alike.
Up to eight people can be crammed like sardines into a single raft, making it an ideal way to for groups of friends to share an adventure together. The social aspect of White Water Rafting lends itself perfectly well to stag and hen parties that flock to locations all over the UK, with the rugged landscapes of Scotland and Wales providing particularly hair-raising rides.
This gregarious nature of
Read this article in full
If you've never had the experience of being at the helm of a yacht as you sail through the crystal waters of the Virgin Islands, then consider making that your next vacation goal. A variety of yacht rental and/or vacation facilities are available that will provide you with a complete line of vessels from which to choose for your luxury excursion.
Ernest Hemingway, the Nobel laureate author of “Old Man And The Sea,” loved to go on fishing expeditions off the Cuban coast in a sailboat that was well stocked with rum.
James Bond, the legendary British spy, loved to spend intimate moments with his newfound female companion on a yacht near a remote island in the Caribbean.
Away from the maddening crowd, in complete isolation, is what the fictional celebrity, and the celebrated fiction-writer, sought after every hectic assignment – Bond chasing enemies and Hemmingway chasing real-life action.
In real life, the rich and famous all over the world often
Read this article in full
Scotland has taken its place as the new Mecca for white water rafting and extreme sports enthusiasts. With over 120 activity centres around the country you can do it all here - from jumping off cliffs, sliding through canyons and rolling down hills in plastic balls, to more traditional activities such as white water rafting, quad biking and clay pigeon shooting.
The rugged landscape is perfect for hair-raising outdoor pursuits. As Mark Turner of specialist outdoor sports website adrenalinePASS.com says, "We are especially looking forward to the white water rafting season on the River Tummel. This is undoubtedly the best
Read this article in full
Do you have questions about kayaking? Do you want to seek the advice of kayakers that are more experienced and relate to kayakers that are at your level? Wouldn’t it be nice to connect with other kayaking enthusiasts? The Internet can supply you with robust information about kayaking such as necessary equipment, costs, and travel destinations. However, the Internet also provides forums and discussion boards dedicated to the sport of kayaking. Hop online and plug into the kayaking community.
Several kayaking websites provide message boards. Many websites allow free access to these forums; however some require a small fee. Let’s
Read this article in full
We support this site using affiliate marketing as a way to earn revenue. All the ads, and many of the links mentioning other products, services, or websites are special links that earn us a commission when you use or pay for their product/service.
Please do not use our site if this alarms you.
